When your child is sick, it can feel like the worst thing in the world. You want to protect them but there is nothing that you can do in this situation to make it better. If you are stuck about whether or not you should call your doctor, usually if you think that it is serious enough, the answer is yes. It is always going to be a case of better safe than sorry here, so if you think that your child needs a doctor, but you are hesitating, then always take them. I’m excited to share more parenting type posts with you this year. Lots of new content for you, my audience.
I’m going to talk about five times that your child is going to need a doctor, and we are also going to talk about three that you can handle yourself. We know that this is going to be a scary time for you, but one of the most important things is that you stay calm here. If you panic, your child is going to panic and that is not going to help. So, let’s take a look at when your child does need a doctor.
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Loss Of Consciousness
If your child loses consciousness, even for a moment, you need to take them to see a doctor. It could be nothing, or something that has a simple fix, but it could also be the sign of something more dangerous. We are not trying to scare you, just give you the information that you need to make sure that your child is getting the best care possible. So, if your child loses consciousness, they need to see a doctor. But there are some things that you are going to need to note so that you can give the information to the doctor. The first thing that they are going to ask you is how long they were unconscious for. Then they will ask you what they were like before this happened, and what they were like after.
It is important that you know the answers to these questions, because it could help the doctor determine why your child lost consciousness. Once they have done this, it will be easier for them to figure out how to stop it from happening again. Like we said though, if this happens, your child should always go to a doctor, even if they seem fine after.
Fever Under 3 Months
If your child is under three months and has a fever, you should take them to a doctor as soon as you notice this. Again, it could be nothing, but you need to make sure by taking them to see a doctor. The doctor will be able to help you here by monitoring your baby’s fever, and hopefully bringing it down. They will also be able to identify the cause of the issue, and then do everything that they can to fix this.
As your children get older, they aren’t going to need to go to the doctor every time they have a fever, but if your child is under three months old, this is a different matter. Anything where your child is under three months is usually cause to take them to a medical professional.
Harsh Skin Rash
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Most rashes will clear up themselves with the right treatment, but that doesn’t involve a doctor. However, if your child’s rash is a bruise like color and is not getting any better with treatments that can be acquired over the counter, you need to take them to see a doctor. Other symptoms to look out for are no energy, pain where the rash is or a deep rash. If you notice any of these symptoms on your child, then they need to go to the doctor straight away.
If you can’t tell what kind of rash it is, you can look at a site like https://www.mustelausa.com/baby-skin-rash and here you will find the information you need about skin rashes in babies. You will also find some helpful information about how you can treat a skin rash, if it is not serious enough to be taken to the doctor. But make sure that if you notice any of the symptoms that we talked about above, you arrange a doctor’s visit soon. Be sure to keep asking your child how they are feeling to see if any of the symptoms change.
Any Bumps On The Head
Hitting your head is dangerous if you are an adult or a child, and any bumps on the head should be checked out by a doctor. You might think that this is overkill, but it is better to make sure that your child doesn’t have a concussion before you let them go to sleep. You can find some facts about concussion here https://www.brainline.org/ Some of the more serious symptoms that you need to be looking out for are: loss of consciousness, any cuts or bleeding, any dizziness or vomiting and so on. If you see any of these, your child should be taken to the emergency room immediately. Do not wait on this, and either call an ambulance or drive them there yourself.
Pain Urinating
This is a big red flag, especially if your child is a girl. Pain urinating is not normal, and should always be checked out. It could be something as simple as a urine infection, but it could also be a sign that something else is wrong. So, if your child comes to you complaining of painful urination, you should book a doctors visit as soon as you can. Ask your child how long this has been happening before you get to the doctors just in case the doctor asks you. It is important that you have all the information so that you can relay it to the medical professional when you arrive. By doing this, you are making it easier for them collect the information, and this could lead to them knowing what it wrong a lot faster.
Cough Or Cold
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Now we are on to when you probably don’t need a doctor. If your child has a cough or a cold, this is normal and you can handle this by yourself. Cough medicine, plenty of fluids, and plenty of sleep are all going to be vital here. Try to make sure that your child is washing their hands frequently to avoid the spreading of other germs and this is going to be especially important if you have other children. You can get over the counter medicine to help your child with this, and you can find a list of the best ones here https://www.verywellhealth.com/before-you-buy-childrens-cold-medicines-2632309. Using these medicines will help your child to get better, but if they don’t get better within a week or so, you should then consider taking them to the doctor.
Vomiting Or Diarrhea
The next thing that you can handle by yourself is vomiting or diarrhea. Usually if this lasts for a day or two it is nothing to worry about. All you have to do to sort out this issue is to make sure that they are drinking enough fluids. The fluids that they are losing when they sweat or when they throw up need to be replaced with water or juice. If your child does not want to drink, you can try enticing them with an ice pop. This way they will still be getting the fluids in their body, but they will also have a cool and refreshing way to bring their temperature down.
You also need to ensure that you are checking their temperature every so often. You don’t want the temperature to get too high, but if it does try to cool them down with a damp cloth. You don’t need to go to the doctor for either of these illnesses unless they last for a substantial amount of time. Usually it will clear itself up in a few days, as long as you aren’t letting them eat the same amount they always do. Dry toast is the best way to test if your child can keep in food after they have been sick.
Poorly Tummy
The last thing that we are going to discuss that you can handle yourself is a poorly tummy. These are very common in children, and can lead to other symptoms such as vomit, but a lot of the time it is just a sore tummy. Make sure that your child is eating enough, drinking enough and give them painkillers if they say they are in a lot of pain. This doesn’t last very long, and unless they start experiencing other symptoms, there is no need to take them to a doctor.
We hope that you have found this advice useful, and now know some of the times where your child does need a doctor, and some instances in which they don’t. By using this advice you will be able to know when it is necessary to take your child to the doctor, and by knowing when not to, you are saving the doctors time to help someone who is very sick.
Such a great guide.. thanks for sharing.