Experienced moms: what’s criteria for visit to doctor

amother

OP ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 1:39 pm

I have a few kids, not babies. I always have a hard time deciding when to take them to the doctor for complaints. One often complains that his throat or belly hurts , he also loves going to the doctor so I don’t know if it’s real or not. The other one has been complaining randomly last few days during the day of stomach pain, threw up once a few days ago- is that reason to take him? How do I know what warrants a trip? I used to run all the time but it’s hard to and with my co-pays it’s really adding up for a bunch of wasted visits. I can’t remember the last time I went and there was actually something treatable.

amother

Steel

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 1:43 pm

So I'm a bit opposite of you. I rarely take my kids to the doctor. If they are throwing up and it's not excessively, I would wait it out and treat them by giving them fluids having them rest and make sure they eat plain foods and see if it gets better.

Sometimes you have to know your child and get used to what is serious for them and what is typical. Some kids get a little fever and it's just a virus and there's nothing a doctor could do about that.
If I suspect strep, like it really hurts them when they swallow and they're crying in pain I definitely will take them to the doctor.
Earaches I try to wait it out and give treatment at home to see if it gets better but if they're in a lot of pain I will take them. If they just have a cold coughing and a little bit of fever there's really not much a doctor can do it's typically a virus.
But sometimes a mother's instinct is extremely spot on if it's something serious

amother

Springgreen ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 1:47 pm

Earaches or susupected strep I will take them right away. Pretty much everything else can wait (not including medical emergencies obviously).
Throwing up and unable to keep food down, fever that won't go away or won't go down with meds, or something that is a recurrent complaint that won't go away with home remedies (such as a stomach ache every day for a week).

amother

Holly

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 1:52 pm

This also depends a lot on your doctor. Some doctors are better than others, and it's worth going to them because they'll really work with you to figure out if an issue is treatable, and if not, what is the likely cause.

Unfortunately many doctors are very pressed for time and will only help for obvious or very serious issues.

I rarely take my kids to the doctor, and a big part of that is knowing that the doctor is not likely to be helpful anyhow.

amother

Floralwhite

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 1:53 pm

If it's something that I suspect is bacterial and can use antibiotics I would go right away to test.

For General illnesses, I wait to see if it lasts more than 3 days.

For complaints that are bothersome but not super painful like stomach pains I will wait for 2 to 3 weeks and see if it still keeps coming up.

amother

Sienna

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:10 pm

I personally only see the need for a doctor if there is something they can do.
The odds of there being treatment for a 3 day stomachache are pretty much zero so what's the point of going. A sore throat that looks like strep, a high fever that looks like a sign of infection, a kid who seems spaced out, pain that seems out of proportion and doesnt react to regular painkillers. Those are reasons to go to a doctor.

imaima ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:14 pm

amother OP wrote:

Throwing up or diarrhea once is not sickness
Whatever complaint that doesn’t go away warrants a visit.

A weird rash, worms or lice, very high fever out of nowhere or with no other symptoms, an obvious injury- then I would go

amother

Babypink

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:18 pm

I generally take the wait and see approach unless something is ongoing, really intense, or multiple symptoms that don't typically go together.

amother

↑ OP ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:19 pm

imaima wrote:

So complaining of stomach pain like once or twice a day since Friday’s vomiting is considered not going away?

Obvious injury- a heavy shelf fell on my son’s bare foot this morning. He was in a lot of pain and it looked bruise. Didn’t hurt when I bent his toes and he was able to walk. Do I take him to the doctor for this?

amother

Cadetblue ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:20 pm

Think into your own experience. If it's something the doctor was never able to help within the past, he won't be able to help now either. Doctors aren't magicians. They can treat major injuries, they can give you antibiotics, but they're very limited for the day-to-day childhood troubles. TLC, a cup of tea, things like that are what your child needs from you.

As your child's mother, by now you know what would be potentially dangerous and need medical intervention. A random by light stomach ache is not one of them.

amother

↑ Springgreen ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:22 pm

amother OP wrote:

1st- I would consider that a stomach virus that is going away if he hasn't thrown up again
2nd- watch it and see how it feels over time. I wouldn't run to a dr.

amother

Buttercup

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:34 pm

Im so grateful for my DR, he has a secretary that you can call for 3 hrs and she is very knowledgeable (worked for him from the beginning - 30 yrs) or will ask him whilst you are on the phone.
My dd 2.5 a bit after she was toilet trained once a day made a diarrhoea consistency poo and once a day complained her tummy hurt, after approx 1.5 weeks I called and they told me what to do and to call 2 weeks later for a follow up, it was amazing. if there is something proper I will call at the specific time for an appointment or if not sure the secretary will tell me to make an appointment the next day.
I'm so grateful I have this option.

amother

↑ Springgreen

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:35 pm

amother Buttercup wrote:

Most drs offices should also have a nurse you can speak to over the phone as far as I know.

cookier ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 2:57 pm

Generally ours are:

Fever for more than 3 days or if we don’t see improvement with Tylenol or with flu symptoms/headache/muscle pain. Flu symptoms are really only because we have a medically complex child so both kids get tamiflu if they test positive.
Seeming miserable for more than 2-3 days
Ear pain
Severe throat pain
Vomiting/diarrhea for more than 24 hours or if I’m worried about dehydration. Usually this is just a call in for zofran.
Any prolonged change in respiratory status.

But this varies by kid and situation. Generally our medically complex child is in the pediatrician a lot for checks, but we wouldn’t take him to the ED for breathing concerns until we couldn’t handle it at home. But our other kid is generally healthy so if she’s sick and needs albuterol more than once or twice, she’s probably going to the ED.

giftedmom

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 3:00 pm

amother OP wrote:

A lot of it boils down to knowing your child and trusting your intuition. Then there are certain things you don’t mess around with such as trouble breathing, very high fever, extreme pain and discomfort etc.

amother

↑ OP

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 3:01 pm

My almost 4 year old lately has occasionally been complaining of headaches and seems to be a little more tired than usual. Otherwise he’s totally happy, running around and playing regular. Does this sound concerning enough for a visit?

amother

↑ Cadetblue

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 3:06 pm

amother OP wrote:

Start by asking yourself what you expect the doctor to do for you. Do you want antibiotics? Do you want to get sent for an MRI? Or do you want just reassurance that it'll go on its own?

↑ cookier

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 3:11 pm

amother OP wrote:

I wouldn’t take in for headaches unless it’s so bad he can’t function. I’d troubleshoot at home first - how is his fluid intake? Could he be getting seasonal allergies or did he just come off a respiratory/sinus infection? Is he getting enough good sleep with the start of the school year? Is he just adjusting to longer days of being in school? If none of those seem to help, you can treat with Tylenol or ibuprofen, offer fluids, and offer him a dark quiet room to rest in as often as he needs, and go from there. If it’s persistent closer to RH you could take him in, but they probably can’t do much anyway.

↑ imaima ↓

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 3:31 pm

amother OP wrote:

Yes if he walks with a limp.
About stomach pain, I would start paying attention to when exactly it hurts- after which meals, what was eaten? Etc.
Is the stomachache related to vomiting or two independent episodes… it‘s hard to say

tweety1

Tue, Sep 17 2024, 3:31 pm

amother OP wrote:

A random vomit could be strep. Especially combined with stomach aches. Even if the kid is feeling perfectly fine after. I had that more than once with my kids.