Should We Go to Urgent Care?: A Guidebook for Parents of Children in Grades K-8

By Dr. Sarah Irene Washington

With more than a decade of experience in pediatric care, Dr. Sarah Irene Washington has treated over forty thousand patients. Again and again, she has seen parents bring children to an urgent care facility before really necessary. While there are times when urgent care treatment or even emergency room visits are vital, Dr. Sarah Irene helps pare

• Language: English
• Publisher: Purposely Created Publishing Group
• Release date: Aug 23, 2022
• ISBN: 9781644844922

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SHOULD WE GO TO URGENT CARE?

Copyright © 2021 Sarah Irene Washington

All rights reserved.

Published by Publish Your Gift®

An imprint of Purposely Created Publishing Group, LLC

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Printed in the United States of America

ISBN: 978-1-64484-491-5 (print)

ISBN: 978-1-64484-492-2 (ebook)

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A lot of people resist transition and therefore never allow themselves to enjoy who they are. Embrace the change, no matter what it is; once you do, you can learn about the new world you’re in and take advantage of it.

—Nikki Giovanni

To my daddy, who never got the chance to see me write my first book.

To my mom, who is still here in body, but your memories are fleeting.

You set the example for following The Golden Rule, being adaptable to change, and continuing to strive for excellence. I love you both.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments

Introduction

SECTION I: COMMON ILLNESSES

1. Antibiotic Use

2. Upper Respiratory Infection (URI/Common Cold)

3. Otitis Media (Middle Ear Infection)

4. Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

5. Sinusitis (Sinus Infection)

6. Strep Throat

7. Serous Otitis Media (Ear Effusion/Fluid in the Ear)

8. Otitis Externa (Outer Ear Infection/Swimmer’s Ear)

9. Asthma

10. Eczema

11. Allergic Rhinitis (Seasonal Allergies/Hay Fever)

12. Anaphylaxis

13. Croup

14. Typical (Classic) Pneumonia

15. Atypical (Walking) Pneumonia

16. COVID-19

17. Acute Gastroenteritis (AGE, Stomach Flu)

18. Sickle Cell Disease (Sickle Cell Anemia)

19. Appendicitis

20. Urinary Tract Infection (UTI)

21. Testicular Torsion

22. Pediculosis Capitis (Lice)

23. Scabies

24. Enterobiasis (Pinworms)

25. Tick Bite/Is It Lyme Disease?

SECTION II: COMMON INJURIES

26. Concussion/Head Injury

27. Corneal Abrasion

28. Radial Head Subluxation (Nursemaid’s Elbow/Elbow Dislocation)

29. Supracondylar Fracture (Fracture of the Humerus)

30. Torus (Buckle/Incomplete) Fracture

SECTION III: APPENDIX

31. Contusion Home Care Instructions for Bruises, Sprains, and Strains

32. Splint Home Care Instructions

33. Fracture Home Care Instructions

34. Crutches Instructions

35. Medications That Should Be in Every Parent’s Medicine Cabinet

References

Thank You

About the Author

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Malika for the daily wake up texts and holding me accountable with your check-ins throughout the day. Also thank you to James, Michelle, Doretha, Alexea, Tartania, Dr. Zakiya, Ali, Justine, Una, and all my other family and friends who never stopped believing in me.

Finally, thank you to Dr. Drai for giving me the tools to become a Medical Mogul. This book took way longer than planned and you have been the best business coach guiding me along the way.

Introduction

I excelled academically and musically early in life. I am a classically trained pianist and started playing the piano at the age of 6 or 7. I was an accompanist for my high school choir and occasionally played at church events.

I graduated as the valedictorian of my elementary school. I attended Hampton University as a Presidential Scholar and member of the Honors College, graduating cum laude with Departmental Honors in Biology. I graduated from medical school and completed my Pediatrics residency with a few bumps, but otherwise, it was smooth sailing.

Upon completion of my residency training, I began working at a pediatric urgent care center. Just as I hit my stride as an attending physician, things took a turn. Although I consistently received glowing patient reviews, my employers often criticized the time spent caring for and educating my patients and their families. On March 11, 2018, my father passed away unexpectedly. I became the primary caregiver of my mother, who has Alzheimer’s dementia. Once the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020, the company introduced telemedicine quotas and pay cuts. In May 2020, the company relegated me to furlough status after nearly 10 years of employment.

What I initially perceived to be a setback was the perfect setup for a career and lifestyle change, which allowed more time with my mother. I established Kiddo Care Pediatrics to practice medicine on my terms. Now, my patients and parents receive the time and attention they need and deserve. Known for my funny stories, I incorporate humor into my patient interactions, allowing a deeper connection with my patients that builds an even stronger rapport.

When I think about the most asked questions posed by parents, they are by far related to common illnesses and injuries. Parents want to know how these illnesses or injuries occurred, how to treat them, and the timeline for when their child will feel better. Parents often need reassurance that they did the right thing by bringing their child in for evaluation.

Use this book as a textbook for parents who want accurate information from a trusted pediatrician when wondering whether their child may have a particular diagnosis. Each chapter is a clinical vignette that begins with a classic presentation for the listed topic. Next, the diagnosis is provided with general information, common symptoms, and suggested treatment for the given scenario. There is also a section included with injury home care instructions and recommended over-the-counter medications organized in a quick reference list format.

Please note that these are classic presentations and, in life, your child may not always read the book. There are also atypical presentations of these common illnesses and injuries. If home care is recommended, improvement should be seen within 2-3 days with antibiotic treatment and 3-5 days for viral illnesses. If there is no improvement after that time, you should follow up with your pediatrician. If your child worsens, your child should have a medical evaluation immediately. Finally, this book is a guide. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s condition, you should always contact your pediatrician for medical advice.

SECTION I: COMMON ILLNESSES

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Antibiotic Use

Before we dive into this section on common illnesses, it is important to address appropriate antibiotic use. Most of the illnesses in this book are infectious in origin. A large number of people believe that all infections require antibiotic treatment. This notion is completely false! The reason is that antibiotics only treat bacterial infections. When you take an antibiotic for a viral illness, you take an unnecessary medication. You may be wondering what harm can be caused by taking an antibiotic just in case. When you take any medication, there is always a possibility of side effects or an allergic reaction. There is no benefit to taking unnecessary medicine. For those whose children fight taking medicine, giving an unnecessary antibiotic is an especially fruitless battle. In addition, taking unnecessary antibiotics can cause antibiotic resistance, which occurs when bacteria no longer respond to antibiotics that previously worked due to antibiotic overuse. As a result, a stronger antibiotic with a broader spectrum of bacterial coverage is necessary to treat the infection. These broad-spectrum antibiotics can cause even more side effects. We have guideline criteria for each illness that we use to decide if and when to start antibiotics. You will learn these criteria in their corresponding chapters.

Upper Respiratory Infection (URI/Common Cold)

Sally is a 7-year-old girl who has a 3-day history of cough, runny nose, and congestion. She complains of having an itchy throat but denies having any pain with swallowing. No fever, headache, abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, or rash. She is eating slightly less than usual but is drinking fluids. What does Sally have?

Sally has an upper respiratory infection. Upper respiratory infections (URIs)