Appendicitis
Appendicitis is most common in children over six year of age. Symptoms usually begin with pain that is centered around the belly button. The pain then moves to the lower right side of the abdomen and becomes worse. Vomiting usually begins a few hours after the pain. This is an important way to tell the difference between a typical stomach virus, which usually causes vomiting and then pain. Other symptoms can include a low grade fever, loss of appetite, and abdominal pain that is worse after your child moves his leg or tries to walk.
Asthma or reactive airway disease (RAD)
Asthma or reactive airway disease (RAD) is a common problem in infants and children. The most common symptoms include coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. Inflammation and tightness in the breathing tubes of the lungs cause these symptoms.
Bed time problems
Preschool age children may have sleep problems, including trouble getting to sleep, frequent night waking in the middle of the night and having irregular sleep patterns. Remember that there are no definite right or wrong ways to put your child to sleep and that if you and your child are happy with your current routine then you should stick to it. However, it is not good if it is a struggle to put your child to bed, if she gets overly frustrated in the process, strongly resists being put to bed or if she is waking up so much that she or other family members end up not getting adequate sleep.
Bedwetting
Bedwetting is defined as being primary, children who have never had dry nights, or secondary, children who are now wetting the bed, but who had previously been dry for 3-6 months.
Constipation
Constipation is a very common and frustrating problem in children. It is usually defined as the passage of painful hard stools or going four or more days without a bowel movement. It is most commonly caused by a diet that is low in fiber, but can also be caused by drinking too much milk (more than 12-16oz/d), not drinking enough water or waiting too long to go to the bathroom.
Intoeing/Outtoeing
It is common for young children's toes to turn inward, and it usually corrects itself without treatment. One cause of intoeing that does require aggressive therapy is a club foot. In this condition, the foot is rigidly turned inward and can't be easily returned to a normal position. Your doctor will be able to easily tell if your child has a club foot, so that serial casting of the feet can begin to return them to a normal position.
Nosebleeds
It is common for children to have occasional nose bleeds. Some may even have as many as two or three each week and while they may be frightening, they very rarely cause serious problems. Nosebleeds usually occur when your child's nasal passages are dry or irritated from allergies or an upper respiratory tract infection. Rarely, a blood clotting disorder can cause frequent nosebleeds, but your child will usually have other bleeding problems or easy bruising and other family members will have similar problems.
Sibling Rivalry
Your preschool age child may have a hard time sharing your attention with other siblings, especially a new baby. Children at this age are normally self-centered and may not understand why they have to share your attention. They may feel neglected or jealous and may regress in many of their behaviors.
Sleep problems
Like adults, children have dreams when they are in REM sleep. This occurs 4-5 times each night, and while most dreams aren't remembered, some are frightening enough to wake the child and make them summon their parents. Nightmares usually begin when a child is about three years old, they are most common between the ages of three and eight (when their fantasy life is more active) and they are most likely to occur later in the night. Unlike night terrors, your child will be wide awake and responsive after the nightmare and she may be able to recall the details of the nightmare the next morning.
