Now that I have 3 kids I feel like at least one person is the family is sick with something at any given time. Having a husband that works as a school teacher, 2 kids at school and 1 child that goes to day care 2 days a week the level of contact we have with other humans is epic in terms of contracting some kind of sickness. I am never quite sure at what point any given sickness warrants me making an appointment with a doctor as a lot of the time it does resolve itself.
Over the past 8 years of various sickness in the family I have learnt that when my child is displaying certain symptoms it is worth getting it checked out to get them some relief as soon as possible … hopefully it reduces the length and severity of the illness.
Below is a list of symptoms which concern me enough to see a doctor in a hurry including after hours if necessary.
- Skin rashes
I HATE rashes. On the one hand it could be a slight reaction to some grass in the backyard or on the other hand it could be measles, slap cheek or something more serious. If my children develop a rash that does not seem to be going away in a day or so then I generally call a doctor as rashes freak me out and can be a sign of something much more sinister.
- Asthma / breathing difficulties
Having suffered from asthma for most of my life this is something I know about all too well. If you ever notice one of your children struggling to breathe on any level then you need to get that looked at ASAP. Things can turn bad really quickly with breathing difficulties so it is never worth the wait.
- Ear ache
So there was this one time my eldest daughter woke up screaming like a maniac early in the morning saying her ear was hurting. We quickly had a look in her ear and to our surprise 2 ants were crawling around. Luckily they came out but that was one of those times as a parent you think … what the?
There was another time our middle daughter woke up screaming in the middle of the night with ear pain but this time no ants. She could not settle and we knew we had to see someone asap. The last thing we wanted was a burst eardrum. You can read about that here.
- Coughs, runny noses and the rest
Winter time is always the worst for our family when it comes to coughs and colds. Respiratory viruses are at top of the list for causing our kids to get sick. Sore throats, headaches, sneezing, fever, coughs and runny noses could be symptoms of tonsillitis, bronchitis, croup or even pneumonia. We have had to deal with croup in the past and I would not wish that upon any baby it is such a horrible and common condition.
The issue with these illnesses is that symptoms can be very similar which is why you need to get your child along to a doctor so they can assess the symptoms and make a diagnosis.
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
It can be tricky when kids are throwing up or have a runny tummy. At what point do you get help as you can’t really call someone every time your child vomits. If my child is vomiting, unable to hold down any liquid and seems unwell, then I would make the call.
- Headaches and dizziness
There are headaches and there are headaches. Acute headaches and migraines can be a sign of something more serious and are worth getting checked out if they are not going away. If the headache is also causing dizziness and they are not able to think clearly then you should definitely see a doctor. Often migraines in children can cause stomach pains or other pains in their body which can stop them being able to function as normal. If this is happening, then I would get it checked out.
- Painful to pee
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be really upsetting for kids and can be difficult to diagnose without the help of a doctor. A UTI could be the reason why your child has a temperature and is unwell. It may not be, but if you suspect this at all, a doctor can diagnose and quickly sort you out with a prescription.
- High Temperature
Children get temperatures all the time and you can’t go running to a doctor every time they spike a temp. However if your child has had a temperature for more than a day or two, or has one above 39 degrees and you can’t bring it down, then it is time to see a doctor.
The reality for our household is our children often come down with symptoms when our local GP is closed. A few years ago I came across National Home Doctor Service and realised I had stumbled across one of the best services for parents that existed plus it was FREE to use woohoo.
National Home Doctor Service is Australia’s largest after hours, doctor home visiting service. They bulk bill all patients with a Medicare card, so there’s nothing to pay for the home visit. All their doctors are either hospital doctors or GPs. Following the home visit, a clinical report is sent to your regular GP the following day, so they’re kept in the loop. They are in all capital cities around Australia (with Darwin launching mid 2016) as well as many regional centres.
So who are these doctors?
As Australia’s largest network of home visiting doctors, they provide a great alternative to bundling up children and taking them to the hospital ED for non-life threatening illnesses. As they are an after hours medical service, they only do home visits from 6pm weeknights, 12 noon Saturdays, all day Sundays and public holidays. They treat urgent illnesses only (eg middle ear, gastro, vomiting, migraine, UTI’s and respiratory infections). Basically those illnesses that need to be treated by a doctor, but often occur when your GP’s closed.
They also have this fantastic App available to download to make it super easy for you the next time you need to make an appointment with them. You can find out more about the Apple App HERE and the Google App HERE …
