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Tips to handle 5 common emergencies with your baby

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Recently, we were at our in-laws’ place and my elder daughter unknowingly gulped shots of an air gun, which my FIL uses to keep monkeys off from the house terrace. I was horrified to see my little princess in pain. I rushed her to the pediatrician immediately. He told us that she had swallowed 3-4 shots and there’s nothing to worry as it would pass with her stools. This day was an eye-opener for me. I realized that there are some common Children’s emergencies with which every parent and family should be aware of. For such emergencies, one may require immediate first aid, emergency room care, surgery, or intensive care by a physician or nurse.

Not all medical emergencies are life-threatening; some conditions require medical attention in order to prevent significant and long-lasting effects on physical or mental health. So it becomes very important to choose the right hospital and a good medical expert to tackle the emergency case immediately.

Below are top five medical emergency cases and tips to tackle them properly:

●        Fever, Cough and Cold- All these illnesses are the result of viral infection in the body. And in most of the cases, during weather change – babies are prone to catching these infections. Usually, Paracetamol is one of the best medicines to treat fever at home but if the temperature is persisting then it is advisable to seek a doctor. In my elder child’s case, this medicine works but I make sure to give the prescribed dosage as suggested by my doctor. Fortunately, my younger one never caught viral fever but she is prone to cough and cold during winters. During winters, I used to give medicine to her using a nebulizer. Nebulization is a far better way to cure health problems for babies, especially of newborns. As recommended by experts, it is a much safer and effective way to administer medication.

●        Diarrhoea- This is one of the health issues that we moms are scared of big time. Be it during baby’s teething or triggered by a food allergy – Diarrhoea is something that takes its toll on babies and mothers too. Since my elder daughter is more prone to illness since her birth; during her first year, she suffered diarrhoea many times. Most of the times I would not understand the cause of her loose and watery stools and it would last for about 7 days. The best remedy to this problem is ORS (Oral Rehydration Solution). It is good for restoring the water loss and is highly recommended by doctors. But if it continues, visit your doctor immediately.

●        One of many common emergencies is a child swallowing any toxic liquid. We parents dread this and often take precautions by placing any toxic substance out of children’s reach. But no matter how careful we are, our innocent and naughty babies give us a slip sometimes and land themselves in trouble. Fortunately, I never faced such a horror in my life but one of my friends experienced this when her toddler swallowed a toxic liquid. She immediately made her baby drink salty water, which caused her to vomit. Such instances, make one realize that it is important to act mindfully when such situations occur and that we should never underestimate the importance of first-aid and access to a medical expert.

●        Jaundice in newborns is a very common problem and if not treated with proper and immediate care it might lead to brain damage. I never faced this problem with my first baby but with my second one had mild jaundice during the initial days and also her calcium levels were down below normal; due to this, she was kept in hospital care for about 2-3 days. On the first night when we were back from the hospital after my delivery, she started to get fits. We didn’t know why she was crying constantly. My father-in-law, who is a doctor himself told us to take her to the pediatrician. I was not sure if it was necessary; I thought she would be fine but I am glad that I took her to the hospital that night. She was diagnosed with mild jaundice which was the cause of her fever. I had to leave her in the hospital for 2-3 days, where they took care of her properly.

●        Delivery By God’s grace, I have experienced this medical emergency twice in my life. And I owe everything to my doctor and my hospital who guided me throughout my pregnancies. During my first pregnancy, if my doctor had not operated me immediately, I might have lost my baby due to the absence of liquid in my womb. Therefore, while choosing a hospital for your delivery, consider all points in your mind, from doctors to your proximity to the hospital. The one main thing that you should consider while choosing is to know how well equipped your hospital is while dealing with emergency situations like such.

I hope the tips shared above will help you and your loved ones to overcome any bad happening in your life. Stay fit and healthy!

Note: This article was originally published by me here.