When to Call Your Pediatrician for Childhood Illnesses

As a parent, it’s very important that you know how to handle common childhood illnesses and when to call your pediatrician. Some illnesses can be handled with remedies at home, but some require the intervention of a doctor. Younger children are more likely than adults to get common sicknesses like colds. In fact, according to the National Library of Medicine, children catch between six and eight colds a year. But when it’s more serious than a cold, do you know what to do? Here are a few types of sickness and conditions that require you to call a pediatrician.

Call the Pediatrician

If your child has a fever that has lasted longer than two days, you should call their doctor. This indicates that the child is fighting a virus that could be serious. Prolonged fevers can take a toll on your child’s body, specifically their kidneys. You should also call your child’s pediatrician if they are under two months old and running a fever that is higher than 100.4 for any length of time. High fevers are especially dangerous for infants, as their bodies are sometimes not able to regulate body temperature very well yet. If your child is over two months old and is running a fever of 104 for any length of time, then you should also visit the doctor quickly. This indicates a serious infection, and a high fever can sometimes cause seizures and other problems.

Illnesses That Require a Pediatrician

Some types of childhood sicknesses will always require a pediatrician’s care. Strep throat is one such condition. This condition is diagnosed through a strep test. Strep is a serious sickness that can have even more serious complications. Ear infections also require treatment as ear infections can progress quickly and damage your child’s ear drum. Eye infections can also damage a child’s vision, so quick intervention is important. Skin infections can also progress quickly and carry a risk of infections, so always have a skin infection checked out with the pediatrician.

Emergencies

You should also be aware of emergency situations that will require medical intervention. These include problems swallowing, problems breathing, broken bones, deep cuts, concussions, and any type of injury or development that has your child acting strangely or struggling.

These are just a few things you should call a pediatrician for if you have a child. If you’re looking for a reliable pediatrician in your area, please contact us at Pediatrix today.

Posted 4/12/24