Calling a doctor at home: when a child urgently needs a doctor's help

Adults often ignore the symptoms of possible diseases and delay the visit to the doctor until the last moment. However, if the child is sick, the situation is different: any deterioration in the child's condition alarms the parents. Many parents wonder about the advisability of calling a doctor at home if their child has certain symptoms. Is it necessary to wait for the temperature to rise to a certain mark on the thermometer in case of a child's cold?

What changes in the behavior and / or condition of the child should not be left without the attention of a doctor? When a doctor's house call – not just reinsurance, but an urgent need? All these questions will be answered by estet-portal.com.

Temperature – is it a mandatory condition to call a doctor at home

Many mistakenly believe that the absence of a temperature allows you to delay a visit to the doctor, but this is not entirely true. Serious illnesses and life-threatening conditions for a child are different: in some cases, high fever with a cold – quite a normal reaction of the body, however, if it is accompanied by the following symptoms, it is better to make a call a doctor at home.

1. Vomiting. This symptom, which we most often associate with food poisoning, can also be a reaction of the child's nervous system to a sharp increase in temperature. The presence of this symptom is also characteristic of an intestinal infection or meningitis, in which case it is simply unacceptable to delay.
2. Rash. As with vomiting, a rash can be caused by a variety of things, from a harmless allergic reaction to a serious infection. Therefore, if the rash appears in time coincides with an increase in temperature, it is better to call a doctor at home.
3. Lackness, drowsiness, headache. This condition is typical for the flu, and for the common cold, which is accompanied by fever. However, if at the same time it is still not possible to bring down the temperature of the child, the right decision would be to trust the professionals – even the most caring parent cannot always guess about the danger of the child's symptoms.
4. Dehydration. This condition is especially dangerous for children under the age of 3 years. Vomiting, diarrhea and fever are the most common triggers for dehydration in children. That is why, in addition to calling a doctor at home, it is necessary to constantly give the child to drink: ordinary water, herbal teas, compotes.

However, it is worth remembering that with incessant vomiting, the child should drink about 5 ml of liquid every 5-10 minutes. 

Signs of dehydration in children:

• dryness of the tongue and mucous membranes;
• urinating less frequently than every 4 hours;
• change in behavior (excessive drowsiness or vice versa – activity);
• cry without tears.

In any case, it is necessary to constantly ensure that the child's body receives the necessary amount of liquid!

For what symptoms you need to call a doctor at home

1. Convulsions. The cause of seizures can be both fever and serious diseases that affect the nervous system. In case of convulsions, it is better to lay the child on his side and turn his head down (so that saliva does not get into the airways).
2. Anaphylactic shock or Quincke's edema. A house call is necessary for the following symptoms of anaphylactic shock:

• facial numbness;
• throbbing headache;
• vomit;
• urticaria;
• cold sweat;
• tinnitus;
• dizziness;
• a feeling of fear.

With Quincke's edema, swelling and redness of the face are observed, the occurrence of edema on the hands, feet, and genitals is not excluded. Anaphylactic shock and angioedema can often cause a serious allergic reaction to drugs or insect stings.

3. Abdominal pain. This is a rather insidious symptom that can be caused by many factors, from traditional indigestion to inflammation of the appendix and volvulus. Despite the fact that appendicitis in children under 3 years of age is rare, it will not be superfluous to play it safe. A doctor's call to the house is necessary for volvulus, which is most often found in children under 1 year old. At the same time, the child turns pale, screams, cries, does not take food. After a couple of hours, intestinal volvulus is manifested by profuse vomiting with bile, in the stool – slime and blood.

It's easier with older kids – they can tell where it hurts, how it hurts, and how long it hurts. The situation is much more complicated with children who do not yet know how to speak: parents have to guess why the child behaves one way or another. Therefore, a doctor's house call – the best way to prevent the development of serious complications in a child arising from certain diseases.