Flu: When should you take your sick child to see a doctor?
By Molly Blancett KVAL NewsEUGENE, Ore. -- Twelve-year-old Anthony Northrup is supposed to be headed to Bend on his 8th grade field trip, but it just wasn't in the cards. Instead of Bend, Anthony has been in bed with one nasty bug. It got so bad, mom Linda took him to his pediatrician. "He's had a fever since last Friday, so six days now," said Linda. Dr. Bruce Strimling is a pediatrician for Oregon Medical Group. KVAL News asked him when parents should bring their kid to see the doctor. "The simple quick answer is when they are worried," said Strimling. "If parents follow their instincts, they are usually pretty darn good." Oregon health officials have designated 30 hospitals and clinics across the state as "sentinel providers." They take samples from patients and send them in for testing, so the state can track the extent of the flu. While most doctors likely won't test your child, if they have certain symptoms a trip to the doctor may be necessary. They include:
Symptoms that just wouldn't quit is what prompted Linda bring her boy in. That, and motherly love. "I just want my boy to be well," said Linda. Strimiling said me people who come in with symptoms of an infectious disease, like a strain of the flu,are given a mask to wear in the waiting room to prevent the bug from spreading. He said the masks are simply a barrier to keep your cough or sneeze from spreading. He added the main way flu is spread in on hands. That's why hand washing is so crucial. |
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