As a parent, your child’s health is of utmost importance. There’s nothing more nerve-wracking than coming home from work to find that your child has a high fever then finding out that their doctor is unavailable. Do you call 911 or rush your kid to the ER? Well, as you have learned in the first part of this article, there is another option for you – take them to Your Kids Urgent Care.
But how do you know when you should turn to urgent care? Read on to find out:
When to Turn to Urgent Care
There are urgent care services because there are instances when kids have a condition that needs to be addressed at once, but it’s not considered life-threatening. It can’t be stressed enough that if you feel the situation is critical, a call to 911 or a trip to the emergency room is the only thing you should do. Accidents, strokes, heart attacks, and such are all serious concerns that warrant emergency care.
Remember that we live in times where there’s a danger of exposure to the COVID-19 virus, especially in hospitals. So as much as possible, you’d want to steer clear of ERs and hospitals where there are very sick people that could be contagious.
Think of urgent care as that state between a regular checkup and an ER visit. That means if your child isn’t in grave danger, but you still believe they need to be seen by a medical professional as soon as possible, that’s the time you should take them to urgent care.
Do Fevers Warrant Urgent Care?
When talking about kids’ health concerns, fevers are always a concern for parents. It’s one of the most common reasons parents seek medical care for their children. But do you have to get urgent care for your child every time they get a fever? When is it time to see a doctor?
Several factors should be considered, primarily the child’s age. For infants below two months of age, a fever of 100.4 degrees is regarded as an emergency. Other symptoms need to be considered for kids older than two months old, including the duration and intensity of the fever.
You have to keep in mind that a fever is the body’s way of fighting an infection. That means the body is taking action against an illness. So as long as the child is taking in lots of fluid, eating well, active, and urinating, you won’t need to go to urgent care or the ER. Just make sure to keep an eye on their temperature.
Conclusion
Nobody wants to spend time thinking about scary scenarios like having to ride an ambulance to take your beloved child to urgent care in the middle of the night. However, these things can happen. Instead of feeling fear, you must work on being prepared.
You must know when the situation requires urgent care for children. That’s the first step. The second is knowing what you need when you do have to go and get urgent care. For one, know the exact address of the urgent care facility closest to you as well as their number. Make sure you have an emergency care kit that you can grab in seconds in case something happens. It would also help to establish an action plan with your kids’ doctor for such unforeseen situations.
Your Kids Care is your trusted partner when it comes to children’s urgent care. Our team of medical experts can provide your child with immediate care that they need no matter what time it is, so you won’t have to take them to the ER if it’s not necessary. Contact us today to know more about urgent care!
