Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker - Instructions and Disclaimer
Instructions
Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker
The first purpose of Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker, is to help you determine how sick your child is and if you need to call your child's doctor. The second purpose is to help you treat your child at home when it is safe to do so.Your doctor's advice and your good judgment should always take precedence over information in these topics.
Here are some instructions for using Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker:
- Choose the Appropriate Topic. Choose the topic that most closely matches your child's symptoms.
- If your child has more than one symptom, address the most serious symptom. Serious means the symptom that potentially could cause the most harm to your child. (Example: for nosebleed and head injury together, use the Head Injury guideline.) If you aren't sure which topic to use, use more than one guideline.
- Caution: don't use the fever guideline unless fever is your child's only symptom. If your child also has a cough, diarrhea or other symptom, go to that topic instead of fever.
- Choosing the appropriate symptom is very important because it leads you to the best information for your child's illness or injury.
- Read the Definition. Go to the chosen topic and read the Definition to be sure it's a good fit for your child's problem. If not, consider related symptoms listed under the section, "See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one)".
- Read the When to Call Your Doctor - Decision Chart Section: Following the Definition section in each topic, there is a Decision Chart, which gives options for what action you should take, including Call 911, Call Your Doctor Now, Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours, and so on. Below each response is a list of symptoms/reasons for using that option. Read through these bulleted items. Read from top to bottom and don't skip any symptoms or reasons. The purpose of these is to help you determine the seriousness of your child's illness or injury.
- Follow the Action Suggested in the Decision Chart. If your child has even one of the serious or other "Call Your Doctor" symptoms, stop reading the list of other reasons to call your doctor and take the action suggested in the heading at the top of the list. If the recommendation is to call your doctor within 24 hours or during weekday office hours, refer to the Home Care Advice section to help you keep your child comfortable until then.
- Follow Home Care Advice. If your child has none of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms, follow the Home Care Advice listed in the final section. But watch your child carefully for any worsening or new symptoms. If your child's condition changes for the worse, calling your doctor again is a good idea.
- Reader's Responsibility. Finally, you are in control of this process. If you think or feel your child needs to be seen, call your doctor for assistance or go to the nearest emergency department.
If you think that your child is having a medical emergency, call 911 or the number for the local emergency ambulance service NOW!
And when in doubt, call your doctor NOW or go to the closest emergency department.
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Disclaimer
Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker
The information contained in these topics is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, it is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.
Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider before starting any new treatment or discontinuing an existing treatment. Talk with your healthcare provider about any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Nothing contained in these topics is intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.
- Not a Substitute - The information and materials in Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker should not be used as a substitute for the care and knowledge that your physician can provide to you.
- Supplement - The information and materials presented here in Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker are meant to supplement the information that you obtain from your physician. If there is a disagreement between the information presented herein and what your physician has told you -- it is more likely that your physician is correct. He or she has the benefit of knowing your child's medical problems.
- Limitations - You should recognize that the information and materials presented here in Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker have the following limitations, in comparison to being examined by your own physician:
- You can have a conversation with your child's doctor.
- Your child's doctor can perform a physical examination and any necessary tests.
- Your child could have an underlying medical problem that requires a physician to detect.
- If your child is taking medications, they could influence how he experiences various symptoms.
If you think that your child is having a medical emergency, call 911 or the number for the local emergency ambulance service NOW!
And when in doubt, call your child's doctor NOW or go to the closest emergency department.
By using this website, you accept the information provided herein "AS IS." Neither publishers nor the providers of the information contained herein will have any liability to you arising out of your use of the information contained herein or make any expressed or implied warranty regarding the accuracy, content, completeness, reliability, or efficacy of the information contained within this website.
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Author and Senior Reviewer: Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.
Content Set: Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker
Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker
