Some specific signs that may require a call to your doctor include:
?Changes in appetite ?Changes in mood ?Changes in skin color ?Tender navel or penis ?Fever ?Diarrhea ?Vomiting ?Dehydration ?Constipation ?Upper respiratory infections ?Ear pain ?Rash ?Eye discharge ?Minor injuries
Signs and symptoms that require emergency care include:
?Bleeding that can't be stopped ?Poisoning ?Seizures ?Trouble breathing ?High fever ?Head injuries ?Sudden lethargy or inability to move ?Choking ?Unresponsiveness
Constipation:
Infants who have not had a bowel movement in three days are most likely constipated. Infants usually pass about four stools a day. Breast-fed infants have even more bowel movements than formula-fed infants.
What to do about infant constipation:
?0 ? 2 months: Call your doctor for advice ?2+ months: Give the infant 2-4 ounces of water twice a day. If constipation does not improve, try 2-4 ounces of fruit juice ? such as grape, pear, apple, cherry or prune ? twice a day. ?4+ months: If already eating solid foods, feed him or her baby food that is high in fiber such as peas, beans, apricots, prunes, peaches, pears, plums or spinach twice a day until constipation improves.
Never give mineral oil, stimulant laxatives or enemas to infants.
Infant constipation is rarely due to an underlying condition. It usually occurs with the transition from breast milk to formula or from strained foods to table foods. However, if constipation persists, call your doctor.
Cradle cap is another common condition in babies. Cradle cap can usually be prevented by shampooing your baby's hair every few days with a mild baby shampoo.
Cradle cap causes scaly patches on a baby's scalp; however, cradle cap is quite harmless. It looks awful, but it is harmless. The patches may be thick, yellow, crusty or greasy. It is most common in newborns, and often clears up on its own within a few months.
You can wash your baby's hair once a day with mild baby shampoo, and loosen the scales with a small, soft-bristled brush before rinsing off the shampoo. If the scales do not loosen easily, rub a few drops of mineral oil onto your baby's scalp. When the oil soaks into the scales after a few minutes, then brush and shampoo your baby's hair as usual. Do not leave the oil in your baby's hair; it may allow more scales to accumulate.
Time to call your doctor is if frequent shampooing does not help or the scaly patches spread beyond baby's scalp. Older babies may require a prescription antifungal shampoo if they acquire scalp ringworm infections. Scalp ringworm infections resemble cradle cap and would require calling your doctor for specific advice.
Source: Mayo Clinic
Disclaimer: This article is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to be a substitute for informed medical advice or care. You should not use the information in this article to diagnose or treat any health problems or illnesses without consulting your pediatrician or family doctor. Please consult a doctor with any questions or concerns you might have regarding your or your child's condition.
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In today's stressful fast moving society where many of us lack a regular physical exercise regime, eat to much and generally don't look after our bodies as we should, .back pain in all its variations has become a major irritant to our way of life.
Back pain can be caused by a number of different factors. It can be hurt from over-exertion, the aging process or any host of possible medical conditions. These medical reasons can vary greatly - from mild problems that can be treated at home to more serious issues that require a doctor's diagnosis and prescription along with specialized treatments. Because of the wide range of causes for back pain symptoms, it is important for the sufferer to recognize the type of back pain that you are experiencing so that you can discern if a doctor is needed or not, to treat your condition properly.
Common Back Pain Symptoms
The most common type of back pain symptom that you will experience is stiffness and the discomfort itself, however, the type of pain can vary significantly. Your pain may range from a persistent ache, or stiffness in the area, especially if you have been lying or sitting in one position for a period of time. Or It may be more of an acute pain that is localized to a specific area of the back. This type of pain is often the result of a muscle strain after lifting something heavy or overdoing your daily exercise routine. Or you may experience a chronic, localized pain that settles in the middle or lower back. This discomfort might also be exacerbated by sitting or standing for long periods of time.
By understanding the type of back pain symptom that you are suffering from you will be able to decide if you need to visit the doctor or not and if you do to describe to the doctor exactly what your symptoms are.This will assist him/her to make an informed diagnosis and then to recommend the type of treatment or medication that is best suited to your needs. Giving you the fastest and most effective relief possible. There are also other back pain symptoms that may indicate a more serious medical problem. If you recognize any of the following symptoms, it is a good idea to contact your doctor for further investigation.
When to Call your Doctor
While many back pain symptoms are short-lived and can be effectively treated at home, there are some that warrant a call to your doctor. For example: - if you experience any type of numbness or tingling in your extremities, this could mean that there has been damage to your spinal cord. - If your back pain symptoms include a fever, you could be suffering from an infection. - Pain shooting down one leg from your spine often indicates the condition known as sciatica. - A pain that intensifies when you bend over or cough might mean that you have a herniated disc. - Finally, any back pain symptoms after the age of 50 should be looked at for the possibility of osteoarthritis.
If you are suffering from any of these back pain symptoms the pain you are experiencing can be quite intense therefore, , a call to your doctor will help you to diagnose your condition accurately and allow you to receive the most effective treatment and the subsequent pain relief as soon as possible..
Author's Biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to Alternative and Herbal Medicine, for more information please visit .
Both Connie Limon & Paul Courtney are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Connie Limon has sinced written about articles on various topics from Careers and Job Hunting, Dogs and Colon Cleanse. Written by: Connie Limon. Visit us at http://www.babiesandtoddlers1.com About Babies and Toddlers is a collection of articles all about babies and toddlers available for information, education and FREE reprints to your newsletters, websites or blogs.. Connie Limon's top article generates over 135000 views. to your Favourites.
Paul Courtney has sinced written about articles on various topics from Alcohol Treatment, Alternative Medicine and Hair Care. Author's Biography: Paul Courtney contributes articles to various publications pertaining to Alternative and Herbal Medicine, for more information please visit . Paul Courtney's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.