When your child gets sick, it can be a tough experience for the whole family. Illness causes your child to experience unpleasant symptoms, disrupts their routine, and can expose your entire family.
Having a plan for coping with childhood illnesses and knowing when to seek same-day pediatric care at Valencia Pediatrics in Victorville, California, helps relieve symptoms and get your child back to better health faster.
Learn from pediatricians Rainilda Valencia, MD, and Deepika Saini, MD, FAAP, how you can navigate your child’s unexpected health needs.
Seeing your child sick can make you feel worried and helpless. But there’s so much you can do as a parent to ensure they get the right treatment quickly. Here are some steps you can take when your child is acting unwell or says they feel ill.
Your child can tell you they don’t feel well if they’re old enough to talk, or you may suspect it just by looking at them. Children who are unwell often:
You can also determine if your child has a fever by taking their temperature.
Feeling ill can be scary for children, and they may be sad about missing school and other activities they enjoy. Staying calm and supporting your child through childhood bugs helps them regain their optimal health.
Remain positive, calm, and encouraging when you’re with your sick child. Ask them what they need, and make plans for what you’ll do together when they feel better.
Depending on how sick your child is, they might need home care, same-day pediatric care, or emergency care. Most childhood illnesses can be treated by working with our team and administering care at home.
We always reserve same-day video and in-person appointments for children who don’t feel well. If you’re not sure whether your child needs to see someone, our team can talk to you over the phone and offer advice and support.
Because our team is already familiar with your child, it’s usually better to consult with us if your child is unwell. But if our office is closed or you’re out of town, you can visit an urgent care center for any problems that can’t wait.
Your child needs to go to the emergency room if they:
Your child might also need emergency care if you suspect they ingested poison or are an immediate danger to themselves or others.
Children with viral infections like the common cold and flu benefit from rest, plenty of fluids, and child-safe medication like acetaminophen (Tylenol®) to lower fevers and reduce pain. Your child may need to take antibiotics if they have a bacterial infection.
Whether your child has a virus, bacterial illness, allergic reaction, injury, or another issue, following care advice helps them get better more quickly. Help your child follow the care plan by reminding them of all the fun they’ll have once they get better.
Once treatment begins, children usually start to improve, with the recovery timeline depending on the diagnosis. Watch your child to make sure they don’t take a turn for the worse.
If your child becomes more lethargic, their fever isn’t breaking, or they’re increasingly in pain or confused, contact our team for immediate care advice.
Contagious illnesses can spread quickly through families and communities. If your child has a contagious infection, protect yourself and your family by keeping everyone a safe distance from your child, wearing a face mask during close contact, washing your hands regularly, and avoiding sharing personal items like towels.
Childhood illness is disruptive and can be difficult, but our doors are always open to help get your child on the road to recovery. Contact us to make a same-day sick appointment for your child.
