12 kids' symptoms you should not ignore
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The wait-and-see approach is fine for some kids' health problems, but these 12 symptoms should never be ignored by parents, experts at Parents.com say.
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12. Gaping cut
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A cut that gapes open widely enough that you could stick a cotton swab in it, or that doesn't stop bleeding within a few minutes of applied pressure.
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11. Serious fall
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A fall when your child is less than 6 months old, could cause confusion, loss of consciouness, vomitting and/or any damage to the body, such as broken bones.
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10. Swelling
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A swollen tongue, lips or eyes, especially when accompanied by vomitting or itchiness, could mean a severe allergic reaction.
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9. Breathing problems
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Blueness or discoloration around the mouth; labored breathing; or panting, grunting or whistling while breathing could mean choking, an asthma attack, pneumonia or a number of other things.
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8. Dehydration
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Dry mouth and lips, decreased urination, a flat fontanelle (soft spots) on an infants' head, dry skin or skin that stays bunched when you pinch it, or excessive vomitting or diarrhea, likely means dehydration.
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7. Headaches
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A headache that occurs in the early morning or wakes her up in the middle of the night, or that's accompanied by vomitting, could be signs of a migraine or something more serious.
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8. Stomach pain
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Stomach pain that's on the lower right side, or that's sudden and crampy and comes and goes, may be appendicitis.
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5. Moles
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Keep close tabs on your child's moles, especially any that she's had since birth. These moles have a high risk of becoming malignant. Ask your doctor if you notice one that's irregularly shaped, has ragged borders, is not all one color or is raised.
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4. A rash
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A rash that resembles a bull's-eye or consists of tiny red dots that don't disappear when you press the skin, or excessive bruising, can mean Lyme disease or an allergic reaction.
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3. Fever with stiffness
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A fever that's accompanied by a stiff neck or headache or a rash that's either bruise-llike or looks like tiny red dots can be signs of meningitis.
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2. Long-lasting fever
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A fever that doesn't go down with treatment, or that lasts more than five days, may be signs of a strong infection such as bacterial pneumonia.
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1. High fever
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A fever that's 100.4 degrees or higher in a baby younger than 3 months, higher than 101 degrees in a baby 3 to 6 months; or higher than 103 degees in a child 6 months to 2 years old.



