VIVA NOLA June 2019
Amanda Shaw cover story. New Orleans Scene. Leadership. Wellness. Food. Music. Events.
Amanda Shaw cover story. New Orleans Scene. Leadership. Wellness. Food. Music. Events.
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HEALTH CHECK<br />
“Doctor, When do I Need to<br />
Take My Child to the Emergency<br />
Room?”<br />
Mamatha Ananth, M.D., Arturo Gastañaduy, M.D. A&G Pediatrics<br />
For all parents, their children are the most precious persons in their lives.<br />
Thus, this is an important discussion during a well-child visit. Every year<br />
24 million patients 0-18 years are seen in the Emergency Room. CDC<br />
estimates an average of 2 hours for waiting and treatment time. The cost<br />
of ER visits is $500-$10,000. One third to one half of all ER visits are non-urgent.<br />
As nobody wants to waste time or money, here are some guidelines for when to bring a child to the Emergency Room:<br />
• Wheezing<br />
• Noisy breathing<br />
• Rapid or shallow breathing<br />
• Blue lips<br />
• Choking/Gasping<br />
• Not breathing<br />
2. Seizures/Loss of Consciousness/<br />
“Too sleepy”/ “Unusual behavior”<br />
If a child has a seizure, lay him on his side<br />
to prevent choking. Tongue injuries are<br />
rare, therefore do not put anything in his<br />
mouth. Call 911 and monitor how long<br />
the seizure lasts.<br />
• Motor Vehicle, skiing, horseriding<br />
• Head trauma<br />
• Drowning/Water sport injuries<br />
• Eye injuries<br />
• Burns: blistering, electrical, smoke<br />
exposure<br />
• Falls greater than three feet<br />
• Loss/Displaced permanent<br />
teeth<br />
• Stabs, gunshot wounds<br />
• Suspected fractures/<br />
dislocations<br />
• Cuts > ½ inch, persistent bleeding<br />
Children with ingestion or exposure<br />
to chemicals, cleaning agents or<br />
medications need to be evaluated.<br />
Viva <strong>NOLA</strong> Magazine - Page 26<br />
1. Trouble Breathing<br />
3. Injuries<br />
4. Poisonings<br />
Call POISON CONTROL 1(800)-222-1222,<br />
follow their advice and go to the nearest<br />
ER.<br />
Do not provoke vomiting; it could worsen<br />
the situation. If a chemical got into the<br />
eyes, rinse them well with water.<br />
5. Allergic Reactions<br />
Wheals all over, trouble breathing,<br />
and fainting may occur with eating<br />
some foods (e.g.: nuts, seafood, pork),<br />
medications, insect bites or stings or<br />
contact with Poison Ivy/Oak. If your child<br />
is known to be allergic and you have an<br />
Epi-Pen, please use it and go to the ER.<br />
6. Sickle Cell Patients with:<br />
Fever, severe pain not improving with<br />
usual treatment, distended painful<br />
abdomen and increased pallor and<br />
tiredness.<br />
7. Foreign Body Ingestions<br />
Coins and other small objects can<br />
obstruct the airway or alimentary tract.<br />
Batteries and magnets produce serious<br />
injuries by different mechanisms.<br />
8. Skin<br />
• New red or purple spots that do not<br />
blanch<br />
• Rapidly enlarging red and painful<br />
areas<br />
• Large boils (> 5cms)<br />
9. Abdominal Pain<br />
Severe pain localized to one area of<br />
the belly in a child who is not eating or<br />
playing.<br />
10. Chest Pain<br />
Chest pain is rare and much less serious<br />
in children than in adults.<br />
Heart beating too fast or funny, fainting.<br />
11. Fever<br />
Fever is defined as rectal temperature<br />
greater than 100.4 °F or 38.0 °C. Oral,<br />
Axillary and other area temperatures<br />
are usually lower than the rectal one.<br />
Most cases of fever are viral infections<br />
that resolve on their own and patients<br />
may be seen in the clinic by their doctor.<br />
Fever could be dangerous and need ER<br />
evaluation in patients with the following:
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