We’re in the middle of a warm summer, and we’re seeing kids and families being more active than ever. We’re here to help if you or your children get injured, and we can arrange X-rays and ultrasounds, perform stitching, minor casting and splinting in our clinic.
How do you know if you need to seek medical attention?
Here are some situations where you should seek medical attention as soon as possible:
- Significant pain, tenderness or swelling of a joint, limb, hand or foot.
- Difficulty bearing weight on a foot or leg.
- Loss of normal movement or grip strength.
- Falls from a significant height (more than 3 feet) involving head injury.
- Falls from a moving bicycle, scooter or vehicle, especially if they involve head injury.
If you are ever unsure if you or your child need medical attention, please call our after-hours line: 403.212.0545. We are always here for you.
If your child needs to go to an emergency department, go to a children’s hospital if practical, as they are often better equipped to deal with injuries in children.
A case of swollen eyes
We recently received a call from parents concerned about their children’s itchy, swollen-appearing eyes. The child had been playing outside and returned with eyes that looked swollen, almost as if their irises had been “pushed into” their head. The child had not been injured or involved in any accident.
Here is what this might look like:
This is a case of an allergic reaction. The offending allergen could be anything ranging from pollen or dust to animals and certain plants.
Although it may look scary, it is possible for fluid to accumulate between the eyeball and the layer of clear tissue in front of it, resulting in the irises appearing like they’ve been pressed into their heads.
These reactions will generally resolve on their own over several hours, and your child should avoid rubbing their eyes, even if very itchy. An oral antihistamine may be helpful. Anti-allergy eye drops containing an antihistamine can also provide some relief.
Again, do not hesitate to contact us so we can help in case you and your family experience allergic reactions.
Dr. Bing Wu
Family Physician