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Kristin Wallace recalls when her daughter seemed unusually tired and not herself. She put off calling the doctor for weeks, thinking it wasn’t anything serious. “I finally sent a quick email just letting our pediatrician know she seemed tired and grumpy and wondering what she recommended. She said she would put in orders for blood work,” Kristin told Mom.com.
Soon, she was told to rush her daughter to the emergency room for a transfusion, which she needed two of for a rare illness. “I wish I had called earlier, but it can be so hard to tell with kids.”
Kristin’s story is not unlike many other moms and only illustrates how important it is to know when to call a doctor or go to the emergency room. With a newborn, you might worry about an isolated sneeze. Knowing when to call the doctor or go to the ER isn’t always a simple thing, but the best advice is to be safe rather than sorry and make a call.
Baby fever and congestion: When to call the doctor
Fever
When I was little, my mom would put her hand and cheek to my forehead to see if I had a fever. When my son had a febrile seizure, I became vigilant about taking his temperature and learning when he was running warm. When a fever reaches 103 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, you should take your child in to see the doctor. If the fever is lower but persists, you should call and follow your doctor's instructions, either with over-the-counter remedies or to go to the ER.
Note: It's important to inform yourself about the symptoms of meningitis — when a high fever is accompanied by neck stiffness, sensitivity to light and vomiting, it may be time to head straight to the ER.
Congestion
There’s a reason the term, “snot nosed kid” became popular. It’s because kids get congested and seem to leave a trail of snot and boogers with them almost always. So how do you know what’s normal congestion and what needs a doctor’s evaluation? While a lot of congestion is the result of a common cold, it could be a sign of a serious upper respiratory infection to include bronchitis or pneumonia. It could also be a sign of allergies.
If the congestion lasts four to seven days without showing improvement, it’s time to make an appointment. You might also want to call your doctor if your baby is having trouble nursing, the congestion is accompanied with a 101-degree fever or higher, or your child also has an earache or headache. The color of the nasal discharge is also important to pay attention to; if it is green, yellow, or gray, this represents an infection.
Note: If you are taking your baby to the doctor during COVID, make sure and call ahead and find out the safety protocols they are following.
Febrile seizures require immediate medical attention
If your newborn has a seizure, you’ll want to seek medical attention immediately. This is a time to call 911 or go to the ER and not wait to speak with your doctor. Your baby will be evaluated for the cause and given treatment accordingly. Various causes of seizures include febrile seizures, concussions, or epilepsy. “If you do not have a history of seizures (which a newborn likely won’t) you will need to be seen in an ER,” Dr. Maria N. Vila, DO told Mom.com.
According to KidsHealth.org, there are two types of febrile seizures. Here is how to recognize them:
- Simple febrile seizures are the most common type and usually only last a few minutes, although in some cases can last up to 15 minutes. During this type of seizure your child may:
- Convulse, shake, and twitch all over
- Roll the eyes
- Moan
- Become unconscious (pass out)
- Vomit or urinate during the convulsions
- Complex febrile seizures are longer than 10 minutes in duration, occur more than once in a 24 hour period and are characterized by movement or twitching in only part or one side of the body.
I can attest that watching your child have a seizure and not knowing what is happening is one of the most frightening things you can experience as a mom. But once it is diagnosed and you can understand it, you are better able to deal with or even prevent them.
Other concerns and when to consult a doctor
Your child may not have a clear sign or symptom that has you worried. But there are certain things that are cause for concern.
Signs and symptoms that you should call the pediatrician include:
- Refusing to feed for multiple feedings in a row
- Vomits or has diarrhea (more than normal)
- Has a rash
- Shows signs of dehydration (fewer wet diapers)
- Has drainage from the ear
- Won’t stop crying
As my pediatrician told me, “there’s almost always time for a call to the office.” And even when he said to keep my son home, I always felt better for the consultation.
