First-Time Parenting 101: What to Know Before Taking Your Baby to an Urgent Care
Most babies will experience an illness at some point. The dilemma becomes what to do as a parent when this situation does arise. Here are some of the things that you should know before you decide to make a visit to urgent care.
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Age Makes a Difference
The age of your baby makes a huge difference for how you can cope with the illness. A baby that is over the age of three months may be able to take a fever reducing medication or some other type of pain reliever. Younger babies are more vulnerable when it comes to severe illnesses. They tend to lack the immune system response to help them combat these more serious health problems. If your baby is under the age of two months, a high fever can prove to be detrimental. This would prompt you to visit an urgent care facility if your doctor was unavailable.
Severity of Symptoms
A large majority of ailments can be treated at home or through your local doctor’s office. More severe illnesses may require that you seek out a higher level of care. This could be that your baby fell off the changing table or spiked an extremely high fever. These would be instances in which making a trip to urgent care may become necessary. As a new parent you may struggle making this determination. At the very least, you can always call the doctor’s office to determine the best course of action.
Determine Primary Availability
Some primary doctor’s clinics offer extended hours or a triage nurse hotline. Ask about the hours of availability for your baby’s doctor and any other resources available. This will allow you to know if you can use them as a resource during the off hours. Do some research to locate your local urgent care before it becomes an emergency. This will take at least one thing off of your plate when dealing with your baby’s health crisis.
Insurance Coverage
Look into what your insurance will cover when it comes to emergency care. You don’t want to be stuck with a large expense if it isn’t a true emergency. Call your insurance company ahead of time so that you know which clinics and hospitals are covered under your policy. This will give you the confidence to use them as a resource if needed. Set up a savings account so that you can cover these expenses if something were to occur with your baby.
Keep a level head when it comes to dealing with your baby’s illnesses. Look into a premier urgent care office to help you with any unforeseen emergencies.
