We know it is hard for you to know if your sick child needs to be seen right away, or if it is okay to wait until morning to see the provider who knows your child best.Â
We're here to help!
The simple answer:
Most things can wait until morning, and many times there is a benefit in you waiting. Call us and we will help you figure out the best treatment for your child, whether it is going to an ER or urgent care or scheduling a first morning appointment with us.
In addition to our normal weekday call center hours (7:30a – 5:30p), Â our staff are available for after hour calls:
7:30a - 1:00p
5:30a - 8:00p
5:30a - 8:00p
5:30a - 8:00p
5:30a - 8:00p
5:30a - 8:00p
7:30a - 1:00p
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Any calls made to the practice number after these times until 7:30am the following day will be answered by pediatric triage nurses at Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital. If there are any concerns they cannot address, our provider on call will be notified. During the evenings, we feel it is important to allow our physicians and nurse practitioners time with their families and an opportunity to recharge. This allows our provider and nursing team to be refreshed and ready to address all your in-office concerns and continue to provide the high-quality care your family deserves from Palm Beach Pediatrics!
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- 24 hours
AT HOME CARE:
- Pain control with Motrin / Tylenol, cold or warm fluids
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- 24 hours
AT HOME CARE:
- Pain control with Motrin / Tylenol until child can
be seen in the office
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- 24 hours if over 2 months of age
- IMMEDIATELY if less than 2 months
AT HOME CARE:
- Fever is typically your child’s friend and will help fight
the infection. Fever control with Tylenol / Motrin (for children older than 6 months of age) until can be seen in the office.
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- 2-3 Days
AT HOME CARE:
- Vaporizer, honey (>1 year old), fluids
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- More than twice in 24 hours
- Persists longer than 48 hours
AT HOME CARE:
- Small sips of clear fluids
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- Persisting longer than 2 hours
AT HOME CARE:
- Most common reasons are gas, viruses or constipation. However, appendicitis is possible so we need to evaluate if pain persists.
- Try to have child have a bowel movement. May give PeptoBismol to children 12 years and older or PeptoKids to children between the ages of 2 – 11 years.
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- IMMEDIATELY
AT HOME CARE:
- Call to determine if child needs to go to ER or Urgent Care.
- May apply ice and apply compress to stop any bleeding.
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- IMMEDIATELY
AT HOME CARE:
- Call to determine if the cut may need stitches, glue in our office, or at-home care.
- Apply compress prior to being seen in our office, if necessary, to stop the bleeding.
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- 24 hours, unless there is an obvious break.
- In most cases, it is safe to wait and monitor
AT HOME CARE:
- Rest, ice, elevation, and pain control
with Motrin / Tylenol
TIMEFRAME TO CALL:
- 24 hours
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AT HOME CARE:
- Pain control with Motrin / Tylenol, cold or warm fluids
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It often is tempting to search the internet for medical advice. While we do not recommend this for regular hours when you can ask one of our pediatric nurses, prior to calling with questions after hours, we highly recommend that you use the symptom checker on HealthyChildren.org to decide if you need our guidance. However, if you are unsure, please call us. In addition, we always want to hear from you before you decide to take your child to an urgent care or ER, unless it is a true emergency, in which case please call 911 immediately.
How much Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Motrin/Advil (ibuprofen) am I supposed to give my child?
The following charts, published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, details the proper dosage for both, Tylenol (acetaminophen), and Motrin / Advil (ibruprofen) based on your child’s weight:
Tylenol
(acetaminophen)
(click on image for expanded view)
Motrin / Advil
(ibuprofen)
(click on image for expanded view)
Palm Beach Pediatrics is a certified Level 3 NCQA Medical Home. We specialize in caring for children, and we have been recognized for this care at the highest level. We have your child’s complete medical history, including allergies, medications, past illnesses and consults from specialists to provide the best continuity of care.
