6 pieces of information to bring when you take a child to the ER
Almost 30 million children go to hospital emergency rooms every year, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Reasons can range from worsening symptoms of an illness to a broken limb, a sudden injury from a fall, burns, choking, poisoning, or bicycle or car accident.
As a parent, you want to get your child to the hospital as soon as possible. But, before you go, there is important information you can bring about your child that will help the ER physicians and staff decide on the most appropriate treatment.
What to Have Ready Before You Go
Michael Rest, MD, a Falmouth Hospital emergency medicine physician, sees many children during his shifts and has the following tips for parents when bringing their child to the ER:
- Know your child’s weight.
- Know their immunization schedule and if they are up to date with their vaccinations.
- Know if they have any allergies, especially allergies to medications.
- Be prepared to list the medications they are taking, including the dose and the last time they were given to your child. These include supplements and vitamins.
- Be able to give a medical history.
- Be able to give the ER physician and staff your pediatrician’s contact information, especially if you are traveling, as this information can be very helpful and important for follow-up.
Why This Information is Helpful
“(Body) weight is so important in pediatrics because the doses of medications are based on your child’s weight,” said Dr. Rest. “We have scales to weigh them if necessary, but in a true emergency, knowing their weight can be very helpful for immediate treatment.”
Being familiar with your child’s immunization schedule is also important.
“A lot of parents don’t realize that knowing their child’s immunization schedule can be helpful, especially if they may not be following the recommended schedule,” he said. “One instance when this is very beneficial is when a child comes in with an earache. If we know they are up to date with their pneumococcal vaccine, a vaccine that can prevent severe ear infections caused by pneumococcal bacteria, then the ear infection is probably caused by another bacteria, and that makes a difference in the antibiotic we prescribe to treat the infection.”
Your child’s allergies and a list of medications and doses are also a step in the process of assessment and treatment. Dr. Rest recommends parents have a written list of medications and the doses because, in an emergency situation, it can be difficult to remember these details. Also, knowing the last time the medications, like Tylenol and Ibuprofen, were given, especially since they can be alternated to bring down a fever, determines when the medication can be given in the emergency room. This will prevent your child from getting a double dose. Many of the over-the-counter cough medications contain multiple medications within them, and the physician needs to know the names of the medications in case Tylenol or Ibuprofen is one of the ingredients.
"When parents are asked to provide a medical history for their child, it is done for a couple of reasons," said Dr. Rest. “It is easy to assume that the information will be on the computer, especially if it is from an outside healthcare system. Alot of the information doesn’t always get transferred over and pieces of the history could be missing. We need the parents to confirm all their child’s medical history. It may seem repetitive, but it is a very important step in our process.
“We are always here to help and the more accurate information you can provide us, the easier it is to take care of your child.”
