Hello readers!
I'm here to give you some valuable info on when you need to call the pediatrician (or nurse practitioner ;)) and when you don't.
1) Your 4 yr old wakes up with a 103 degree fever at 4am. You need to rush to the ER, right?
Wrong. Break out the Motrin (or Tylenol), give them a dose (5-10mg/kg for Motrin and 15mg/kg for Tylenol), and check their temp again in half an hour. Has it gone down at least half a degree? If yes, you're golden. Continue dosing them every 6 hrs for Motrin and 4 hrs for Tylenol, and if they don't improve within 2 days, call your doc. If no, check them again in 20. If it's gone up, go ahead and call your doc.
Almost always, your child's fever is caused by a virus and all they need is an anti pyretic (fever reducer), rest, fluids, and TLC. Save your time and only take them to the Dr IF:
A) They aren't improving or have gotten worse within 48-72 hrs.
B) Anti pyretics are not bringing their fever down.
C) They haven't been able to keep food or water down for >24 hrs.
D) They are floppy like a wet noodle and their coloring looks grey or really pale.
E) Your motherly instinct is telling you something is not right. ALWAYS trust your gut.
2) Yellow or green snot automatically means a bacterial infection, right?
Wrong. If you see yellow or green snot, it does not automatically mean your child needs antibiotics. If your little one wakes up with a cold, give it a few days. It is most likely a virus and will clear up on its own. If it has been over a week and you haven't seen any improvement or they have gotten worse, make an appointment, they might need antibiotics. I have many parents bring their kids in on day 3 of a cold and think they need antibiotics. I never give them out on day 3 unless the kid is pretty sick. Save your time, give it some time before going to the doc.
Another big one I hear is that parents automatically think pneumonia when they can hear mucus when the child coughs or they can feel vibrations in their chest. Being able to hear/feel mucus, though troubling, is actually a good sign. It means their lungs are moving the mucus and they are able to bring it up. Worry when your child has a cough and isn't able to bring up any mucus, though you can still hear it. Pneumonia happens when mucus sits in the lungs and isn't able to be brought up.
**side note: If your child has asthma, chronic lung problems, or recurrent bouts of infection, take them early verses waiting to see if it clears up. These kids are more prone to bacterial infections and pneumonia that require antibiotics**
3) I should always alternate between Tylenol and Motrin.
Wrong. There is no clear evidence to support this practice, and it increases the risk of accidentally giving your child too much medicine. It is much easier to choose one or the other and stick to every 4 hrs for Tylenol or every 6 for Motrin. There is no proven benefit to alternating between Tylenol and Motrin.
4) CT scans, MRI, and X-ray
The docs in the ER tend to get a little "scan happy." These scans expose your little one to a lot of radiation, and while sometimes they are necessary, they aren't always. For example, if your child hits their head, they only need a scan IF:
A) They lost consciousness for any amount of time
B) They are confused or disoriented
C) They vomited one or multiple times
D) They have severe swelling or bleeding from the injury
Most likely they have a concussion and although there is nothing that can be done to treat a concussion, a scan will check and make sure their is no bleeding in the brain, which is life threatening.
5) Diaper rashes.
There's nothing worse than seeing your baby in pain, so it's important to know when your little one's diaper rash is more than a diaper rash. Could it be a yeast infection? Here's how to tell.
A) If the rash is fold sparing, meaning it's not present in the folds of your baby's grown, it is most likely just a contact dermatitis that can be treated with Desitin or Butt Paste. If it is present in the folds, it is most likely yeast and requires a Dr. visit to get prescription cream, most like clotrimazole.
B) If you've tried Desitin, Butt Paste, powder, corn starch, standing on your head....and none of that has worked, it's probably yeast.
There's a lot more to cover, but for now I will leave you with those tips. I hope I helped give you some more knowledge and peace of mind about getting your little angels back to health. Remember, always trust your instinct. If something is telling you "this isn't right" then it probably isn't. Always better to be safe than sorry!
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