It’s no secret that most of us have too much to do and too little time to do it. This is a common problem for people of all ages, but it impacts parents more than anyone else. If you have kids, you know just how common it is for your child to develop an illness at times when you are in the middle of an important meeting at work, on a weekend day, or in the middle of the night.
Thankfully, there are pediatricians, such as Alzein Pediatrics in Oak Lawn, Illinois, that make it easy for you to get your child the help that they need quickly and easily, so they can start feeling better faster. Telehealth appointments are changing the way parents take care of their sick kids for the better.
Telehealth Visits Are Ideal for Children
Most parents are familiar with the symptoms of the common childhood ailments that crop up frequently. You likely recognize the signs of an ear infection, pinkeye, a severe cold, or the norovirus well before your child has progressed into the more uncomfortable stages of the illness. You know you need an urgent appointment as soon as possible.
Thankfully, telehealth visits are offered by many doctor’s offices these days. You can count on a telehealth visit to make it easy for your child to get the care that they need without the hassle of waiting to be seen in person in the clinic.
While pediatric telehealth visits are not intended for serious concerns like appendicitis, severe lacerations, or head injuries, they can be the perfect fit for that cold that just won’t go away, the ear infection that is looming on the horizon, or pesky hay fever that is keeping your kid cooped up indoors. Dr. Hassan Alzein of Alzein Pediatrics says, “Telehealth visits are also perfect for follow-up visits after an illness, to discuss how treatment is progressing for chronic conditions such as asthma, to manage medications, and to discuss test results.”
Why Parents Love Telehealth Visits For Their Kids
1. Convenient
Imagine being able to have your doctor make house calls. For generations, this was how local doctors cared for their patients. Those days are long gone, but telehealth visits are actually the next best thing, as you can conduct the visit with the help of your smartphone, tablet, or computer right in the comfort of your home.
Your child can simply hang out on the couch with their favourite toy, waiting for the doctor to chat with them about what’s going on before getting a diagnosis and some medication that will help them to feel better again right away. This is one of the best ways to deal with simple health concerns that used to cause doctor’s front offices to be full of kids with the sniffles or other basic health problems that only take a few minutes to resolve.
Telehealth visits are perfect for
- ADHD follow up
- anxiety & behavioural concerns
- low-grade fever
- Rash, acne and skin conditions
- pink eye, conjunctivitis
- digestive issues like vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation
- follow up visits for labs, after a sick visit or hospitalization
- allergies
- potty training
- sleep problems
- developmental issues
- nutrition questions
2. Peace of Mind
No parent likes to wade through a few days of worrying about their child who isn’t feeling great. Having the ability to reach out to a telehealth provider right away, as soon as your child gets sick can help both you and your kiddo to feel safe and secure in the knowledge that they are going to make a full recovery.
As an added bonus, progressive illnesses, such as infections, can be nipped in the bud immediately by a telehealth visit. Being able to skip the days of waiting to get into the actual office in person can speed up healing times for common health concerns by many days. Especially in the case of children who are very young, speeding up the timeframe for diagnosis and starting medication can be critical to avoid secondary health issues that are far riskier than the original illness.
3. Avoid Exposure to Other People’s Illnesses
As the world saw during the pandemic, it is all too easy to get sick just by being around other sick people. Your child might be sick, but if you are not, or your other kids are still healthy, having to sit in a waiting room with lots of people who are sick can be a bad idea. You might take care of the child for whom you had the appointment, only to bring home a new illness from the doctor’s office.
Being able to avoid spreading your child’s illness as well as exposure to other illnesses is good for everyone and, most of all, for you and your loved ones. The school and daycare will also appreciate you ensuring that your child is correctly kept home from school or care after a quick diagnosis. This can help to prevent accidentally spreading lots of unwanted bugs to your child’s friends and classmates.
Telehealth Visits Are Ideal for Many Common Illnesses and For Follow-Up Visits
Telehealth visits are a convenient, modern solution that allows you and your loved ones to maintain your health and well-being without having to wait days to get in to see a doctor in person. If you want to avoid being in crowded waiting rooms that are full of sick people or you need a diagnosis late in the day on a Friday, you can trust a telehealth visit to help you meet these goals.
Your child will feel so much better so much sooner after a telehealth visit. At some practices, you can see your regular doctor during these visits without the hassle of getting across town or having to take some time off of work. Telehealth visits are becoming increasingly popular because they just work so well when it comes to the common problems that crop up for kids, especially during cold and flu season. If you have not started utilizing telehealth services, you might be missing out on one of the best healthcare solutions in recent years.
