Unit 5: Health and Safety

* Your infant is fussy, isn’t sleeping or eating and her forehead feels hot. What should you do? * Should you call her doctor? * Take her to the Emergency Room? * Just wait and see if she gets better?

* BE PREPARED! * Write down the phone numbers of your child’s doctor and any emergency services such as poison control. * Make sure these numbers are posted and are in your cell phone contacts. Make sure your babysitters are aware of these numbers. * Ask you doctors what to do in case of emergencies and when to go to the E.R. * Know what medicines to have on hand such as acetaminophen. * Learn about childhood illnesses and accidents * Take a CPR/First Aid course, know how to do the Heimlich maneuver. * MOST IMPORTANT is to STAY CALM and NOT PANIC!

* Talk to your doctor during routine exams about what symptoms are serious and need after hour attention and what symptoms could wait until the next day * Try to call your doctor after hours before going to the emergency room. The E.R. is VERY expensive and usually very busy. * Check the times you are trying to call. If it is super late pharmacies may not be open to get medicine you need. If nervous, call early because illness tends to get worse through the night.

* Fever is the body’s response to infection * Many different illnesses cause a fever * It is your job as a parent to treat the symptoms and do what you can to make your child feel comfortable * Acetaminophen (Tylenol) is a medicine you can give to reduce a fever, but it will not cure the underlying cause of the fever, such as an infection. DO NOT GIVE BABY ASPIRIN!

* A fever is usually a large warning signs for a parent. They may think the heat from the fever is “melting” their brain, but really a fever just tells you something is wrong. * A child may get the chills when their fever is trying to break. The chills are your body’s natural response to try to bring the body temperature down. * You may give your child a sponge bath to reduce the fever, but make sure water isn't too warm and only bathe them for 15 to 20 minutes. If they start shivering stop immediately * Make sure the child is drinking a LOT of fluids

* A normal temperature is 98.6 degrees * There are many types of thermometers for you to use. Digital are the most accurate, but a basic mercury thermometer still works fine, just make sure you shake it before use. * Temperatures can be taken from the mouth, rectally (which is the most accurate) and armpit.

* If your child is under six months old and their temperature is over 100 you need to immediately call your doctor. * For an older child the rule is to call if it is over 103 or if it has been over 101 for more than 48 hours. * Remember that a fever is the sign that your body is fighting off an illness

* Tell the doctor specifically why you called: * Their fever won’t break * Their condition has worsened and you need advice * What do you think is wrong with your child? * Let the doctor know what you expect is wrong, even if it is silly. You know your child better than anyone else. * Where do you want the prescription filled? * Have the number written down and ready to give

* You as the parent always want to look two things: * The Signs: Something the doctor can see, hear, measure, taste or smell. * The Symptoms: Something a patient complains about. * If you child complains about their ear hurting, it is a symptom. If the child is pulling on their ear, it is a sign that it may be an ear infection. * Your pharmacy sells many over the counter medicines that can help the symptoms, but only your doctor can give antibiotics that cure the infection.

* Call 911 or an emergency line for a hospital to get advice if you can’t get ahold of your doctor * Only go to the E.R. if you can’t get ahold of the doctor or an emergency line and the child’s fever is above 101 (for infants) or 103 (for an older child) * Parents tend to easily over worry or over exaggerate their child’s illnesses. Just remember to RELAX and STAY CALM!