What It Was Like to Take My Son to the ER During the Pandemic - Christine   

What It Was Like to Take My Son to the ER During the Pandemic - Christine

Christine

Mom, Christine, shares her experience taking her son to the emergency room during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in this Q&A. She encourages other parents and guardians not to wait if their child needs care.

HealthU: Tell us about your journey.

Christine: My son, who is 10 years old, was not feeling well for a couple of weeks with symptoms of a headache, stomach pain and sore throat. We visited our pediatrician and ear, nose and throat doctor to rule out strep, and other viral or bacterial infections. One morning, however, he awoke with a severe headache and I realized that he was in need of emergency care. I took him to the emergency room at Joseph M. Sanzari Children’s Hospital.

HealthU: What was your biggest concern?

Christine: My biggest concern was COVID and exposing him to further germs that could potentially make him sicker. When we arrived at the emergency room, he was actually the only patient in the waiting room. He was immediately triaged and then taken into a private room for further evaluation by a physician. Everyone was extremely cautious. They wore masks, gowns, face shields and gloves. The housekeeping personnel was also present disinfecting rooms, equipment, etc. That was very reassuring.

HealthU: What do you want other parents to know?

Christine: I was very apprehensive about bringing my child to the ER during COVID; however, I realized that my child needed emergency care. Witnessing the level of caution and compassion by the staff was reassuring that my child was going to be fine and my decision to bring him to the ER was the correct decision. The moral of the story, if you are on the fence as to whether you should go or not, jump over the fence and go. I am glad I did.

HealthU: What was the outcome and/or diagnosis of your visit?

Christine: The headache’s origin was not found, but immediate concerns were responded to. At discharge, the emergency team recommended that we follow up with a neurologist, which we did. We went for an MRI of the brain and sought a consult from a pediatric gastroenterologist (because his stomach symptoms persisted). The ultimate diagnosis was gluten sensitivity. We stopped all gluten immediately and he has been doing great.

Next Steps & Resources

The material provided through HealthU is intended to be used as general information only and should not replace the advice of your physician. Always consult your physician for individual care.

Newsletter

Subscribe to get the latest health tips from our expert clinicians delivered weekly to your inbox.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed mi ante, porta in pellentesque non, dapibus ac quam.
Flu or COVID-19? How to Tell the Difference in Kids

Flu season is ramping up, and your child begins to develop a runny nose or fever. A year ago that might not have caused too much concern – but now that first symptom may trigger fear that he or ...

Oakhurst Father and Son Overcome Chiari Malformation

Father and son diagnosed with neurological condition

My Story About Taking My Daughter to the Emergency Room – Laurajean

Mom, Laurajean, joins HealthU for a Q&A about her recent experience in the pediatric emergency room during the COVID-19 pandemic. She encourages other parents and guardians not to wait if their child needs care.

Taking My Kids to the ER During COVID

Danielle had to take each  of her kids to the emergency room during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

We use cookies to improve your experience. Please read our Privacy Policy or click Accept.
X