Sick Visits Specialist

What are sick visits?

Sick visits are meetings with your child’s doctor at Northeast Pediatric Associates PA when your child is injured or unwell.

Children often get various ailments like colds and stomachaches, and very often, these get better on their own in a few days. It’s not always easy to know when to arrange a sick visit for your child and when they’re likely to get better on their own. But there are some occasions when you can be sure that a sick visit is necessary.

You should schedule a sick visit if your child has a high fever and is under 1 year old, or a high fever at any age with headaches, vomiting, a stiff neck, rash, or confusion. Sick visits are also advisable for fevers that last more than three days, continuous or severe vomiting and diarrhea, or a widespread rash.

Sore throats, headaches, earaches, and stomachaches that don’t clear up within a few days or are especially severe should also warrant a sick visit. Allergy or asthma symptoms and difficulties breathing need investigation too. If your child is in severe distress, unresponsive, or coughing up blood, you should go to the nearest hospital emergency room.

What happens during my child’s sick visit?

First of all, your provider at Northeast Pediatric Associates PA weighs your child and checks their temperature. They look over the child’s medical history and find out about the symptoms your child is experiencing.

Your provider also does a physical exam, checking your child’s:

• Breathing
• Heartbeat
• Ears
• Nose
• Eyes
• Throat
• Abdomen
• Limbs
• Reflexes

Depending on what they find, your provider might swab your child’s throat for a strep test and do other tests like a blood workup, urine test, asthma or allergy testing, and a diagnostic imaging procedure like X-rays or an ultrasound.

Which treatment might my child need after a sick visit?

The treatment your child needs after their sick visit will depend on the diagnosis, their age, any other health problems they’ve got, and how sick they are.

In most cases, rest and drinking plenty of clear fluids can help your child recover. Bacterial infections like strep throat might require antibiotics, but these aren’t effective against viral illnesses like colds and flu.

Your child might need specific treatments like eye drops, ear drops, or prescription medications. Your pediatrician could suggest changes to your child’s diet and activity levels, as exercise and correct nutrition are vital to your child’s good health.

If your child needs a doctor, Northeast Pediatric Associates PA offers same-day availability for sick visits. Call their office today or book an appointment online.