Sick Child? When To See A Pediatrician?

Parenting is a difficult job but it needs to be done with dedication, especially regarding care for a sick child. Parents should take their newborn babies to doctor at least eight times between the age of 1-4. Technically speaking, both parents should go to these doctor visits together as it will give them the opportunity to get informed about their child’s health as well as their pediatrician and his methodology to take care of their child.

In these sessions they will exchange questions and answers as well as seek advice from the pediatrician that will help them take care of their child in a more informed manner. Parents should never compromise on their child’s health. Specifically, consult with a pediatrician if they face any of the symptoms we discuss below as they can provide the right health care for sick child. 

Why Is Visiting The Pediatrician Important?

You should take your child for regular visits to the pediatrician for a couple of reasons. First, this can help catch potential low-lying issues early on. Waiting on diseases to rear their ugly head is not recommended. Always remember, care is better than cure.

These visits can also help catching any problems that do not have obvious symptoms. The doctor examines the child completely and can catch such issues before they lead to something worse.

Also frequent visits help develop a relationship between you, your kid(s), and the pediatrician. It further allows the doctor to maintain a record of the health and growth of your child. This helps to catch any deficiencies and resolve them so that your child grows up healthy.

Let’s now take a look at some of the issues that should prompt a visit to the pediatrician’s.

Fever

Fevers usually occur due to infections and illness. Children are soft targets for fever but fever may not necessarily be life threatening. It is however an essential part of care for sick child who is down with a fever to be taken to a pediatrician, which is the correct protocol.

A pediatrician can properly identify the issue faced by your child and prescribe appropriate medication. Parents should avoid self-medication as it can do more harm than good. If your child is suffering through fever, keep him / her well-hydrated by giving water and milk.

Influenza and other respiratory issues

Influenza is also known as the flu which is a viral infection of the respiratory tract. Children can pick up the flu virus from siblings, other children around them, family members or parents.

Flu symptoms in children are similar to those experienced by adults. Your child can easily pick up flu if an infected person coughs or sneezes around your child. Avoiding such situations is important, however, not always possible.  Please take your child to the pediatrician if your child is experiencing flu-like symptoms.

Food allergy

There are plenty of foods that can cause an allergy such as milk, eggs, fish, peanuts and wheat. Allergy symptoms can vary across children from mild to severe. Some children develop skin rashes due to allergies, others can develop fever and vomiting.

In extreme cases, allergies can also cause difficulty in breathing that should be taken very seriously and require you to immediately take the child to the emergency room at a nearby hospital. Allergies can be tough to handle, and most importantly, food allergies can be tough to discover.

Please consult a pediatrician OR an allergy specialist who can help diagnose food allergies and help your child deal with them.

Vomiting or Diarrhea

These are fine if they cede after a couple of occurrences. If they persist however, then that can lead to dehydration. This needs to be dealt with immediately by giving your kid plenty of water and other fluids. If the symptoms don’t stop or become advanced then get guidance from your pediatrician at once.

Severe and prolonged vomiting or diarrhea can force your pediatrician to get blood or urine samples to see if there’s an underlying cause. If the doctor thinks there is a high probability of an infection, he may get a sample of the feces and get it tested.

Eczema

Eczema is very common in children. Rashes appear on the body of children whereby the skin becomes red and gets filled with fluid bumps. Children who have eczema might have a family history of asthma and are at a higher risk of developing asthma.

Eczema can also be a result of an allergy, however, it can also be caused by environmental factors such as high temperature. It is best to see a dermatologist to identify the root cause of your child’s condition and manage his/her condition.

Care for a sick child is mandatory, thus the parents should always seek help from a professional doctor when it comes to ensure their child’s health. In addition to dealing with the illness at hand, they should also understand best practices to prevent such issues from recurring.

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