Coping with Chronic Health Conditions: Tips

5 Pediatric Symptoms And Ailments That Require Immediate Medical Care

10 April 2017 by Freddie Cox

All parents want to ensure that their children remain in good health, so when a child displays certain symptoms a visit to the doctor may be needed. If you are able to describe your child's symptoms to the doctor over the phone, medical treatment may be able to be safely delayed for a few days. You must also be aware that some severe and serious symptoms of pediatric illnesses and conditions can signal the need for immediate pediatric urgent care treatment. In the event that any of these five symptoms are present in your child, go to a hospital or an urgent care clinic as soon as possible.

1. Labored Breathing - If your child has allergies or is getting over a cold, there may be fluid and mucus in his or her chest that makes breathing a little harder than usual. Coughing, sneezing and a sore throat can make breathing more difficult or even somewhat painful, especially for a child that has respiratory issues. If your child's breathing issues persist after administering pediatrician-approved over-the-counter medicines or symptoms become worse, seek out pediatric urgent care services.

2. Severe Burns - Accidents involving cooking apparatuses, campfires and even hair styling tools can happen to anyone, including children. Although burns can be quite painful, they don't always require pediatric urgent care. On the other hand, burns that cover a large surface on the body or look to be severe in nature are best treated by medical professionals rather than an ice pack and anti-bacterial ointment.

3. Hives - Although hives can appear for a number of reasons, they are usually a sign of a serious allergic reaction. These itchy rashes can sometimes appear and disappear within minutes, but pediatric urgent care services should still be sought out if hives develop on your child. Your child may have eaten a food that he or she is allergic to, or come in contact with a substance that exacerbated an unknown allergy.

4. Dehydration - If your child is unable to hold down clear fluids, has been experiencing prolonged diarrhea, or is vomiting up everything consumed, dehydration will likely follow. Severe dehydration can lead to other serious medical issues, so it is better that you visit a pediatric urgent care clinic as soon as you begin to suspect that your child is becoming dehydrated. 

5. Uncontrollable Bleeding - Even a small cut that fails to clot and begin scabbing over within a few hours can become a problem in adulthood or adolescence. Whether your child has a cut which appears to be superficial or a small puncture, if the bleeding continues, emergency pediatric urgent care will be necessary.

For more information, contact companies like Emergency Care Dynamics.

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