Is Your Child Sick Or Just Faking It?
Child India|November 2017

As a paediatrician and a father, I’ve perfected some easy ways to tell whether your groaner has a flair for the dramatic or genuinely doesn’t feel well.

David L. Hill
Is Your Child Sick Or Just Faking It?
THE MOVIE Ferris Bueller’s Day Off—an iconic comedy that taught a generation how to steal someone else’s lunch reservation and commandeer a parade float— was one of the most formative films of my high-school years. As a teenager, I found the premise hilarious—but now that I have four school-age kids of my own, watching a young Matthew Broderick lick his palms to fake clammy skin mostly makes me wonder whether I’m ever being played like that. If I am, it’s particularly embarrassing because I’m a paediatrician. How do I know when my children are actually ill versus when they want to miss school? Honestly, I can not always tell, but over the years I’ve come up with a number of tactics to help me in reaching a fair verdict.

Borrow my strategies to get to the bottom of your own kids’ pleas to hole up at home.

THE COMPLAINT

My head hurts.

Fact-check it: Kids may have a hard time describing the severity of their pain, so doctors often rely on a tool called the Wong-Baker FACES Pain Rating Scale—a series of pictures that range from smiling to crying—to gauge their distress. The abridged version: If your child is sobbing, closing her eyes, or unwilling to play or joke around, she’s in bad shape. In fact, if her headache persists for more than an hour or two and doesn’t respond to acetaminophen or ibuprofen, she not only needs to miss school but also needs to see a doctor. Severe headaches that recur (particularly those along with changes in vision, nausea, or an aversion to light or noise) could be migraines and warrant a diagnosis and pain relief. Take your child to the emergency department if she ever has trouble moving her neck; difficulty talking, walking, thinking, or using her hand; or if the headache awakens her from sleep or causes vomiting.

Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av Child India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

Denne historien er fra November 2017-utgaven av Child India.

Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.

FLERE HISTORIER FRA CHILD INDIASe alt
Focus On Good Health
Child India

Focus On Good Health

As a mommy, you need to ensure that Baby is doing just fine. These tips will help you do just that.

time-read
10+ mins  |
August 2016
Rain Bugs Go Away!
Child India

Rain Bugs Go Away!

Monsoon is rife with water-borne ailments. With infants and children being the most susceptible, here's a ready reckoner to help decode your little one's symptoms and cures.

time-read
4 mins  |
August 2017
Baby, it's cold outside!
Child India

Baby, it's cold outside!

The cold, dreary days can expose your baby’s skin to dryness and even infection. Make notes, as our experts throw light on how to keep your tot’s skin healthy and supple throughout the season.

time-read
3 mins  |
December 2016
School Age 5-7 Years Power Struggles
Child India

School Age 5-7 Years Power Struggles

Try these level-headed ways to avoid everyday battles with your little one.

time-read
2 mins  |
September 2016
12 Finger Foods That Don't Come From A Box
Child India

12 Finger Foods That Don't Come From A Box

Skip highly processed finger foods for these natural, nutritious bites babies and toddlers will love to get their hands on.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2016
Hyper Mom
Child India

Hyper Mom

With hypertension being ranked as one of the top obstetric complications hyper mom faced by women all over the world, it is essential to keep a tight watch on its insidious rise. Here’s a closer look at the key BP raiser

time-read
6 mins  |
September 2016
10 Mistakes You Don't Want To Make
Child India

10 Mistakes You Don't Want To Make

You do all that it takes to keep those bumps and rashes away from your sweetheart. Yet, there they are—troubling her. Are you making any mistake while taking care of her delicate skin? It’s time to find out.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2016
Help Baby Snooze Better
Child India

Help Baby Snooze Better

Great sleepers are made, not born. Take back the night with this 24/7 guide. 

time-read
9 mins  |
September 2016
A Mom Who Eats Right, Feeds Right
Child India

A Mom Who Eats Right, Feeds Right

Author of two books, including the latest Eat. Delete. Junior, and nutritionist to Bollywood A-listers like Deepika Padukone and Ranbir Kapoor, Pooja Makhija talks to Child about raising non-fussy eaters, her food rules, indulgences and much more.

time-read
5 mins  |
September 2017
A Head For Tales
Child India

A Head For Tales

Founder of Your Story Bag, master storyteller Rituparna Ghosh is known as much for her fun, interactive sessions as she is for training over 500 storytellers in nearly four years. She tells us how she found herself through her art.

time-read
4 mins  |
September 2017