The child sleeps "badly", or is very restless, or has vomited or has a fever ... and we want an immediate medical solution. Patience, common sense, seem to be virtues precisely uncommon in our environment.
On some occasion we have talked about the medicalization of our society, how we seek medical solutions to problems that are not, or how we turn to pediatric services, often in emergencies, with situations that do not need assistance (urgent or not ).
If this emergency assistance does not involve any damage, perfect. But the health system is not exactly buoyant, and resources are limited: in money, in time, in personal ...
More pediatricians are needed, and those who are there cannot be "wasted", dealing with minor problems that do not need medical attention. On many occasions parents have unrealistic expectations about the course of an illness, and they believe that going to the doctor soon will be resolved sooner, when many times it is not.
Fever is the typical symptom that urgently leads many parents, although really in a few situations it is truly an urgent problem. A cold, diarrhea, mild falls ... are other situations that in principle are not worrisome and, in an environment with deficiencies in the health system, we should know how to treat at home, although it is not always easy to remain calm and especially first-time parents “we sin "Of insecure.
In the latest issue of the “Famiped” magazine we find an interesting article on “How to make proper use of the Public Health System”, from the perspective of a primary care pediatrician.
It appeals to a reflection by all the areas involved: families, health professionals and health administration, with special emphasis on the recovery of the active role of the family in the health care of their children.
An interesting text to remind us how not to abuse the health system, making proper use of it and knowing how to discern when a problem is of little importance to consume public resources and prevent such resources from arriving when they are really needed.
