5 Situations In Which You Should Call Your Child's Pediatrician
There are many times, as a parent, that you may feel that your child must see a doctor right away. However, most of the time these issues aren't highly concerning enough that a doctor visit is necessary. Instead, it's important to know when something like a fever, vomiting, or a cough is actually concerning and validates a trip to the doctor. Sometimes, parents aren't even sure when to call a pediatrician and when not to. In order to better understand, here are just an example of five times that the pediatrician should be called:
- Concerning Fever: Fevers are common in children who become ill. However, a fever that does not go down an hour after taking medicine is concerning and your child's pediatrician should be called. A fever that goes away but comes back after a day or two should also lead to a call to the pediatrician. If your child has a fever along with poor food intake, you should call, as well.
- A Concerning Fall: Children fall often. Obviously, if this fall leads to your child screaming in pain, then a visit to the emergency room is necessary. However, a fall that your child is upset about at first, but is able to calm down quickly probably is nothing to worry about, unless the next day your child is still complaining about it. The pediatrician should be called in this situation to be sure that any swelling in the area isn't going to cause issues.
- A Concerning Cut: Another thing that is common to find on children is multiple cuts and scrapes. Typically, these are nothing to be concerned about unless they begin to ooze pus, become hot and swollen, or even lead to a random and sudden outburst of a rash around the area. This is when the pediatrician should be called.
- Concerning Vomit: Vomiting is common to see in children since stomach viruses are something that spreads around quickly. If your child is still able to stay hydrated, then vomiting shouldn't raise too much concern. You should call your pediatrician if your child is vomiting up dark green bile though, which means that there is a possible intestinal blockage. You should also call if your child is vomiting along with using the bathroom less often, having dry mouth, or losing weight. This often indicates dehydration that will need to be treated right away.
- Difficult to Wake Up: If you are having a hard time waking your child up and they are sleeping more often than usual, this can be concerning. You will want to be sure that your child's pediatrician sees them as soon as possible.
When you know some of the times that a pediatrician should and shouldn't be called, you can determine during what times you should be concerned and other times you are able to handle any problems on your own without worry. If you're looking for a pediatrician in your area, visit Kitsap Children's Clinic LLP.