Paediatrics Services | Meet the Best Paediatrician in Kuala Lumpur

What Do Paediatricians Do?

Paediatricians specialise in the care of infants, children and early adolescents. They are often the primary care physicians from the birth of a child to caring for their health, general growth and well-being, including administering inoculations and vaccinations as and when necessary.

Common Illnesses That Affect Children

Coughs & Colds

The common cold is usually mild and self-limiting in adults. However, in children, even a common upper respiratory tract viral infection should be cautioned. From nasal stuffiness to running noses, sneezes, sore throats, coughs and fevers, your child may be irritable and face difficulty with feeding.

Seek medical help when:

Symptoms last more than 10 days.
Your child has a rash with a fever.
Your child is not waking or interacting.
Your child faces difficulty in breathing.

Conjunctivitis

If your child or infant has inflamed eyes, it could be a highly infectious bacterial or viral condition. If the discharge present is yellow, it is usually bacterial in nature; if it is clear and sticky, it is viral. Their eyes may swell, feel sore, and become red and itchy with sticky eyelids and water more than usual.

Upset Stomachs & Diarrhea

Though loose stools in children can happen on occasion, diarrhoea however is when your child passes unformed and watery stools on a frequent basis. They may have food allergies, but most of the time, this is caused by an infection or a stomach bug.

Called gastroenteritis, the most common causes are usually viruses like the rotavirus. In younger children, diarrhoea and vomiting may be more serious, especially babies as they can easily lose too much fluid from their bodies and become severely dehydrated.

Seek medical help when:

Your child has passed six or more diarrhoea stools.
Your child has vomited three or more times within 24 hours.
Your child has not been able to hold down fluids for at least 8 hours.
Your child is floppy, irritable and has no appetite.
Your child is experiencing stomach pain.
Your child has a headache and/or a stiff neck.

Ear Infections

Ear infections are common in infants and toddlers and tend to be caused by viruses after a cold. They can be painful, causing a fever, and your child may be rubbing or pulling at their ears. Young babies cannot always describe where the pain is coming from and react by being irritable or crying.

Seek medical help when:

Symptoms last longer than 4 days.
Pain becomes more severe.
Your child develops a high temperature.
Your child experiences breathing difficulties.

Sticky Eyes

This is a common condition in newborn babies and young children due to the development of their tear ducts. Sticky discharge in the corner of their eyes or eyelashes is usually nothing to worry about.

Constipation

Very common among children of all ages, the stools they pass may be hard and difficult. Other signs of constipation may be persistent abdominal pain.

Chickenpox

A mild disease and a rite of passage for many, chickenpox is a disease that most children will catch at some point. Older children and adults are at higher risk the later they catch the virus.

Seek medical help when:

The victim of chickenpox is a pregnant woman.
The victim of chickenpox is an infant.
The victim of chickenpox has a weakened immune system.

It is important to note that chickenpox can be passed on to others about 2 days before any symptoms have shown. It is best to keep your child away from public areas if they have chickenpox.

Asthma

As a common and long-term health condition, the severity of asthmatic symptoms may change depending on the child. It affects their airways with a sudden and severe onset of symptoms such as the difficulty to breathe, wheezing and shortness of breath.

Bronchitis

If your child or infant experiences running noses, a dry persistent cough, difficulty breathing and a temperature, they may just be dealing with one of the most common respiratory tract infections – bronchitis.