She was told her toddler needed a doctor within 24 hours. But she couldn’t find one | 24CA News
Julia Murray, a mom residing in Conception Bay South, says she was in panic mode on Thursday.
Her three-year-old son had a fever of 42 C, and youngsters’s fever medication wasn’t placing a dent in it. She referred to as 811, which is staffed by public well being nurses.
“They told me that based on the symptoms that he has, I need to see a doctor within 24 hours,” she mentioned.
Murray is among the fortunate folks in Newfoundland and Labrador who’ve a household doctor — in keeping with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association, about 125,000 folks within the province do not — however her physician did not have any openings till the next Wednesday.
She was turned away when she confirmed up together with her son in particular person; the clinic had reached its cap for the day. Next, she tried the Mundy Pond walk-in clinic; it was full too. She tried the emergency room on the Janeway Children’s Hospital in St. John’s, however was informed she’d be ready for hours together with her sick youngster.
“I felt like I was kind of on an island by myself,” she mentioned.
“I can’t believe that in 2022 that’s what we’re doing. We’re kind of banging on doors to try to get help.”
She mentioned the receptionist on the Mundy Pond walk-in clinic suggested her to line up on the clinic at 7 a.m. the following day. When she arrived, there was already a couple of dozen folks forward of her, and shortly about two dozen behind.
“Some of those didn’t even make it through,” she mentioned.
The physician prescribed antibiotics for her son, who had strep throat and an ear an infection. Despite the disturbing expertise, Murray mentioned her son was fortunate.
She mentioned she witnessed a mum or dad and youngster arrive on the clinic in a taxi, solely to be be placed on a wait-list.
“If I was turned away, I was able to get in my car and go home, or drive to another place,” she mentioned.
“I was able to have that luxury of not relying on a taxi.”
Janeway ER visits almost triple in a month
Pediatric emergency rooms throughout the nation have seen a surge in respiratory sickness amongst youngsters, and that surge has now reached Newfoundland and Labrador.
Dr. Carolyn Cashin, a doctor within the Janeway emergency room, says demand has jumped from 55 day by day visits to 160 or extra in lower than a month.
“To say that there’s been an increase in patients is like an understatement,” she mentioned.
On Friday, Eastern Health introduced some routine surgical procedures and appointments must be cancelled as a way to address the rise in sufferers. Cashin mentioned Eastern Health has requested different pediatricians to assist with emergency care, if attainable.
“Certain resources had to be mobilized in order to meet the more acute, urgent need,” she mentioned.
She mentioned the emergency division is seeing sufferers as effectively as attainable and has began a brand new clinic to assist address the rise.
Cashin mentioned it is not clear how lengthy surge in sufferers will proceed, however contemplating Newfoundland and Labrador’s prolonged flu season, she is not anticipating it to finish any time quickly.
“This is only the beginning,” she mentioned.
In an interview with Crosstalk, Health Minister Tom Osborne mentioned as of Monday afternoon, no surgical procedures have been cancelled — but.
“There may be situations if we see a higher increase in respiratory illness,” he mentioned.
How to know in case your youngster must go to the ER
Cashin mentioned if a mum or dad is not sure if their youngster wants pressing care, it is a good suggestion to name 811.
She cautioned that fever by itself does not essentially require a visit to the emergency room.
“Our fevers are our natural defence mechanism to fight off infections,” mentioned Cashin.
She mentioned dad and mom must be extra involved if the fever is in a baby youthful than two months, lasts for days or is accompanied by different signs.
Canada is experiencing a nationwide scarcity of youngsters’s fever medication, however Cashin mentioned it’s nonetheless obtainable — although she advises calling forward. She mentioned some pharmacies may make the remedy on web site.
She mentioned no medication can completely treatment a fever, and she or he additionally instructed different strategies of stopping sickness — like handwashing and carrying a masks.
According to Cashin, dad and mom must also depend on their instincts.
“If it’s an emergency, something urgent, a parent knows,” she mentioned.
