Another question.....

[madisonsmom]

I took my son to the doctor today and there were so many sick kids. It looked to be mainly respiratory problems. Then this girl came in a said to the girl at the window "My son needs to be seen, it is an emergency. He has been throwing up all night." YUCK! I hate going in there because we all know kids get everything coming and going. Is a stomach virus an emergency? You only treat the symptoms...if they are dehydrated take them to the hospital JEEZ! I dont think it is a good idea to take them in an office filled with other kids running around. I sound selfish...SORRY![img]smileys/smilies_06.gif[/img]


I am so scared I am going to get a stomach virus. It is SO BAD where I live.I live in Maryland. I keep my hands washed and use hand sanitizer and always try to keep my hands away from my face. I assume you cant get it any other way? I did not actually see any one "sick." I hate going in the little rooms where you wait for the doctor.


I am SO paranoid.

[jesskali]

As you know, I'm an RN as well and when I worked at an office, we didn't consider a stomach virus an emergency. Although, I have heard of many people going to the ER because of it. I guess it depends on how bad it is. Like you said, if a kid was dehydrated then it would be an emergency. Our children's clinic here has 4 different waiting rooms. THey have 2 "sick" waiting rooms, a "well" waiting room and an adolescent waiting room. It is really nice for the people who have infants who are there for well visits to not have to expose their babies to sick kids. Wish they had that at my doctor's office!

[matmysunshine]

I understand, this last past week, I had to go 3 times, my drs office has a entrance for sick kids, and one for not sick kids. This was my 1st time having to go into the sick entrance, granted I am so worried about my son that I did not really think about anything else until I walked in to the room, I thought what if some gets sick in this room,does that mean we are all doomed and will get it.. I can go inside and wait, but that right in front of the restroom, and that freaks me out as well. Lately my mind has been incontrol, witch I hate. I think the same if your little one has been that sick, go to the ER, atleast there he/she can get hydrated alot faster.. I guess its just us EMETs, we really look at the big picture, and the whats ifs.. so you are not being selfish.. I totally understand.. Christy

[madisonsmom]

Ifind myself always saying "What if". I hate the way I think sometimes. I analyze everything! UGH!

[e-lizabeth]

Ironically, there was an article in the paper today about people using the ambulance service here for "trivial" reasons, including stomach flu. They said that it's clearly not an emergency. Where there was a major Norwalk outbreak here two years ago, they told people NOT to go to the hospital, that they should go to the doctor....

[donna1216]

I WISH my kid's dr. had 2 entrances and different waiting rooms!!!! Logan was sick yesterday, with congestion, stomach pain (GASP!!!), cough, sore throat and low grade fever, I guess it is just going around, but when I called her preschool, the teacher said that a tummy bug was going around the other classes in the school, but that noone from her class had been sick--I'm really worried, I am kind of hoping this cold or flu that she has will linger, so I can keep her home and away from this bug!

[madisonsmom]

I think if a person has a stomach bug they should stay home and treat the symptoms. Only when a person is dehydrated should they go to the hospital to get IV fluids. We had a lady in our assisted living home that was v* and d* SEVERLY and had to go to the emergency room...she was admitted for severe dehydration.

[shiva]

I agree. I wouldn't even think of taking my daughter out if she had a tummy bug (unless I suspected dehydration). I hate that people do this stuff. All a doctor is going to say to them is.. pedialite, try to keep it down.. keep the fever down and let us know if it isn't better in a few days. ARGH!! I am so sorry that you had to experience that. I am afraid I would have left right then.


I always panic when I have to take my daughter to the doctor and we have to sit on the sick side. I actually hold my breath as much as I can and don't let her look at any of the books. I have actually thought about asking to be put in a room immediately due to anxiety, but right about when I feel the need to ask, they end up calling us.


I was wondering, though... Are the rooms in the back sick and well also?? I always think about that when I am sitting there for a well visit. My mom tells me that doctor's offices have some kind of wonderful air filtration systems in their offices. Anyone know of this??? Just curious.

[madisonsmom]

I have often wondered that too. Anyone know?

[jesskali]

The doctor's office that I worked in did not distinguish between sick/well when we put patients into rooms. We just put them in what was available. As far as I know, we didn't have any sort of nice air filtration system. Most of us who worked there were really not sick that often. I did get a stomach bug one time in the 2.5 years I worked there and that was my co-worker's fault. We had a patient come in for a physical one day and just happened to be very sick that day with *v* and *d*. She asked my co-worker and I to watch her 18 month old little boy while she seen the doctor (she ended up not having a physical and being treated for the *v* and *d*). She said the little boy had had some diarrhea. Well, the little boy was being so good in his carrier, but my co-worker just had to pick him up and hold him. So, I'm thinking that he had the virus, give it to her, and she gave it to me. Two days later, we both woke up early one morning with *v* and violent *d*. I didn't get near the patient or her little boy, so it had to come from my friend. Yeah, Thanks!

All in all, it is probably a good thing to work at a doctor's office because you do become immune to all of the sickness that comes in. Nurses that had worked there for like 10 years, were never sick. Their bodies had just become immune to everything!

[skinnyme]

I think it is so ridiculous when parents take their kids to the dr. for a stomach bug! They are only risking everyone else getting it by not knowing if the kid is going to V** in the office. Its a 24 hr. thing and then its gone. On the other hand if it is something more serios then so be it, take them in. But last year my 3 yr olddaughter had a stomach bug and was V** all afternoon, she had an appt. and I called to cancel it. That sounds funny calling the dr. " Oh yeah well I have to cancel the appointment today cause Natalie is sick" Well it was just for a checkup anyway, but why bring her in if there is nothing he could do, it just has to pass thru their system.

[madisonsmom]

I absolutely hate the stomach bugs. I wish I was not emet! This is all new to me and I try very hard to control it. I never thought twice about taking my kids to the doctor. I would let them play with the toys in the office and everything[img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]. NOT NOW! I wish I could magically transform ALL OF US. The good thing is that we all have the support from the posters on this site!!


Thanks everyone! I feel better knowing I am not alone. I never knew about emet until I looked up "fear of vomiting" in the Google search engine.[img]smileys/smilies_32.gif[/img]

[Babydoll]

I don't see anything wrong with letting your kids play with the toys in the doctors office. sure, they could have germs on them. wash their little hands before and after is all you can do. you have to let kids be kids. they need to associate the doctor with good things, not bad things. and playing while they are there is a very good thing. if your that worried about it, bring a few of your own childs toys to play with.


you cant shelter them from everything. they will get sick. its part of kids being kids. You dont want them to be as scared of it as we are! please dont let it start!

[madisonsmom]

You are very right. I am the one with the fear. I know better than anyone that you cannot prevent sickness. I know it is the key to them having a strong immune system.


Since I have beena nurse I get everything. I know this is a good thing too because eventually my immune system will be REAL good. Thanks for the input!