When is the right time?

[Lorenzo]

When your kids are sick (fever, vomiting, flu, etc.), do you take them to the doctor right away or you give them some over-the-counter medicines first? When my youngest was sick with fever and flu, we waited for four days before we took him to his pediatrician. This was when the medicines we gave him didn't work.

 

[CHenne]

It depends on what it is and how bad they are. Fevers usually send the kids to the doctors. You don't want to mess with them. If they are throwing up for days, they go to the doctors.

 

[BigPapa]

There are several key things you need to answer when deciding to take your child in. Have they had a consistent fever of over 100? Have they been able to keep food down? If not, has that gone on for more than 24 hours? These are the questions I always ask and if the answer to any of them is no then my daughter goes in.

 

[Don]

As Chenne said, it kind of depends on what it is and how bad it is. We kind of learned how to tell the difference between something serious and something that will pass with time when my daughter was little. It has been easier to figure this out with our son.

 

[Endalia]

I have to agree here. There are times you want to take them on in to the doc or the ER. But then there are times you can wait it out. I don't have a standard formula for this but you just "know".

 

[Bear]

I have to agree with the others that it really depends on what is going on. Some things seem to resolve on their own with a little time, but if it is a high fever, red ears, or a cough a lot of times we go on in.

 

[Victor]

I've been fortunate and only had to take the girls in a couple times. Fevers by themselves don't necessarily worry me that much, particularly if they can be controlled by medication, but if they are combined with other symptoms, especially lethargy, then I take them in.

 

[Lorenzo]

Our youngest son gets the common flu almost every other month, that's why we learned not to worry too much. His pediatrician-prescribed medications really worked well, until this last time when his flu was accompanied with a fever that didn't seem to go away even with medications.

 

[Mel]

Usually, over the counter medicines are effective and a trip to the doctor's office is not required. I am also cautious, and if the condition worsens or doesn't improve, I don't hesitate to go to a doctor.