Responsible parenting means ensuring your child grows up happy and healthy. Nobody would want to see their little one suffering from a bacterial or viral infection. It can also be stressful to determine if they have a common cold or a more severe condition that requires antibiotics.
For starters, bacteria cause bacterial infections, while viruses trigger viral illnesses. Either way, they need medical intervention because both may cause fever and irritability.
If you want your kids to access the best urgent care, this article will tackle the differences between bacterial infections and how to diagnose and prevent bacterial illnesses. We’ll also discuss viral infections.
What Are Bacterial Infections?
Your child may suffer from a bacterial infection if a virus-caused disease persists longer than ten to 14 days, they have a high fever, or the illness worsens after a few days.
Common Bacterial Illnesses
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are bacterial illnesses that can be tricky to diagnose. They can cause severe kidney damage if left untreated. This disease is more common in girls and uncircumcised baby boys. Let your doctor check your child’s urine for signs of an infection if they have a fever and you can’t identify the cause.
Secondary Infections
Common secondary infections include sinusitis, ear infections, and pneumonia. They can occur if a runny nose, fever, or other symptoms don’t improve after ten to 14 days. Depending on the person’s age, they may need antibiotics to treat the infection.
Pneumonia is a lung infection that can trigger symptoms like difficulty breathing, stomach ache, or a persistent cough. Your pediatrician can diagnose this illness by conducting a physical exam or a chest x-ray.
Severe Bacterial Illnesses
Your local kids’ urgent care provider must also consider more severe conditions in infants and young children, such as sepsis and meningitis. They’ll closely monitor the signs of meningitis in older children, like behavioral changes and stiff neck.
However, since it can be tricky to determine the symptoms in babies, your healthcare provider will usually employ more tests to ensure these infections aren’t causing the illness.
How to Diagnose Bacterial Infections
Your pediatrician will conduct a series of tests to diagnose a bacterial infection, such as asking for a complete blood count and urine, spinal, and blood culture. Your child has a bacterial infection if they’re dehydrated, have increased work of breathing, decreased activity or responsiveness, and no improvement after three to five days.
Rush your kid to the nearest urgent care center if they’re under three months with a fever.
How to Prevent It
Children who spend time with other kids are more prone to catch a virus. Fortunately, vaccinations can protect your little one from severe bacterial infections if you provide them in their early years. That way, they’ll only need supportive care to cope with common viruses.
Types Of Viral Infection?
On the other hand, viral infections, like the common cold, are easily diagnosable by a runny nose, fever, cough, sore throat, and difficulty breathing. Unfortunately, no medications can speed up the recovery process.
Children are more prone to prolonged upper respiratory infections than adults. These infections can occur six to eight times yearly and last up to two weeks.
Influenza is a contagious disease that causes intense body aches and high fevers. You can prevent it by getting a flu vaccine at the beginning of each season while giving two doses a month apart for young children.
Conclusion
No parent would want their child to suffer from bacterial or viral infections. Educating yourself on the differences and when to seek urgent care for your kids can help them grow strong and healthy.
If your child needs treatment for bacterial or viral infections, bring them to Your Kids Urgent Care. We provide superior kids’ urgent care in Oviedo, FL. Our clinic also covers the St. Petersburg, Vestavia Hills, Largo, and Tampa areas. Book an appointment today!
