General signs that should prompt an immediate trip to the ER can be remembered as the five Ps:
Pain: Extreme discomfort and sensitivity
Pallor: Pale, yellowish/sallow, or waxen appearance of skin
Pulse: Weak or not detectable
Paresthesia: Unexplained or persistent numbness or tingling
Paralysis: Inability to move the injured body part
Time is of the essence after a child is injured. If the child or you cannot pinpoint the exact causes, know that physicians usually respond well to statements like, “I don’t know what it is, but I just know something is seriously wrong with my child.” If a physician brushes off a statement like that, find a new doctor.
Most doctors realize parents know their children best and can communicate information that children – especially young children – cannot verbalize or explain.