During cold, flu and COVID season, it can be hard to know when a sick child needs to see the doctor, stay home from school, etc.
Pediatrician Yemisi Emereuwaonu, MD, FAAP – “Dr. Yemi” to her patients – is sharing what caregivers need to know.
She says healthy kids can often recover at home with rest and TLC, but there are situations where it’s best to see a health care provider for help.
School is in full swing…and so is cold, flu and COVID season. As a pediatrician at Regional One Health, it’s my job to help families navigate both.
In the winter, we see lots of kids with respiratory illness. Here’s my advice for the next time your child starts sniffling and coughing.
When should I see the doctor?
If your child is at high risk for serious illness or has a severe symptom like trouble breathing or difficulty waking up, seek care right away.
In general, see me for a fever, symptoms that last over a week, or symptoms that get worse after improving. Your child might have a bacterial infection like an ear infection or strep throat, and I can prescribe an antibiotic that can help quickly. We take walk-ins, or you can call for an appointment and we’ll see your child the same day.
Yemisi Emereuwaonu, MD, FAAP – “Dr. Yemi” to her patients – is a pediatrician at Regional One Health’s Hollywood Primary Care.
When your child has a virus, antibiotics will not help. Luckily, healthy kids usually beat viruses quickly on their own with treatment at home.
What does at-home treatment involve?
Encourage your child to drink small amounts of water every 15 minutes or so. Over-the-counter cold medications for children older than 5 years old can help with discomfort.
The most important thing I tell parents is this: give plenty of TLC and fluids, encourage them to eat as tolerated, and let your child rest. A few lazy days aren’t bad if their body is working to get well!
Should my child miss school?
If the pandemic taught us anything, it’s to do our part not to spread illness. A fever, diarrhea or vomiting, excessive cough, or a positive flu, strep or COVID test signal your child is contagious and should stay home.
Also try to keep your child home if they’re really not feeling well. They may be too lethargic or miserable to focus at school all day!
Ask us for a doctor’s note if your child is missing school so the absence is excused and they’re allowed to catch up on missed tests or assignments.
Any way I can prevent all of this?
Dr. Emereuwaonu recommends seeing your pediatrician about your child’s illness if they are at high risk for complications, running a fever, or experiencing symptoms that have lasted over a week or started getting worse.
Nothing is 100 percent effective, but there are easy things you can do to prevent illness.
If your child is eligible, get their vaccines for flu and COVID. Vaccines are safe and effective, especially at preventing severe illness, complications and hospitalization.
The rest is common sense: Provide a healthy, balanced diet. Promote regular physical activity. Encourage handwashing. Make sure they get enough sleep.
I also urge caregivers to attend all of their child’s well-child visits so I can help identify problems early and manage any chronic conditions. And, when you see me for an illness, it will be less scary for your child because I’ll be a familiar face!
About Dr. Yemi
Yemisi Emereuwaonu, MD, FAAP – “Dr. Yemi” to her patients – is a pediatrician at Regional One Health’s Hollywood Primary Care.