Getting medical advice from a magazine, while more entertaining, cannot always replace the professional advice of a qualified healthcare provider. Always consult your doctor, and in the event of an emergency, call 911.
Children have seemingly mastered the manufacture of bumps, bruises, breaks and owies. As a parent, you do everything in your power to keep them well and healthy, but sometimes, you have to call in for back-up. And when you need a little extra help, who better to call than the professionals who specialize in caring for the fevers, broken bones and chipped teeth of our tiny counterparts?
Your child has a high fever
With the exception of infants under three months, kids whose temperatures are lower than 102°F usually don’t need medication. The illness is most likely not serious if your child is still interested in playing, eating and drinking well, has normal skin color and is alert. Call your doctor if your child’s fever raises above 102°F or if he/she feels too ill to drink adequately, has persistent diarrhea or vomiting, has a chronic medical problem, or has a rash.
Where to go – Your nearest major hospital emergency room, North Georgia Urgent Care, Gwinnett Urgent Care or Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Satellite Blvd
Your child chips a tooth
Find the chipped part of the tooth, put the chip in a plastic baggie and keep it moist by adding a few drops of water to the bag or wrapping it in wet gauze. The most important thing is to visit your dentist as soon as possible to avoid permanent nerve damage to the tooth.
Where to go – Dentistry 4 Kids, Tebo Dental Group, North Georgia Pediatric Dentistry, Dentistry for Children or Sugarloaf Children’s Dentistry
Your child burns himself/herself
It’s inevitable that children will find a way to burn themselves. When these accidents happen, you should first stop the heat by immediately submerging the burned area in cold water, but do not use ice.
Where to go – Your nearest major hospital emergency room
Your child needs glasses
If your child is experiencing frequent headaches, nausea or fatigue coupled with blurry vision, squinting or an inability to see far away or up close, take him/her to your eye doctor for an eye exam. Don’t wait until they’re struggling to perform everyday functions.
Where to go – Buford Family Practice, Thomas Eye Group Lilburn & Suwanee, Victory Eye Care, Pediatric Vision Development Center or South Forsyth Eyecare
Your child ingests a foreign substance
From medications to cleaning products, our homes are filled with potentially poisonous substances. Be prepared in case your child ingests anything that is not food by keeping the poison control number in your phone: 1-800-222-1222.
Where to go – Your nearest major hospital emergency room
Your child’s nose is always stuffy
Look for ringing in the ears, hearing impairments, tonsil infection, pain in any of those areas, constant sinus problems, swallowing problems and recurring nose bleeds. Any of these could be a sign of something more severe than a cold, sore throat or sinus infection. Any injury in any of those areas may also constitute seeing your ear, nose and throat specialist (otolaryngologist).
Where to go – North Georgia Urgent Care, Gwinnett Urgent Care, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Satellite Blvd, Premier Immediate Care, Buford Family Practice, Northeast Atlanta Ear, Nose & Throat, P.C., Pediatric Ear, Nose & Throat of Atlanta, P.C. or Gwinnett ENT
Your child gets a concussion
While most head injuries can be relatively minor, contact your doctor immediately if blood or clear fluid drains from the ears or nose. Immediate examination is also necessary if your child complains of a headache or dizziness, acts agitated, irritable or incoherent, breathes oddly or noisily, has convulsions, has difficulty seeing or walking, vomits or exhibits a decrease in mental alertness.
Where to go – Your nearest major hospital emergency room
Your child loses consciousness
An unconscious person will be unresponsive to activity, touch, sound or any other stimulation. There can be many causes for losing consciousness, but all should be treated as a medical emergency. After calling 911, check your child’s airway, breathing and pulse, and if necessary, begin rescue breathing and CPR*. Do NOT give an unconscious child any food or water, leave them alone, put a pillow under their head or splash water on their face to revive them.
Where to go – Your nearest major hospital emergency room
Your child has an allergic reaction
Allergic reactions can vary from mild to severe. If the symptoms are mild, give an oral antihistamine. If the symptoms are more severe and you have an injectable epinephrine (EpiPen), use it as directed immediately and call 911.
Where to go –Gwinnett Urgent Care or your nearest major hospital emergency room
*You can download a “Hands-only CPR Ready Reference” sheet that illustrates this technique on
RedCross.org/prepare/hands-only -cpr or sign up for a training class at RedCross.org/take-a-class
Your child breaks a bone
Some telltale signs of a broken bone are a snap or grinding noise during the injury, swelling, bruising or tenderness around the injured area, pain at any movement or touch and any deformation. Don’t move your child and call 911 if a serious head, neck or back injury occurred or if the bone breaks through the skin. For less serious injuries, stabilize the affected area by removing clothing, applying an ice pack wrapped in cloth and placing a makeshift splint over the injured part.
Where to go – Your nearest major hospital emergency room, Orthopedic Surgery, P.C., Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Satellite Blvd, Premier Immediate Care, North Georgia Urgent Care, Reagan Medical Center or Gwinnett Urgent Care
Your child is experiencing stress
Mental health is just as important as your physical health. Contact a therapist if you notice your child’s mood changes drastically.
Where to go – Reagan Medical Center, Premier Immediate Care, Buford Family Practice, Psychological Sciences Institute
Your child gets a deep cut
Wash the wound and place a sterile gauze or clean cloth over the wound, and if possible, raise the bleeding part above your child’s heart. Use the palm of your hand to apply steady and direct pressure for five minutes. Seek immediate medical attention if the bleeding persists after five minutes.
Where to go – Your nearest major hospital emergency room, North Georgia Urgent Care, Gwinnett Urgent Care, Reagan Medical Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta at Satellite Blvd, Premier Immediate Care or Buford Family Practice
