10 Ways to Know When to Call the Doctor If Your Baby or Child Is Sick

Pediatric patients, especially infants and young children, are mostly quiet when they are sick. Their signs and symptoms are barely discernible because they don't usually complain. Most of the time, their acting different from normal is what a lot of parents use as a gauge in telling that their child is not okay, making it even more difficult for parents to tell if their child truly needs to see a medical professional.

Here are some general pointers to help you out.

1. Check his breathing rate and pattern. Be aware for symptoms of labored respiration like flaring of the nostrils, retractions of the chest or neck, accelerated respiration, and wheezing. Doing so is particularly essential if your child is asthmatic or having respiratory problems. Take him to a doctor immediately.

2. If the kid has known allergy symptoms and you suspect that he had been exposed to it, call the doctor. Meanwhile, be informed that there are many signs of allergy and it will differ from person to person. It may manifest as skin rashes, itchiness, shortness of breath, diarrhea, vomiting, slight fever, and also shock.

3. Get his temperature. Get him to a doctor immediately if your child's fever is constantly high, does not respond to antipyretics (e.g. Acetaminophen) and tepid sponge bath, and most especially if a background of benign febrile seizure runs in the family.

4. If your kid is vomiting or has diarrhea, get in touch with the medical professional. He could teach you how to observe your child for dehydration status and will inform you whether or not your kid's problem warrants hospital admission.

5. Always seek medical consult if the child complains of severe headache associated with fever and stiff neck. This is a classic presentation of meningitis.

6. Take the baby to the medical doctor if he sustains a cut anywhere in the body, especially if you can not stop the bleeding, or if the cut is deep enough to require stitches.

7. If you suspect that your baby has ingested anything toxic, call a poison-control hotline right away.

8. Assess your kid's consciousness by talking to him. If he is lethargic or unresponsive, call 911 immediately.

9. See a doctor if your child falls or bumps his head strong enough to make him unconscious. If however, your kid did not lose consciousness during the incident, but was observed to be confused, disoriented, drowsy, or vomiting, still bring him to a medical professional. These are warning signs of much more critical problems that ought to be further investigated.

10. If in doubt, don't hesitate to contact your physician or 911 for emergency cases, or go to the nearest hospital. It's better to be safe than sorry.

Knowing when to bring our child to a physician is a skill we must all know by heart. We must not disregard every moment suspecting signs and symptoms our young children may be having. Instead, we should be mindful and keen in watching them every moment of the day and seek out medical assistance once necessary.