When You Should Take Your Child To The Pediatrician For Tiredness

Kids, like adults, are prone to feeling tired every now and then. Usually, this is not a cause for alarm. Your child needs a nap or a few good nights of sleep, and then they'll be back to normal. Sometimes, though, tiredness can be a sign of an underlying health problem that should be addressed by a pediatrician. What are the signs you should take your child to the doctor for tiredness? Take a look.

The tiredness lasts more than two or three days.

If your child's tiredness is prolonged, this could be a sign that it's the result of a hormonal imbalance, a sleep disorder, or even a more serious condition like cancer. This is a concern if your child seems to sleep a lot for two or three days and still wants to sleep more. But being really tired and unable to sleep for several days is also concerning.

The tiredness is accompanied by a fever.

When you notice that your child is really exhausted, take their temperature. If they have a fever, then the tiredness and fever are probably symptoms of an infection. It could be something rather common, like the flu, or it could be something more serious like a strep infection. It's best to have the pediatrician take a look before things get any worse. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics, and some viral infections can be treated with antiviral drugs. Treating the infection will bring the fever down and help restore your child's energy levels.

The tiredness is serious enough to interfere with your child's daily activities.

Normal, natural tiredness sometimes makes kids not want to play sports or otherwise physically exert themselves for a day or two. But it should not be so serious that it keeps them from doing things like walking up stairs, getting dressed, and eating meals. If your child is so profoundly tired that they don't want to do much other than sit or lie around, then they should see a pediatrician. This type of profound tiredness is usually associated with an infection, a sleep disorder, or a hormonal imbalance. 

If your child has been acting tired or has complained about tiredness, ask yourself whether their tiredness fits any of the descriptions above. If it does, then you should contact your child's pediatrician. They will probably want to see your child and run a few tests to find out the cause so it can be treated.

To learn more, contact a pediatrician clinic.