Barton D. Schmitt - My Child Is Sick!: Expert Advice for Managing Common Illnesses and Injuries

Calling Your Childs Doctor

Information to Have Before You Call (Except for Emergencies)

• Your childs main symptoms and when they started.
• Your childs temperature (if your child is sick).
• Have your child nearby in case your doctor wants you to check something.
• If your child has a chronic disease, be sure to mention this. Never assume the person you are speaking to already knows this.
• The names of any medicines your child is taking.
• Your pharmacys phone number.
• Your questions written down.
• Have a pen and paper available to write down any instructions given.

Getting Your Call Through

• Call 911 for life-threatening emergencies (such as severe breathing problems).
• In an emergency, state clearly, This is an emergency. Do not let anyone put you on hold.
• Use a reliable phone connection. Ideally, this is a landline or cell phone connection with consistent, good reception. If you are in the car, stop at a location with good reception.
• If you are calling after office hours, make sure the privacy block on your phone is turned off. This will enable you to accept blocked calls from a doctor returning calls from the doctors home.
• If your child is sick and may need to be seen today, try to call in the morning for an appointment.
• For routine questions, call later in the day.
• If the office staff is busy and can only take a message, ask for an approximate callback time.
• While waiting for a callback, try to keep your line open and your phone nearby.
• If your call isnt returned within 30 minutes after the anticipated response time, call again. Tell whomever answers the phone it is your second call.

American Academy of Pediatrics Publishing Staff

Mark Grimes, Director, Department of Publishing

Kathryn Sparks, Manager, Consumer Publishing

Holly Kaminski, Editor, Consumer Publishing

Shannan Martin, Production Manager, Consumer Publishing

Amanda Helmholz, Editorial Specialist

Linda Diamond, Manager, Art Direction and Production

Mary Lou White, Director, Department of Marketing and Sales

Sara Hoerdeman, Marketing Manager, Consumer Products

Published by the American Academy of Pediatrics

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Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1019

www.aap.org

Statements and opinions expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the American Academy of Pediatrics. Listing of resources does not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The AAP is not responsible for the content of external resources. Information was current at the time of publication.

Brand names, products, and Web sites are mentioned for identification and informational purposes only and do not imply an endorsement by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Web site addresses are as current as possible but may change at any time.

This publication has been developed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. The contributors are expert authorities in the field of pediatrics. No commercial involvement of any kind has been solicited or accepted in development of the content of this publication. Disclosures: Dr Schmitt indicated that he is a co-owner and has an intellectual property relationship with Self Care Decisions and Schmitt-Thompson Clinical Content.

Every effort is made to keep My Child Is Sick! consistent with the most recent advice and information available from the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Authors disclaimer: This information is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

Your childs doctor has the final word. If your childs doctor tells you something that is different than whats in this book, follow your doctors advice. Your doctor has the advantage of knowing you and your child and taking an actual history and performing a physical examination before making a decision.

You know your child better than anyone else. If you remain uncomfortable with your childs symptoms or condition after reading this book, please call your doctor or nurse for additional assistance. Finally, if you think your child has a life-threatening condition (such as struggling to breathe), always call 911 now.

Special discounts are available for bulk purchases of this publication. E-mail our Special Sales Department at for more information.

2017 Barton D. Schmitt, MD, FAAP

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwisewithout prior permission from the publisher (locate title at ). First edition published 2011.

9-369 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

CB0097

eBook: 978-1-58110-989-4

Cover design by Daniel Rembert

Publication design by Linda Diamond

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015943782

Praise for My Child Is Sick!

Those desiring concise, practical guidance will appreciate the straightforward nature of this no-nonsense resource.Publishers Weekly

Helps parents and caregivers identify symptoms of everyday childhood maladies.... Thankfully, all informationincluding the detailed... Care Adviceis presented in clear checklist style. Such visual organization will be a blessing to parents, especially for those unavoidable moments of panic in the middle of the night.BookPage

My Child Is Sick! had guidance faster than I could google it... its a no-frills guide that doesnt mess around with anecdotes or fancy writing when all you want to know is how worried you should be. The Tampa Tribune

Its a perfect back-to-school item for parents.Lincoln Journal Star

Chapters pertaining to the body part that hurts offer easy-to-follow advice on how to treat ailments at home and when its time to call the doctor.Scholastic Parent & Child

My Child Is Sick! is a must-have for every parent, new or seasoned. Dr Schmitts long-trusted content is written in a format that is easy to understand and answers many questions all parents have.Suzanne Wells, MSN, RN, Manager, St. Louis Childrens Hospital Answer Line, Past President, American Academy of Ambulatory Care Nursing.

Table of Contents

Contents

Most of the time your child is wellhungry at mealtime, sleeps soundly. Your family has fun together. The days fly by.

Then without warning, your child is sick or injured. Youre uncertain what to do next. Should you call your childs doctor? Should you go to the ER? Can you treat your child at home? Whats the current best advice for relieving your childs symptom?

Thats why you have this book.

The first purpose of My Child is Sick! is to help you determine how sick your child is and if you need to call your childs doctor. The second purpose is to help you treat your child at home when it is safe to do so.