Child Watch: Spot Illness with a Westminster, CO Pediatrics Clinic

When it comes to the health of your children, even simple fever and rashes can be the harbinger of more serious conditions. Thus, as a parent, it is important to be able to spot the warning signs of disease, or at least have a trusted Westminster, CO pediatrics center that can. Bruce Jancin of the Pediatric News Digital Network gives some points on the diagnosis of pediatric infectious diseases.

The main idea of the article is that possible infectious diseases can be narrowed down by taking note of the particular type of rash. Some rashes are “purpuric, petechial, and erythrodermic.” To give an example, here is a discussion on fever with purpura rash:

Heading the list of diagnostic possibilities here is meningococcemia, which she called "every pediatrician’s nightmare" because of a case-fatality rate of 10%-20% even with appropriate treatment. Complicating the situation is the fact that in a minority of cases the rash is petechial rather than purpuric. "This is a disease that deserves your respect. Just remember: With fever and purpura, or fever and petechiae, meningococcemia needs to be at the top of your differential," stressed Dr. Anderson, a pediatric infectious diseases specialist at the University of Colorado. The attack rate is highest in infants and young children because they haven’t yet experienced the transient nasopharyngeal colonization by Neisseria species that permits formation of protective strain-specific antibodies, she explained. Empiric therapy until the diagnostic lab work and drug susceptibilities become available is vancomycin plus ceftriaxone.

To most parents, such long, confusing medical terms usually just go over their heads. After all, understanding them is not important—it's the child's safety that matters. If you have the knowledge and skill to diagnose a disease through its symptoms, like fever and rashes, that's good; otherwise, let a Westminster pediatrics practice handle the diagnosing.

Your child's health and safety depends on your choice of pediatrician so it's important to choose your doctor wisely. Many reliable clinics in Colorado, such as Indian Crest Pediatrics, can give you the support, advice, and treatment needed to make your child better and stronger.

While pediatrics is a complex field of study, it really all boils down to one thing for a parent: being certain that his or her child is healthy. Whether it's just a rash or a serious condition, it should never be left untreated.


(From: Identifying pediatric emergencies involving fever and rash, Pediatric News, August 26, 2013)