What to do if your child has to see a doctor

Story by: Kim Huston on October 27, 2020

Temperatures have dropped, and it’s officially cold and flu season. Here are some tips for staying well as you nurse your little one back to health.

It’s not too late to get a flu shot

Getting yearly flu shots for the whole family can help protect yourself and others from the flu. While the vaccine doesn’t prevent all strains, it does protect against most as well as help lessen symptoms and length of illness. Flu shots help protect the most vulnerable — babies and seniors. With the COVID-19 pandemic ongoing, pediatricians are urging families to get their kids vaccinated for flu. In guidelines released in September 2020, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) strongly recommends children receive their flu vaccinations by the end of October. This includes all eligible kids 6 months and older.

Need to go to the doctor? Safety protocols are in place to keep your family healthy

Visiting the doctor while well or sick has changed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While most pediatrician offices of Norton Children’s Medical Group, affiliated with the UofL School of Medicine, have separate waiting rooms for sick and well children, offices also have protocols in place to keep families and staff safer, including:

• Adults and children ages 2 and older visiting a Norton Children’s facility must wear a surgical mask or cloth face covering. You and your child will need to arrive wearing the covering to help protect yourselves and others.
• Norton Children’s doctors, nurses and staff all wear masks.
• Our offices and tools receive a thorough cleaning between patients.
• Families check in and wait in the car until ready to be seen by a provider.

“There’s no interaction with other families in the waiting room,” said Libby Mims, M.D., pediatrician with Norton Children’s Medical Group – Novak Center. “Families are taken straight back to the exam room. Should your child need any shots or tests, they all will be conducted in that exam room.”

Should you need to visit a doctor’s office or Norton Immediate Care Center, here are some tips to keep from spreading or picking up germs.

Wear your mask and wash your hands (or use hand sanitizer)

Practice hand hygiene early and often when outside of your home. This is the best way to eliminate many of the viruses and bacteria that can be spread this time of year. Don’t have access to a sink? That’s OK! Hand sanitizer can be used as a substitute. Feel free to use the hand sanitizer available at a doctor’s office when you arrive for your visit and before you leave.

Bring toys and reading material from home

If your child needs to bring a stuffed animal friend for comfort, please do. Remind your child to stay close to you, and keep their hands clean and away from their face. Bring your own book or magazine if you or your child would like to read while waiting in the exam room.