Would you go to the ER for this?

[Anonymous]

I took DD to the ER this evening and the doctor implied that it was an overreaction to bring her in. Wondering what other parents would have done in this situation. I also have the flu so definitely not playing with a full deck at the moment and concede that the ER trip may have been unnecessary.

DD (3) has been sick with the flu since early Tuesday morning. On Thursday we saw her doctor who confirmed the flu via nose swab and also discovered an ear infection. Her doctor advised that if the fever wasn't gone within 48 hours or was higher than 103 we should come back in or go to urgent care. On Friday DD seemed a bit better and had no fever at all. Today the fever was back and she was very lethargic (i.e. laid on the couch or in bed all day). Around 5 her temperature registered at 104.5. Our usual urgent care was closed early for some reason so I took her to the ER without waiting to see if the fever responded to Tylenol. Was I wrong to take her in? I was essentially just following the directions from the ped; maybe that was not the right guidance?

[Anonymous]

I would have looked for another urgent care but it's not a huge deal, except maybe the $$$

[Anonymous]

You're sick; cut yourself some slack. That said, I would not have gone to the ER for this; I would have called the peds' after-hours number or gone to another urgent care.

Especially in big cities, there is a world of difference between ER and urgent care. I wouldn't want to be in the ER myself (as either patient or parent) if there were any urgent care option available.

[Anonymous]

I would have found a different urgent care to visit, but it does sound like you were following what your pediatrician told you.

[Anonymous]

No, I would not have gone to the ER unless the fever did not respond to medication and a cool bath. With one exception -- if child seemed dangerously dehydrated.

Hope you and your daughter feel better soon.

[Anonymous]

I would have called the pediatrician. Ours insists that we call them if we’re contemplating a visit to the ER (and it’s not a life or death situation.)

Hope both you and your daughter are feeling better.

[Anonymous]

When in doubt, always go. No you were not wrong.

[Anonymous]

I would have worried it was pneumonia with a fever that high after the flu. so I don't know... I might have done ER too. My daughter got pneumonia after the flu so it's on my mind. And the main symptom was she became very lethargic

[Anonymous]

I wouldn’t have gone to ER as a first resort, but I would have taken her to be seen right away. If the only option for that was the ER, so be it. 104.5 for a toddler would scare me, too. Who knows what the ER doc was thinking? They probably see lots of overreacting parents and just assumed. Don’t worry about it—hope your DD s feeling better soon! The flu is miserable with little ones!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have called the pediatrician. Ours insists that we call them if we’re contemplating a visit to the ER (and it’s not a life or death situation.)

Hope both you and your daughter are feeling better.

Thank you!


Our pediatrician doesn’t have an afterhours line and I’ve only ever used the one urgent care place that wasn’t open so I guess I just panicked. She’s never had a fever that high before.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have looked for another urgent care but it's not a huge deal, except maybe the $$$

Urgent care is notorious for misdiagnosing serious illness. If my kid was lethargic with the flu I’d go to the ER. A close friend of mine is an ER doctor at a high level ER and she would never imply that this child shouldn’t be brought to the ER. The doctor who saw your DD was a reckless jerk. What ER was this??

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have worried it was pneumonia with a fever that high after the flu. so I don't know... I might have done ER too. My daughter got pneumonia after the flu so it's on my mind. And the main symptom was she became very lethargic

right. Urgent care gave my DD the wrong antibiotic for pneumonia and two days later she was almost dead.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would have called the pediatrician. Ours insists that we call them if we’re contemplating a visit to the ER (and it’s not a life or death situation.)

Hope both you and your daughter are feeling better.

What do you mean yours insists? How?

[Anonymous]

Why are you so shaken up by what some dr implied? Who cares?

[Anonymous]

Better safe than sorry! I had a couple of ER visits they after the fact I realized it would have been ok if I waited to the following day. But also it was serious enough for me to panick. So, yes I think you did the right thing.