I am always curious to find out the deciding factors on whether or not you should take your child to the doctor. Personally, I don’t like to spend money on an appointment and then be told it is a cold or a virus that needs to run its course. On the other hand, if you wait too long, it can prolong the course and treatment. I tend to rely on my intuition and have learned over the years to look for certain signs.
What are those signs?
Fever
Does your child have fever over 100°? If so, keep an eye on it and if it continues to increase over 103°, then I call the nurse and relay the symptoms. If the fever lasts more than 24 hours or my child seems extremely lethargic or has other symptoms, I call the nurse for input. Make a note of when it started and if you notice any other symptoms. Also, keep track of any medication you give your child to reduce the fever, make a note of what kind and last dosage. Always let the nurse/doctor know this information, it can make a difference. Parent Tip – Don’t rely on your own memory, write it down. Luckily, my kids remember and always correct my bad memory.
Symptoms
Does your child have any other symptoms – vomiting, diarrhea, infection with redness and swelling, cough, sore throat, achy, lethargic, etc. What is the difference in their behavior when compared to a typical day? If the symptoms continue for more than 24 hours or get worse, I will call the nurse. If vomiting or diarrhea is involved look for signs of dehydration and have them drink a little every hour. Ask your doctor or nurse if they recommend certain products to keep handy when vomiting and diarrhea are involved.
Signs of Infection
If your child shows any signs of an infection with a bump or bite, watch it very closely. Apply a topical antibiotic, such as Neosporin and if it does not show signs of improvement in 24 hours go to the doctor. If you notice redness spreading around the site or if it feels hot, call the doctor. Parent Tip – If you notice a small amount of redness surrounding the infection, mark the outer edge with a Sharpie/Permanent Marker. If it continues outside the outer edge over the next 12 hours, and is warm to the touch, call the doctor. If the doctor is not available, have them paged or go to a clinic.
My daughter had a bump on her thigh that became infected. I noticed on Friday evening that it looked pretty bad but thought it could wait until Monday morning. Saturday night it had spread, was hot and I was more concerned. I marked it with a sharpie and the next morning, it had spread another inch. I immediately took her to the nearest clinic and she had to have it numbed and drained. The doctor mentioned if I had waited until Monday afternoon to see the doctor, she may have needed an IV treatment of antibiotics.
I try to prepare myself to make the best decision I can, but occasionally I am wrong. Sometimes it seems like when I think they need to go to the doctor, it just needs to run its course. And when I think it needs to run its course, it requires treatment. I make the best decision based on the information I have and when in doubt, I call the nurse. It is best to seek advice from the nurse or doctor in case a virus or illness is going around.
By the way, I am not a doctor (I just “play” one on my site). What I am, is a mom that shares information to help educate and inform. I try to share things that other great moms shared with me, or I found out on my own, but wish someone had told me. So, if you have any advice or tips that can help other moms make the best decisions, please comment below.
Cammie Moise