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A has been twice, for a 105 - 106 degree fever when she was about 15 months old that we couldn’t bring down. They told us “virus” the first day but told us what to look for and come back if it didn’t change in two days or if she got worse. Two days later she was back and they finally found the ear infection.

We tried her ped first but she told us to take her to the hospital with her fever that high.

Twice. Once at 2 which resulted in an 8 day stay for RSV and pneumonia which was scary and horrible, and once this year at 3 for sudden rapid breathing with a cold. He had some type of croup thing that thankfully resolved with breathing treatment and antibiotics and we weren’t admitted. Fingers crossed that’s it for us!

Twice for LO1 - once on the advice of a ped I work with - we had been fighting a fever for 9 days (he just had turned one) and he told me to bring him in for a blood culture when I was done work that day, once at age 5 because he had all the signs of appendicitis. Turned out to be gas pains and he was fine after he let out a huge fart during the abdominal exam 🤦‍♀️

Once for LO3 - at 3 months old age got a bad corneal scratch from a friend’s kid during a play date.

LO2 - 3 years old and no trips yet (knock on wood)

Twice. First time less than day after we were discharged from the hospital when LO was born due to dehydration. Then, when LO’s pediatrician thought he may have leukemia.

Ummm we live in Canada and there’s no such thing as an on call doc (here anyways) My doctor works about 3.5 days a week (some weeks she’s not in at all) so those days we are forced to go to ER for any issue. I’ve been like 6 times this year for my son? Couple ear infections, pneumonia, strep throat last week.
Twice for myself, utinand broncitis. My husband once when he thought he had the flu.

Basically a call to my doctor (if she’s working that day) goes like this:

Me: A has a fever and says his ear hurts
Receptionist: I’m booking a month out. Go to ER.
Me: FML

Just once about 6 months ago. My daughter split her forehead running/falling into the corner of the wall and she needed it glued back together. No stitches, thankfully!

Knock on wood, but none for either (almost 5 and 2.5 years). We had one scary high fever with my older daughter when she was 3 but we lived 3 blocks from the doctors office and t was during the day so I just booked it up there first. Other than that we have been lucky to only have the usual suspects of ear infections and stomach bugs.

*knock on wood* neither kid has been inside the ER yet (DS1 is 6 and DS2 is 18 months).

I did drive to the ER when DS1 was around 2.5-3, he fell and hurt his thumb. He refused to move it and was crying hysterically. We would get him calmed down and it would start all over. By the time we got to the parking lot of the ER he was happy and playing. So we just drove home.

We have been to urgent care a few times though. DS2 needed IV fluids for dehydration and DS1 had an MRSA infection.

Once for each kid, both times we went to the ER because of the timing rather than the urgency. And oddly enough it was very similar situations. When my daughter was 3.5 she took a really late nap and woke up at 5pm on a Sunday with one eye swollen shut. Our ped’s office was done with their Sunday appointments so they sent us to the ER. The docs were a little concerned it was an infection (eye infections can be scary because of how close it is to the brain) but it was determined to be an allergic reaction. Steroids and benedryl fixed her right up, but to this day we don’t know what she reacted to. When my son was 1 he also woke up with a super swollen eye and mucus just ppoouurrriinngg out of it. Of course it was the 4th of July so the ER was the only option. Turned out to be an insane case of conjunctivitis.

@erinbaderin: nope no walk ins. We are considered “rural” Ontario which is pretty terrible for health care

@muffinsmuffins: I wish they would just be a family practise! I’ve never got a same day appointment yet. And I have 2 kids - one who’s had like 9 ear infections (we’ve also been on a wait list for ent for 2 months)

one time with each kid

not fun!

@2littlepumpkins: it was totally scary especially when we started Googling the medical jargon our pediatrician used and realized why she sent us to the ER. My next door neighbor and a childhood bestie both beat leukemia as children so I knew the best case outcome, but that doesn’t happen for every child.

2 y 2 m and we have been to the ER once for what turned out to be bronchiolitis when he was 5 months old, once for biting clean through his lip when he tripped when he was 11 months old (too late for urgent care and couldn't get it to stop bleeding), and urgent care once a couple months ago for when he climbed the counter, grabbed a knife that was clear back to the wall, and sliced his finger open and couldn't get it to stop bleeding.

I joke/seriously say that I just need to pay the buy up for my insurance to make the ER $100 for my son... I just know he is fearless enough that he will end up with broken bones at the very least.

Nothing yet for LO1 (2.5 years) or LO2 (4 months). However, I have had to go 4 times in the past 4 years, and DH has had surgery or an ER visit 4 times in 4 years.... so much money.

Me - possible ectopic preg, car accident when pregnant, postpartum hemmorage, norovirus

Once with our then 16mo. She split her forehead open falling onto a wooden ride on toy. Turns out she didn't even need a stitch, but there was a lot of blood (I thought), it was after 6pm & in the call her ped, she recommended we just go to the local children's hospital ER. She's had 3 scary injuries to date & as adventurous as she is, I know there'll be more!

DD1 has never been.

I took DD2 when she was 2 weeks old. I was concerned about the way her breathing sounded in the middle of the night. I thought it could be RSV. Luckily it was just a bad cold. The ER doctor got some mucus out of her and she sounded so much better. No fever so he didn’t have to admit her. He was so kind and handled DD with such care and didn’t make me feel dumb for coming to the ER for “just” a cold. I could have fallen in love with him if I wasn’t already married.

#1 has gone a couple times for super bad croup. Never truly felt scary just needed to get the medicine in the middle of the night so the nurse said go in.

#2 has been at least twice for asthma/RAD breathing issues. Maybe more than that since he’s been in an ambulance twice also? (Both times for transport from urgent care to ER since they need to cya.) The second time he was admitted. I am so hopeful we have things better controlled now and keep everyone out of the ER for a while (I’ve been there too plus admitted in the last 3 years!). Still expect lots of urgent care because they always get sick on the weekend but it’s so much more affordable and easier to deal with.

DS 1 twice. Once he bumped his head, and another time he bit into some squishy toy that got icky liquid in his mouth. Both times they thought we were crazy first time parents!

DS 2 once so far when he pulled out his feeding tube. Thankfully he doesn’t need that anymore!

DS 1 - once for labored breathing when he had a bad cold. Ended up as pneumonia. Took like 5 hours and we were exhausted and probably could have seen the regular doc the next day but it was 8 at night and we were scared.

DS 2 - once because he was 4 months old and launched himself off the changing table, over me as I got clothes out for him to wear and he got a bloody nose. Just a precaution but I felt like the worst mom in the world that he fell.

Only other time we should have gone was when daycare told me my son had a "small accident" and I picked him up and he had a 3 inch cut down his forehead and a massive egg on his head that was horrifying. I don't know why we didn't drive right there after pickup. He ended up fine but I wish we had gotten him checked.