When Parents Should Avoid the Emergency Room

Being a parent can and will be one of the most scariest things you can ever do in your lifetime. When one of your children get's sick, the first response is to automatically take them to the doctor or to the emergency room. And yes there are times when a doctor is needed, however most of the time all you need to do is relax and pay attention to specific signs. Emergency rooms are very expensive regardless of what city or state you are in. Taking your child to the emergency room for something that can be dealt with at home can cost you thousands of dollars. Here are some of the specifics you need to know when thinking about bringing your child to the emergency room.

1. Temperatures - First and most importantly I want to remind all parents that there is nothing wrong with a child having a temperature. It just means that their body is fighting whatever it is that they have. It is a good thing, so please always keep that in mind. The two times that you need to worry about a child that has a temperature is when you have given them Ibuprofen/Tylenol and it has not reduced at all in 24 hours. The other time that you need to worry about a temperature is when the temperature is peaking past the 103 mark and the child is acting very weak and not responding to any kind of treatment.

2. Stomach aches - Children have stomach aches all the time. Rushing them to the emergency room every time can be very costly and is not needed 99% of the time. If a child has a stomach ache, more than likely they have eaten to much or they need to use the bathroom. All you need to do is crack open a can of hot Coke and let them drink it. This will settle the stomach and also help them use the bathroom. If your child is in constant pain and it is severe enough to where the child cannot move, the emergency room is where he/she needs to go.

3. Throwing Up or Diarrhea - If your child is throwing up or using the bathroom a couple of times a day, there is no need at all to bring them to the emergency room. All you need to do is buy some ice pops and let them eat them as often as possible. Do not bother with buying Pedialyte, most kids who know what nasty tastes like, will not even bother. An ice pop or a teaspoon of Kero syrup will work just as good. Now if they are throwing up continuously and using the bathroom each time they eat or drink for more than 24 hours, then a visit to the emergency room is a good suggestion.

4. Cuts and Scrapes - Now cut and scrapes come with kids and growing up. If you can stop the bleeding, then there is absolutely no reason to bring a child to the emergency room. All that is needed is a good clean out with peroxide, some Neosporin, and a bandage that fits loosely. Unless it is a deep wound and you cannot stop the bleeding, then just relax and save your money.

5. Rashes and Burns - If your child has a rash, first thing to remember that if there is no fever with the rash, then more than likely it is nothing serious. Just buy some Balmex and rub all over the rashed areas. Be sure to keep applying the Balmex until the rash is completely gone. When it comes to burns, if the area is just red or has a small blister, do not panic. Run some cold water on the burn or a cold wash cloth on it for at least five minutes. Then go and buy some burn ointment and gently rub on the burn. Now if the rash has any liquid coming from it, or the burn is a large blistered burn, this is when an emergency room visit is necessary.

Regardless of what I have written here, if you as the parent feel the need to bring your child to the emergency room, then by all means do so. Many new parents feel the need to bring their children in to ease their nervousness which is completely normal. Eventually down the road when they get older, you will know when and when not to bring them in to the emergency room.