Coughing, wheezing, straining to
breathe—when your child is miserable,
it can be distressing for you both.
Young children are o en susceptible to
respiratory problems, and while some are
just passing bugs, others are more serious
and need a doctor’s attention.
For instance, if your child has recur-
ring episodes of wheezing, shortness
of breath or coughing—especially a er
exercise—he or she should see a doctor
right away. ese symptoms could signal
asthma, the most common chronic lung
disease in children.
Other breathing problems include:
Influenza.
e u virus causes fever,
muscle aches and a dry cough.
Colds.
Sneezing and runny nose are
o en accompanied by a cough and sore
throat.
Allergies.
Pollen and other allergens can
cause a stu y or runny nose and sneezing.
Bronchiolitis.
is viral infection of the
small airways mainly occurs in children
under years of age.
Pneumonia.
is lung in ammation
usually causes fever; cough; and fast,
labored breathing.
Croup.
is in ammation centers in the
voice box and windpipe, causing a barking
cough and labored breathing.
When to get help
Any baby younger
than months who develops a cough
should see a doctor. For kids older than
months, call the doctor if the cough:
Lasts longer than three weeks.
Appears suddenly with a fever.
Is painful or is accompanied by whoop-
ing or vomiting.
Is accompanied by wheezing or short-
ness of breath.
Call
if your child seems to be strug-
gling to breathe, can’t speak, seems abnor-
mally drowsy along with having breathing
di culties, or turns blue when coughing.
Feeling better
You can help a child feel
more comfortable with these tips:
Keep the air moist. Use a humidi er or
vaporizer, or take your child into a steamy
bathroom.
O er your child plenty of uids.
Give ibuprofen or acetaminophen to
relieve pain and fever. Children and teens
should not be given aspirin.
What about cold and cough medica-
tions? ese shouldn’t be given to kids
younger than years old and are not con-
sidered e ective—and may pose risks—in
children under years old.
Source: American Academy of Pediatrics
Help kids
breathe
easier
As a parent, you have a
pretty good idea when your
child has an illness or in-
jury that needs more than
a hug and an over-the-
counter medication. When
you can’t see your pedia-
trician or family doctor—
maybe it’s the weekend
or a er o ce hours—you
may think your only option
for help is a hospital emer-
gency department.
at is the best place
for a true medical emer-
gency. However, for non-
emergency situations you
do have another choice:
an urgent care center. You
may be able to see a doctor
more quickly—and for less
money—at an urgent care
center than at a hospital.
Consider urgent care for
things such as:
A cold or cough that
doesn’t get better in sev-
eral days or a cold that gets
worse and is accompanied
by a fever
A minor cut that might
need stitches
Urgent
care or an
emergency?
How to know which
one is best for your
child
Need nurse
advice? Call
Mercy On Call
at 319-358-2767
or toll-free at
800-358-2767.
These experienced
registered nurses
can help you
decide what to do
if you or a family
member isn’t
feeling well.
A rash, especially with
fever
A bout of vomiting
and diarrhea that lasts for
more than a few hours
A sore throat with fever
or painful swallowing
A minor bone fracture
An insect or animal bite
But you’ll want to call
or go to the emergency
department if your child
has signs of a medical
emergency. ose include:
Any signi cant change
in behavior, such as be-
ing confused, delirious
or excessively sleepy or
Introducing a new member
of the Mercy Clinics system
Mercy Pediatric Clinic
Experienced
pediatrician Shirley B. Paul, MD, is now
seeing patients at Mercy Pediatric Clinic,
located inMercyMedical Plaza, Suite
,
E. Je erson St., Iowa City. Joining
her sta is Lisa Moenning, PA-C.
Dr. Paul has been a member of
Mercy’s medical sta since
.
For an appointment, call the clinic at
- -PEDS ( - -
)
.
Introducing a new hospital service
Pediatric Hospitalists
Whenever a newborn arrives in
Mercy’s maternity unit, an experienced pediatrician is
close at hand. ese physicians are members of Mercy’s
newest service, the Pediatric Hospitalist Program.
Pediatric hospitalists are pediatricians who work pri-
marily in hospitals. At Mercy they care for babies and
children in the newborn nursery and in the pediatrics
unit. ese pediatricians work closely with a family’s
regular pediatrician or other health care providers.
is new Mercy service launched in October
.
Mercy’s first full-time pediatric hospitalist is
Benjamin T. Stevens, MD. Dr. Stevens received his
medical education at the University of Utah School of
Medicine and completed his residency in pediatrics and
a fellowship in neonatology at University of Iowa Hospitals
and Clinics.
Caring for Kids
Shirley B.
Paul, MD
becoming increasingly less
responsive or alert
A severe headache or
vomiting, especially a er
a head injury
Uncontrolled bleeding
Problems breathing
Increasing pain or se-
vere, persistent pain
Severe or persistent
diarrhea
You should also get
emergency help (call
) if
your child is unconscious.
Good things to know
Mercy Urgent Care doesn’t
require an appointment.
You can just walk in, seven
days a week. Hours:
Monday through Fri-
day, : a.m. to : p.m.
Weekends and holidays,
a.m. to p.m. (closed
Christmas Day)
Mercy Urgent Care is lo-
cated in Coral West Health
Center,
Heartland
Drive, Coralville (just west
of Highway
near the
Coralville water tower).
Mercy’s Emergency Care
Unit is sta ed hours a
day, every day of the year.
Sources: American Academy of Pediatrics;
American College of Emergency Physicians;
National Association for Ambulatory Care
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