One of the important questions to every parent is when to take the child to see the doctor. Some parents are jumping on every problem, some are waiting for too long. Here is guidance when and what to do if you see or think something is not right.
Article continues below
The problem with the kids, especially very young ones, is that they can't explain what's wrong with them: first, they have no experience; and second, they may be afraid of the doctor or that parents may get angry because of what they did. That's why the whole burden of recognizing a potentially dangerous condition is all on the parent.
We can roughly divide children health problem into two groups: emergency problem and other problems.
So, what is an emergency? First, if your kid is choking, struggles to breathe or is turning blue. Those symptoms are enough to rush to the ER as soon as possible without asking "What did you do?" Those symptoms are very different from normal congestion from a runny nose, so they are easy to recognize.
Then, there is fever. Fever can make some parents out of their mind because your kid may have temperature so high you think it will kill her, but on the other hands, some kids reacts very well to high temperature and continue to play as nothing happens.
That's why you should pay attention to the following signs: if your child is under 3 months old and temperature is 100.4° F (38C) or higher measured rectally; if your kid is older than 3 months and has a fever of 104° F (40C) or more followed with unresponsiveness, hard crying, trouble breathing, vomiting or seizures.
On the other hand, if your kid has fever for several days but without a sore throat, an ear ache or runny nose - and medicine is not lowering the fever - then call your doctor. If medicine works and it's been just a couple of days with higher temperature, you may stay at home, keep the kid hydrated and follow the situation.
Now, falls happen all the time and not all falls are the reason to rush the ER. However, some situation require exactly that: if along with the bleeding after the fall or cut there is an open flesh or exposed bone, or the bleeding won't stop after 15 minutes with a pressure, those are all reasons to go to ER.
Vomiting and diarrhea are signs that must be followed carefully. If they are frequent and there is not enough liquids to produce urine every six hours, that means your child is dehydrated. Severe dehydration you can't treat at home, you must ask for a help in a hospital. When the kid vomits blood or has diarrhea with blood - ER, immediately.
When at falls, we must also be careful about: hard pain in the stomach that doesn't go away (something may be ruptured inside); a stiff neck; head trauma with vomiting; and the pain that doesn't go away gradually. Also, if there is abdominal pain on the right side, that may be a sign of an inflamed appendix and that must be treated immediately.
Any kind of rash or skin changes that you've never seen before are the reason to visit your doctor. Any infectious disease should be treated right away and skin changes may be a sign of some nasty infection.
And for the end, when something isn't right - call the doctor. Yes, it may seem as a funny recommendation, but spending every day with your kid develops your sense of "right" and "not right" conditions. When you see or feel that something in your kid's behavior is just not right, the chance is it isn't right.
So, trust your gut for it's better to be safe than sorry. And if you think it's nothing serious and just want an advice from your doctor but can't reach her - go to ER. Don't wait for you doctor, ER staff is there to help your child. ■