The Record Special Sections Health Quarterly 07-28-2019 | страница 10

10 ❚ SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2019 ❚ THE RECORD
HEALTH QUARTERLY / ADVERTISING SECTION
ATLANTIC HEALTH SYSTEM
Bumps and Bruises, Sniffling and
Sneezing – When Should Parents Worry?
A
ny parent
knows the feel-
ing of anguish
that comes
when a child is sick
and how that anguish
worsens when the
child needs medical
help. If there is ever a
question about the need for medical
attention, call the pediatrician. It may be a
situation that can be handled in-office or,
the pediatrician may advise taking the child
to the emergency department (ED). A par-
ent doesn’t need to bear the brunt of this
decision alone.
However, even the decision to involve
the pediatrician can be tricky. When should
medical help be sought? Phillip Devadan, MD,
medical director of The Children’s Center
at Atlantic Health System’s Chilton Medical
Center., offers the following guidelines:
Consult a physician if younger children
experience high fever and fever accompa-
nied by severe headache.
FEVER
“For very young children, less than 2
months old, a fever over 100.4 degrees”
should get medical help, according to
Dr. Devadan. “For kids from three months
old to three years old, anything over 103
degrees should be seen.”
Also, if a child has any associated disor-
ders such as sickle cell, cystic fibrosis, or
leukemia, or if the fever can’t be controlled
by over-the-counter medicines, the child
should be seen. If the fever is “accompa-
nied by change in behavior (especially with
a severe, sudden headache accompanied
by mental changes, neck/back stiffness,
or rashes),” the parent or caretaker should
seek immediate medical help.
VOMITING
Most often, vomiting is caused by a virus
and doesn’t require a doctor’s visit. But if
it is persistent or becomes greenish (from
bile), or if the child is listless and tired with
decreased urine output (a sign of dehydra-
tion), the child should be treated medically,
according to Devadan.
FALL OR INJURY
While 60 percent of the cases seen at
Chilton’s Pediatric Emergency Department
(ED) are medical (illness), the other 40 per-
cent are traumas: injuries to extremities,
often sports-related, says Devadan. But
again, falls and injuries are fairly common
among active children. When should a child
be brought to the ED? For falls and inju-
ries, “any fall over 3 feet” should be seen,
according to Devadan, as well as any injury
that results in tenderness to the injured area.
CUTS
“The best thing to do for a cut is to clean
it with an antiseptic and apply a bandage,”
says Devadan. If, however, it’s a deep cut
or bleeds continuously without stopping
after pressure is applied, the child should
be brought to the ED, he says, although it’s
been his experience that “parents usually
assume correctly” if their child needs medi-
cal attention.
HEAD INJURY
All kids bang their head. Whether they’re
learning to walk or playing on the play-
ground at recess, bumps and bruises hap-
pen. But head injuries cross the line into
more serious territory if there is a loss of
consciousness, if the injury results in vomit-
ing, or if the child becomes tired or irritable,
and is generally not acting right after the
injury. In any of these instances, the child
should be seen at the emergency room.
EYE INJURY
“All eye injuries should be assessed by
a doctor,” says Devadan, particularly those
resulting in pain or blurred vision.
OTHER PREPARATIONS
To be prepared in the event of emer-
gency at home, it’s always a good idea to
have a well-stocked first aid kit including a
variety of bandages, gauze pads, adhesive
tape, antibiotic ointment, an antiseptic such
as betadine or hydrogen peroxide, a warm
blanket, an ice pack, and a pain reliever
such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen, says
Devadan.
This simple kit covers most basic injuries.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF GETTY IMAGES
Sports-related head injuries can often be serious, particularly if they are high-impact
and result in a loss of consciousness or if the injury results in vomiting.
For a more comprehensive kit, it’s practical to your kids,” he says.
include insect sting preparation and trian-
To learn more about The Children’s
gular bandages that can be used as a sling.
Center at Chilton Medical Center, visit
It’s never a bad idea to have some basic
www.atlantichealth.org/chilton.
CPR and first aid
training, but more
important than
that is taking safety
precautions to child-
proof your home,
says Devadan. It’s
better to prevent
the injuries from
happening in the
first place.
One of the most
important things
all parents can do
for their child is to
remain calm, says
Devadan.
“Don’t panic. It
transmits to the
child, who is already
anxious and in pain.
Although falls are fairly common among children, any fall from a
And remember,
height above three feet likely requires medical attention.
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