Common Symptoms

Fever, a tugged ear, a red eye, a cough that will not quit. Most childhood illness announces itself through a small number of common symptoms, and most of the time those symptoms mean something ordinary and self-limited. The difficulty for parents is that the same symptom can occasionally mean something that needs attention today.
This section is Dr. Marie’s plain-language guide to reading those signals. It covers what fever actually is, and why the number on the thermometer matters less than how your child looks and behaves. It covers why an ear tug is a poor predictor of ear infection. It covers pink eye, dehydration, and the practical question of how much fluid is enough when a sick child will not drink.
Each piece is written to give you thresholds rather than reassurance alone, because a threshold is something you can act on at two in the morning. You will find what to watch for, what to try at home, and the specific findings that mean it is time to call.
Rising Star Pediatrics families can send that question directly to Dr. Marie and get an answer from the physician who knows their child, which is often the difference between a night of worry and a night of sleep.