Common Reasons Children Visit the ER and Urgent Care Clinics During the Winter

There’s no doubt that winter is here, and so are the traditional winter ER visits. However, you can’t know how to avoid these common winter ailments if you don’t know what they are. 

To help you and your accident-prone kids avoid unnecessary accidents and visits to urgent care clinics this winter, here’s a short list of common reasons people end up in the ER during winter. 

Burns 

Holiday season is upon us, which means lots of cooking. Whether it’s cooking a turkey or baking a batch of cookies, burns are some of the most common injuries that can land you and your children in family urgent care this winter. Make sure you tell your children to keep away from the oven and take care to use proper protection for yourself. 

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning 

As the weather gets colder, families will start turning up the heat. If your heat is gas-based, then you need to make sure that all of your carbon monoxide detectors are functioning properly. If they’re not, you and your family could be in serious danger. Never use grills, ovens, and other gas-powered devices as heaters in an enclosed space.

Skin Conditions 

Dry skin, beyond being annoying, can actually land you in the doctor’s office, just like lacerations and burns can. Rashes and abnormal skin reactions such as allergies can be a cause for concern and prompt a visit to an urgent care clinic. A liberal application of chapstick and lotion can help avoid this common wintertime skin problem.

Respiratory Issues 

During the winter, the air is colder and drier, which can lead to respiratory issues, especially in those patients prone to asthma or bronchitis. If you or your child is suffering from labored breathing, make sure you visit family urgent care immediately. 

Abdominal Pains 

Because the holidays are so filled with food, things like food poisoning and overeating can become issues quickly. Food poisoning is definitely cause for a visit to the emergency room. 

Now that you know a little bit more about what typically lands people in the ER over the winter, you should be able to adequately prepare for and prevent most of these issues. Americans rely heavily on 24-hour care provided by emergency services, but knowing how to avoid these issues is key.