November, 2018

Child Fever Dos and Don’ts

Tuesday, November 20th, 2018

Having a sick child is stressful, especially when they have a fever. As a parent, you immediately start feeling anxiety when your child has a fever. Fevers generally mean your child is fighting off some form of illness, but how worried should you be? You don’t want to overreact, but you also don’t want to underreact and miss something important. Below are the dos and don’ts of childhood fevers to help you figure out the best course of action.

Do

  • Do bring a baby who is under 3 months old with a rectal temperature of 100.4 °F to a doctor immediately. This type of temperature can be an indicator of a serious infection in a baby that age.

  • Do call your doctor right away if the child is between 3-6 months with a temperature above 101°F

  • Do call the doctor if a child above 6 months is acting strangely with a fever between 102°F (38.8°C) to 102.9°F (39.4°C)

  • Do call the doctor if a child is above 6 months and has a fever of 103°F

  • Do give your child plenty of fluid and popsicles to help their body cool down

  • Do make sure your child is well rested

  • Do give your child blankets if they have the chills

  • Do give your child acetaminophen if they are older than 3 months, are fussy, and have a temperature above 100.2 °F

  • Do watch for any unusual symptoms like seizures, swelling, wheezing, or unresponsiveness

Don’t

  • Don’t give your child aspirin to bring down the fever, since this is very dangerous for children

  • Don’t bundle them up in very warm clothing

  • Don’t give a baby under two months any medication unless you speak with the doctor

  • Don’t force your child to eat if they do not want to

  • Don’t be concerned about brain damage from a high fever; this would not occur until the child had a fever above 107°

In most children, a fever is not a major cause for concern, and they will often break on their own. However, it is never a bad idea to bring your child in to be checked out by a doctor if they need antibiotics to better fight off their illness.

Heartburn or Heart Attack? When to Worry

Saturday, November 10th, 2018

A burning painful sensation in your chest, an uncomfortable pain in your back and shoulders. Is it just heartburn and sore muscles? Or is it something more serious like a heart attack? How do you know when you should go to the immediate care/emergency room for chest discomfort? The symptoms for heartburn and a heart attack are oftentimes very similar, but there are some distinctions that may be able to put your mind at ease.

Heartburn

Heartburn occurs when stomach acid backs up into your esophagus and causes a burning sensation in your upper abdomen and chest. Usually, heartburn will get worse after you have eaten a large meal and when you lay down. Heartburn may wake you up when you sleep, and you may taste or feel acid coming to the back of your throat. The symptoms of heartburn may be alleviated when the person takes an antacid.

Heart Attack

The symptoms of a heart attack can often manifest differently from person to person, and especially from men to women. Men generally have the most commonly known symptom of a heart attack, which is an intense chest pain coupled with shortness of breath. Women, on the other hand, often experience chest pressure accompanied with an aching sensation that may spread to the neck, jaw, back and shoulder area, shortness of breath, and nausea/vomiting. People have also been known to get light-headed, feel fatigued, and break out in a cold sweat. (more…)

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