Any health emergency can be a scary experience. However, those involving children can be especially tough to deal with. In a short period, children can go from being well to relatively unwell and as a parent, it can be an unsettling and frightening moment. The following are some common pediatric emergencies as well as factors that help distinguish what can be treated at home versus things that require immediate medical attention.
When to go to your local 24-hour Emergency Room
A new temperature over 100.4 degrees (38C)
There are many reasons why a child might have a high temperature. Whatever the cause may be, a temperature of 100.4 degrees F (38C) or higher means the child should be taken to the emergency room immediately. This is especially true if the temperature is accompanied by some of the symptoms listed below such as diarrhea, vomiting, or the presence of a rash.
Vomiting and Diarrhea
A stomach bug is usually the most common cause of vomiting and diarrhea. While most of the time this can be managed at home with plenty of fluids and rest, there are some situations where this is not the case:
- If your child has experienced multiple vomiting and/or diarrhea episodes over a short period (i.e. vomiting four times in 24 hours)
- If your child is unable to hold down any fluids
- If your child has a high temperature with vomiting and diarrhea
A trip to the emergency room should be made as dehydration becomes a huge concern.
Head injuries
All head injuries should be taken seriously, even if there is no visible bleeding. Any witnessed head injury where a child passes out or there is loss of consciousness means urgent medical attention is needed. When a head injury occurs, you should also pay special attention to symptoms such as vomiting, complaints of headaches or, blurry vision for at least two to three days following the event. The effects of a head injury can sometimes take a few days to become obvious.
A new or spreading rash
It is notoriously difficult to figure out whether a rash is non-urgent or life-threatening. However, the following should prompt an urgent trip to the emergency room:
- A rash that comes on suddenly.
- A rash that doesn’t fade with pressure, such as when a glass cup is gently pressed on it.
- A rash that is associated with any of the following: high temperature, vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, or painful joints.
With the sudden spike in the number of children’s measles cases, it is helpful to be aware of rashes that begin as red spots on the face and slowly spread downward to the neck, abdomen, arms, legs, and feet. If you believe your child has been exposed to measles or has measles themselves, call your nearest emergency room immediately.
Inability to drink or swallow fluids
An inability to swallow fluids may stem from an extremely sore throat that makes drinking water uncomfortable and painful for your child. However, due to the risk of dehydration, treat this as a medical emergency and go to the nearest emergency room immediately. This is particularly true if they have not had any fluids for a long period and have not been passing urine.
Special cases – Babies and children under the age of 2
The situations mentioned above apply to all children. However, when it comes to cases involving children under the age of two, a very low threshold for going to the emergency room should be kept. At the very first sign that something is wrong or out of the ordinary, parents with sick or unwell babies should seek medical advice immediately, without delay.
General rules to bring your child to the emergency room
The following are general signs and symptoms that require urgent care under the supervision of medical doctors.
- Unusual shortness of breath. Whether it is an allergic reaction, asthma attack, or other cause, a child experiencing any difficulty breathing is a medical emergency.
- A child that is unwell and shows symptoms of lethargy and listlessness in addition to any of the symptoms mentioned above, should be seen by a doctor urgently.
If something feels wrong, trust your gut and get it checked out right away. It is better to be overly cautious and make a trip to the emergency room rather than being too cautious.