With your ped, what are your determining factors for making a visit--I never know when to take my kids if they don't have fever, vomiting or diarrhea!
DH insists I need to take DS tomorrow because he has had nasty green snot/congestion this week but zero other symptoms. I feel kind of weird taking him because he's acting totally fine and normal, but then I start feeling bad and thinking what if he has a sinus infection, etc?
cherry / 107 posts
@matador84: not sure if this helps but one day I was at he pedi. Urgent care and a mom was there because her son had a cough that sounded a little funny. He was probably 5 or 6. The whole time we were in the waiting room he coughed maybe once in like a 30-40 min time span).
After that I realize that parents take there kids to the doctor a lot more than I thought. So I am more likely to take her now even when she doesn't have a lot of other symtoms. I know I'm not the only one that worries when something just seems a little off.
grapefruit / 4361 posts
I would call the nurses line and ask them. I've done that twice so far in a 7 week period, once she thought it was worth a sick visit and the other she just gave me other symptoms to look for in case.
grapefruit / 4455 posts
If I'm not sure I just call and ask the nurse what she thinks.
pomegranate / 3845 posts
I just call and explain and they usually say whether they can help or not. LO had hives and Benadryl wasn't helping so they wanted him to come in and the ped gave a rx for steroids.
nectarine / 2115 posts
Like other posters, we usually call if there's something going on. They will either suggest something to try at home or recommend we come in.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
Going against the grain here- I hate calling. I feel like they always are like, well it could be this or it could be nothing and we won't know unless we see her, but it's up to you if you want to come in. It's pretty annoying but I can email my primary ped now and she is way more helpful so I think it's just the nurses at our practice.
I am learning to trust my gut about when to go in. Most things just have to run their course but when she is totally not herself and it lasts, that's when I take her. Vomiting for a few hours I figure is just a virus. In your case I would probably ride it out a little longer if he is acting fine. I feel like they always pick up more germs there!
pomegranate / 3231 posts
I never take my son in for minor stuff like a cold. He is two and had only been taken for two sick visits: One was for a growth on his temple that needed to be removed; we wound up getting s referral to a pediatric dermatologist. The second was actually on his second birthday because he had a cold that turned into mucus-y, goopy disgusting eyes.
If he just had a cold or a mild fever, we just monitor him.
cantaloupe / 6017 posts
Our nurses line is great at tri aging. Usually when I Call they talk me through it, and we come up with a plan (not better in 48 hours, come in; come in if x, y, or,x,; etc)
I went in a lot more during her first 9 months. I rarely go in for sick visits now. Can't remember the last time I did, actually.
pear / 1521 posts
@Foodnerd81: I tend to agree. I think with things like a cold it's fairly easy to monitor and use my judgement as long as there are no breathing issues, that I wouldn't mess around with!
Before I became a mom I was always surprised at the things my coworkers would talk about bringing their kids to the doctor for (or going to the ER in the middle of the night!). I definitely have eaten my words a little bit over the past year because we've ended up at the Dr. for more minor things just because we called to see and they had us come in. I can't think of a time where that ended up being really necessary.
@matador84: I am definitely not a medical professional but I think that if he had a sinus infection wouldn't that be pretty painful and he'd have other symptoms? I had one this past winter and I felt absolutely terrible. I personally wouldn't think to bring in my LO over that but can't hurt to call.
wonderful clementine / 24134 posts
I always ask DH like what do you want the doctor to do? Do you think he's sick enough that it warrants putting him on an antibiotic (I know this is a question for the doctor) but usually DH will be like, yea going through a round of antibiotics for snot is probably not necessary.
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@T.H.O.U.: exactly! I want to limit antibiotics so unless it's serious what's the point of going in? But I also have a good friend who is a pediatrician in another state and I text her with questions too. 
I feel i should specify- this is all in regards to the toddler. My standards for going in are much lower for a baby!
squash / 13208 posts
I always call and ask a nurse what they think and then follow their advice
papaya / 10560 posts
@petitenoisette: It's hard to tell. I get sinus infections with accompanying pain, but my kids also are prone to ear infections with hardly any symptoms on occasion--just ear tugging.
@Foodnerd81: I hate calling too because when/if I do, I feel like they say the exact same thing--hard to say what's going on without brining them in. Especially in this case where I'm pretty sure they'll tell me to do a cold air humidifier, nasal spray, OTC meds--but it's been a week and by now I feel like he should be getting a little better.
@Boogs: nope! that would be a great option though!
pear / 1521 posts
@matador84: Oh yea, I feel you on that. I brought my LO in for suspected conjunctivitis and turned out she had a double ear infection - whoops! But in retrospect she had other symptoms (sleeping terribly).
My hesitation to bring in is if I feel like they're automatically going to prescribe antibiotics but if you don't think they will and it's not too much of a pain, it can't hurt, especially before the weekend!
wonderful kiwi / 23653 posts
I always, always call first; we're in a big practice with many doctors so someone usually calls back within 15 minutes.
They're also starting to offer video conferencing now, so I take their lead to see if we need to come in or not.
hostess / papaya / 10540 posts
@matador84: It is, we are able to do it and it's great. Have you already been doing things you think they would suggest like the humidifier and nasal spray? Anytime I've ever talked to our ped about a cold they say to expect things to last for a full 3 weeks and not to expect to start seeing improvement until about halfway through that.
grapefruit / 4418 posts
I always call the nurse line first, but only when LO has gone a few days completely out of sorts and not like herself. Twice I've done that and once was a bad ear infection. The only other time I've called was she had a yeast rash and lotrimin wasn't working so I wanted nystatin. They made me come in for a sick visit for it - I was not happy!
wonderful cherry / 21504 posts
@matador84: I say trust your gut. If you think he should be getting better by now and it's not changing, go. Especially since it's Friday- I always decide I should have brought her in early Saturday afternoon, right after they close. 
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