What should you do if your child develops a fever, cough, vomiting, rash, sore throat or head injury? A new symptom-checker tool from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) can help parents decide what to do next. The tool is available at healthychildren.org/symptom-checker.
Parents can enter their child’s symptoms in the interactive tool and receive up-to-date advice about how to treat minor illnesses at home, or when to call the doctor immediately.Each symptom care guide includes a decision chart to help determine the severity of the illness and how to manage it. The symptom checker also includes pediatric dosage tables by weight for common over-the-counter medications, images to help identify rashes, stings and bites, and first aid illustrations.
The KidsDoc Symptom Checker is also available as a downloadable iPhone application called KidsDoc, providing the same advice when parents are on the go. Immediate connections are available to 911, your pediatrician or a nearby emergency department. The app is available to download for $1.99 at healthychildren.org/kidsdoc or from the iPhone App Store.
