About This Quiz
All children experience accidents, falls and illnesses. There are very few parents who never make a trip to an emergency department with their child, because emergencies and children go hand in hand and are a fact of life. Take this quiz and familiarize yourself with child-related emergency situations.Both children's hospitals and hospitals with pediatric departments are equipped to treat child-related emergencies.
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Your childcare provider should have a long list of important information available in case of an emergency. Besides your contact information, this list should include: your child's medical and immunization history, your insurance provider, your child's Social Security number and your pediatrician's contact information.
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It's important to post certain phone numbers close to your phone in case of emergency. Consider posting the phone numbers of your local emergency service (e.g., 911), poison control, the emergency department of your local hospital and your pediatrician's number.
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Consider taking a CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) course. Your ability to do CPR can save your child's life in the event of an emergency.
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A CPR course will teach you how to resuscitate your child and how to assess your child's airways and breathing. Consider taking an infant CPR course if you have a baby.
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There are certain emergencies that require immediate attention from paramedics. Call an ambulance as opposed to driving your child to the hospital yourself in the case of: a seizure, dehydration, unconsciousness, extreme loss of blood; or a head, neck or spinal cord injury.
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First call your pediatrician, who can assess the situation. If you do end up going to the emergency department, your pediatrician may be able to call ahead, making the processing time easier for you.
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You should bring a sample of the toxic substance with you to the hospital so that your child can be properly treated for poisoning.
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Immediately upon entering the emergency department, a triage nurse should do a quick assessment of your child's functioning.
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Make sure you understand the follow-up care instructions for your child's medical needs. Make sure you understand how to take care of your child's needs at home and whether your child requires any more follow-up doctor's visits.
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A high fever in a child under three months old might be a sign of a serious infection. Take your child immediately to your pediatrician.
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An older infant with a fever is not an immediate emergency. You should still take your child to your pediatrician within 24 hours for a check-up.
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Seek medical attention immediately if your child spikes a fever over 105 degrees Fahrenheit (40.6 C). A fever this high can have serious health complications.
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Call your pediatrician if your child exhibits hysterical crying, sudden weakness or an extreme headache.
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Contact your child's doctor if your child exhibits any type of eye or vision difficulties, including if your child develops an extreme sensitivity to light.
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Call your child's doctor if your child has been vomiting for more than 12 hours or is vomiting blood.
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Physicians typically prefer a rectal thermometer, because it provides the most accurate reading. Armpit, oral and forehead thermometers can give inaccurate readings.
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If your child has an excessively high and unrelenting fever, resulting in hospital admission, doctors will likely order a variety of tests to determine the source of infection. Typical tests include: blood and urine tests, X-rays and a spinal tap.
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Small red spots, known as petechiae, on a child's face are a clear sign of strangulation. The spots are caused by a loss of oxygen and are the result of bleeding under the skin.
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It is uncommon for an adult to strangle a young child to death. Typically, child strangulation is a freak accident that occurs while a child is in a play pen or crib.
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