Adults generally know when they need to be seen by a physician. Often we ignore what we can’t fix in ourselves until we get better (generally in 5 to 7 days), take over-the counter medicine, or stay in bed, but if your child is sick it is often hard to determine if a call to the doctor is needed. Being a cautious parent, but not over reacting, can often help parents make the right decision.

Taking into account your child’s age will play a huge factor in what you need to do. Working from experience as a parent rather than a medical professional is the perspective of this article. Always make your determination about your child’s health based on past experiences with your child, family history, and the circumstances of the current situation.  If in doubt, call the doctor or take your child in to Urgent Care or an Emergency Room as needed.

Caring for Children Under One Year of Age

When children are very young, their bodies are more susceptible to illness and immune defenses are not as strong as in older children. Take great care when making a decision on a very young child. No one will fault you for taking a child in to see the doctor when things just don’t seem right with him or her. Childhood illnesses create various problems to include irritability, high fevers, lack of appetite, irregular bowl movements (too frequent or not enough), vomiting, and changes in physical appearance such as a rash on the skin or changes in the eyes.

Taking a fever using a rectal thermometer is the best judge of fever. This will provide the most accurate reading and allow you to make a better judgment call concerning your child’s health. If your child is under three months, a fever greater than 100.4 is a sign there is something significantly wrong. Other symptoms to look out for are uncontrollable crying where you cannot comfort your child in any way, lack of appetite, or listlessness. All of these can be signs of something serious. You should contact your baby’s physician right away.

Caring for Older Children

In older children, as with people of all ages, a fever is a natural way the body works to eliminate unwanted viruses or bacteria. The temperature can reach up to 101 in children 3 to 6 months and 104 in children older than 6 months without posing a serious risk to your child. With viruses such as Roseola, Influenza, or bacterial infections such as Strep Throat, a high fever reaching 104 is not uncommon. It is important to keep a fever as low as possible through the use of various techniques. Talk with your pediatrician about administering over-the-counter medicine such as Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprofen (Advil) to children under the age of two.  Other ways of reducing a fever include removing any tight or heavy weight clothing and using a damp, cool cloth soaked in water to wipe on the child’s forehead. The evaporation of the water from the head will help to release heat.

Looking for symptoms such as a fever that has lasted more than three days or is not controlled with simple home remedies, listlessness (may be caused by dehydration or other problems), pain with urination, earache, or severe stomach pains, could all be a sign of something more serious. Call your child’s physician or nurse line if you have questions.

Questions to Ask Your Child

Putting your child in control (once old enough to talk and communicate with you) will often provide you with the right answer. Asking your child a few questions can help to improve your understanding of the situation and judge the severity. Here are a few sample questions to ask your child:

• Do you think you need to see the doctor? (Do you feel so sick that you are worried?)
• Did you eat or drink anything that you shouldn’t have? (For example, a piece of “candy” your child found in the sofa–could be a lost pill and if consumed by your child then it could potentially make him or her feel sick)
• When did your (fill in the blank) start hurting? (Often little things can aggravate a child to the point of pain such as the sun, noise, or simply being overly tired. Understanding when the pain started, may help you to determine the cause)
• Do you think it is broken? If you have ever had a broken bone, you will understand this question.

Keep the questions simple for your child and you may discover more than expected. Placing your child in control will often lead you to the right decision when deciding whether or not to take your child to the doctor. If there is a serious problem such as blurred vision, a broken bone, blood or mucous in the stool, visible infection in an open wound (smells funny, has pus or is bright red around the wound), has yellow skin, has trouble breathing, or has been vomiting for more than 12 hours then you need to take your child to see a physician. If you have questions, call your doctor and discuss symptoms and home remedies. If your doctor (or nurse) believes the problem is serious, they will recommend a visit.

Finally, go with your parental instincts. If your child is so sick that he or she is not behaving normally and you are worried, make an appointment and take your child to the doctor.

Do you have questions or comments? We would love to hear from you.

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