When To Take Your Child To Urgent Care
As a parent, you want to always do everything you can when your child is sick, but sometimes it’s hard to tell exactly how sick your child is, especially when they’re very young and can’t communicate what is bothering them. Urgent care or a trip to the hospital isn’t always needed for simple problems such as a cold, mild diarrhea, or mild fevers. So, when is it necessary to take your child to urgent care?
Urgent Care
Not all illnesses need an immediate visit with your pediatrician and it’s important for you to know what symptoms to look out for. Some symptoms that may require urgent care are:
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Vomiting and diarrhea that lasts more than a few hours
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Rash, especially with a fever
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High fever
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A cough or cold that lasts several days
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Large cuts or gashes
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Limping or the inability to move an arm or leg
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Ear pain with fever
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Ear drainage
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A severe sore throat or swallowing problems
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Sharp and persistent stomach or abdomen pain
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Blood in urine
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Blood in stool
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Not being able to drink for more than 12 hours
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Rectal temperature of 100.4 F or higher in a baby younger than 2 months old
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Fever and vomiting
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Any pain that gets worse and doesn’t go away after several hours
While many illnesses may go away with love and nurturing after a few days, there are times when it is necessary to see your pediatrician as soon as possible. If your child has any of the symptoms listed above, be sure to call your pediatrician right away to find out if it is necessary for your child to go in for an appointment so that your child can get well as soon as possible.
The importance of immunizations
Childhood immunizations are one of the most important safeguards against communicable diseases and their serious, long-term complications. Your pediatrician closely adheres to the vaccination schedules published by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Why? Well, there's nothing more important than your youngster's health and well-being, and immunizations effectively guard them.
Just what is an immunization?
Most immunizations are given as "shots," or injections, but some, such as the Rotavirus vaccine, are oral medications. However administered, vaccines boost your child's immune system in its battle against diseases which easily spread from person to person.
Each vaccine contains a small amount of a killed or weakened micro-organisms. These altered viruses or bacteria raise the body's defenses against a particular illness such as chicken pox. pneumonia, polio, tetanus, and more...up to 14 in all by time your child is two years old, says the CDC.
Are immunizations necessary?
Your pediatrician, his or her colleagues and decades of research prove that vaccines protect the health of individual children and of the community at large. Also called herd immunity, community immunity works best when as many babies and youngsters receive all their "shots" on schedule. Community immunity protects youngsters who cannot receive vaccines because of cancer treatment, HIV infection or other serious reason. It also shields the general population when people travel from countries which cannot provide access to these important medications.
Both the AAP and the CDC publish and recommend set vaccine schedules carried out at well-baby and well-child visits at the doctor's office. In addition, there is a "catch-up" schedule for children who have begun their immunizations late or had them interrupted by illness or other serious concern.
Your pediatrician's services
They're so important. Your child's doctor keeps your child's immunization records and can distribute them to schools, camps, college, sports, daycare and other organizations who require proof of up-to-date vaccines. The doctor also monitors your child for any adverse reactions, although typically, vaccines produce no more than:
- Localized redness and soreness at the injection site
- Low grade fever
- Pain and swelling
- Fussiness
Cold Vs. Flu
Is it a cold or the flu? When it comes to your child's health, your pediatrician provides great information and guidance on the most common illnesses plaguing families. If you are wondering about the exact nature of your child's illness and how to treat it, learn the differences between a cold and the flu and how to treat and prevent them.
What is a cold?
A cold is an upper respiratory viral infection lasting 5 to 7 days in both adults and children alike. Generally milder in intensity and shorter in duration than influenza, a cold causes:
- Coughing
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- A runny nose
- Tiredness
- Low-grade fever
- High fever
- Body aches
- Cough
- Extreme tiredness
- Severe headache
- Chills
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Stay well-hydrated.
- Avoid crowds during peak cold and flu season.
- Keep your child home from daycare and school if he or she is sick.
- Teach your child to cover his or her mouth when coughing or sneezing.
- Don't share food or utensils, even with family members.
- Vaccinate against the flu. Ask your pediatrician for your child's "shot."
Even though you try as hard as possible to keep your child safe while they are playing sports, accidents still happen. At these moments, it’s important that you know whether these are injuries that can easily be treated from the comfort of your own home or whether you need to turn to a pediatrician for proper medical attention.
Pediatricians have seen a lot of sports-related injuries over the years and while we also focus as much of our attention on prevention, we know the importance of being able to get immediate and comprehensive care when your child does sustain an injury.
Common sports-related injuries include:
- Dislocations (particularly in the shoulder)
- Traumatic injuries (this includes cuts, sprains and strains, and broken bones)
- Stress fractures
- Tendinitis (often in the hand or wrist)
- Concussion
When a dislocation happens many times it is accompanied by an audible popping sound at the moment that the injury occurred. This unnerving sound is often followed by sudden and intense pain. It’s important that you turn to a pediatrician who can put the shoulder or any other area of the body back in place. The joints of a child’s body are looser than adults, so it makes shoulders and other areas more prone to dislocations.
Minor cuts, sprains, and strains can often be handled with at-home care. In most cases, the RICE method is a great way to ensure that your child gets the rest they need to heal properly and to stay off of the injury until it fully heals. Icing and elevating the injured area can also reduce pain and swelling. Of course, if you suspect that your child has a broken bone, this will need to be evaluated by a medical professional right away.
Children who are serious or long-term athletes are more likely to experience overuse injuries. These injuries occur over time rather than suddenly and they are often the result of performing repetitive movements. Overuse injuries include stress fractures and tendinitis. If your child feels pain whenever they move a certain area of the body or if they notice pain or swelling in a certain area it’s important that they get checked out.
Wearing a helmet is crucial for protecting your child’s head while playing sports. Of course, if your child has received a blow to the head and is experiencing dizziness, fatigue, frequent or severe headaches or just seems out of sorts it’s crucial that you bring them in right away to see if they’ve incurred a concussion.
When in doubt, pick up the phone and talk to a pediatrician about your child’s injuries and symptoms. They will be able to determine whether or not they should come in for proper care.
What are pediatric wellness checkups and why are they necessary for your child?
All parents want the same thing for their children: to see that they are healthy and leading a happy life. We know how important that is, which is why our West Jordan, UT, pediatricians are dedicated to providing preventive medical care, as well as comprehensive treatments and procedures when necessary. From the moment your baby is born you will need to bring them in for wellness checkups.
The number one goal of wellness checkups is to make sure that your child is healthy and that they receive the proper care they need to remain healthy. Sure, we know that everyone gets sick at some point but the purpose of having our West Jordan children’s doctor by your side is to make sure your child gets the preventive care they need to prevent medical problems.
First and foremost, a wellness checkup allows our pediatricians to be able to continuously monitor your little one to guarantee that they are reaching all developmental milestones, from saying their first words to being able to walk. If there are any delays in these developmental milestones our doctors will be able to pinpoint the problem right away.
These visits are also important for parents, as well. First-time parents, in particular, will have a lot of questions or concerns about everything from breastfeeding to healthy eating habits to exercise. We are here to answer these questions and more. While we may focus on the physical development of your child, this doesn’t mean that we don’t also take time to check the mental and behavioral developments of your child, as well.
From birth until 18 years old, your child will also need to get a variety of vaccinations to prevent them from life-threatening illnesses and long-term health complications. These vaccinations also keep other children and family members safe from infection. Make sure to follow this vaccination schedule to guarantee that your child is protected from many preventable childhood illnesses.
Do you need to schedule your child’s next routine checkup? Do you have questions about the services we offer here in West Jordan, UT? If so, don’t hesitate to turn to Southwest Children’s Clinic. We are here to meet all of your little one’s health needs.
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