if baby is ill who can you call at night?

positivenote · 09-09-2010 11:21pm #1

hi all,
our newborn is now nearly 7 weeks and is in fine form, but we were talking the other night that if there was ever a medical emergency (touch wood there never will be) who do you ring/get in touch with outside of wrking hours? is there a contact that will answer queries or provide help?
sorry if its been posted before but just being cautionary

GerardKeating · 10-09-2010 12:25am

positivenote wrote: »

hi all,
our newborn is now nearly 7 weeks and is in fine form, but we were talking the other night that if there was ever a medical emergency (touch wood there never will be) who do you ring/get in touch with outside of wrking hours? is there a contact that will answer queries or provide help?
sorry if its been posted before but just being cautionary

Depends, if you have health insurance, VHI & Quinn have helplines,

Also have Doctors have an out of hours service, Galway/Mayo has West-Doc, Kildare has K-Doc etc...

crazy cat lady · 10-09-2010 8:59am

Ring your GP and they will be able to give you the number for the out of hours service should you ever need it.

Also, we have a little 'Meningitis Baby Watch' card that we were given by the PHN. If you have one make sure you put it somewhere visible (stick it to the fridge or something) and familiarise yourself with the symptoms. Time really is of the essence if your baby contracts meningitis, so its really good to know what you are looking for and if you do suspect it, waste no time in bringing your baby to your local childrens hospital. Its a good idea to know the route to the childrens hospital too.

MarkR · 10-09-2010 9:03am

Where abouts are you located? We have Shannondoc in the clare area, and I've seen quite a few of these out of hours services around the country.

Rabidlamb · 10-09-2010 1:12pm

K-Doc in Kildare, C-Doc in Carlow, it depends where you live.
I've used both on a few occasions, they have a pharmacy next door which is open during the night too.
I remember getting charged €70 for a visit.

positivenote · 11-09-2010 12:16am

thanks guys, as i say hopefully we'll never have to know or need the number. We are based in clonee.

ted1 · 11-09-2010 12:20am

while baby is still very young you could call in to the materinty ward and talk to mid wife. Asides from that all gp or ambulance.

GerardKeating · 11-09-2010 11:17am

positivenote wrote: »

thanks guys, as i say hopefully we'll never have to know or need the number. We are based in clonee.

If you are in Meath, your local doctor might be part of North East Doctor On Call.

lynski · 11-09-2010 9:04pm

ask the other parents around who your best pharmacy is also as they are often a great first port of call for non-emergency situations. We are lucky to have a fantastic one who has saved me many trips to the doc of the past 4 years.

Kent Brockman · 12-09-2010 9:18pm

Head straight to casualty dept of the nearest hospital if you think it is serious is probably the safest bet.

pearljamfan · 12-09-2010 9:23pm

the PHN would be able to give you details of who is on call near you.
maybe one of you do a short first aid evening course, i think they are cheap enough and im sure would be really useful if it came down to it, how many people know how to give mouth to mouth to an infant these days??

January · 13-09-2010 5:02pm

If you are in Clonee then your nearest hospital would be Temple Street and your nearest out of hours doc service would probably be D-Doc.

spupazza · 14-09-2010 7:55pm

Hi girls,

same question of the thread: I'm based in Swords, North Co. Dublin.
Which out of hours doc is for me and which nearer children hospital?

Thanks all!:)

January · 14-09-2010 10:25pm

spupazza wrote: »

Hi girls,

same question of the thread: I'm based in Swords, North Co. Dublin.
Which out of hours doc is for me and which nearer children hospital?

Thanks all!:)

Hiya, looks like D-DOC cover your area also, http://www.hse.ie/eng/services/find_a_service/primary/gp_out_of_hours/d-doc/

Also, I'm taking it that Temple Street would be the nearest childrens hospital? But I'm not sure if OLOL, Drogheda would be closer??

spupazza · 14-09-2010 10:49pm

Thanks Adrienne.
Maybe Drogheda is closer, but not so much.

Is the Beaumont Hospital for children too?

January · 14-09-2010 11:36pm

spupazza wrote: »

Thanks Adrienne.
Maybe Drogheda is closer, but not so much.

Is the Beaumont Hospital for children too?

Seems the A&E is for adults only, http://www.beaumont.ie/index.jsp?p=105&n=395

wolfpawnat · 15-09-2010 10:42am

There are only 2 specialist Childrens Hospitals in the Dublin area, Crumlin and Temple Street. As a result of this a lot of the other hospitals in Dublin area do not admit children, the Ambulances will bi-pass them all and go to the closest one of these two. I know it is annoying for those of us who don't have cars, but it means that these hospitals have the most of the best and most educated of paediatric medical staff in Ireland!

As others have said you should find out which out of hours doctors, eg shannon doc, south doc, etc and keep that on the fridge. The annoying thing with some places eg Clare is Shannondoc is in Kilrush til 12 then goes up to Milltown Malbay after that! I spend a lot of time in Kilrush and dont have a car so it really is a case of hoping if he is sick, it happens before 12!!!!

There does need to be a way for a doc to see those who are not able to get to them! In the old days you could call your GP 24 hours a day 7 days a week!

metrovelvet · 16-09-2010 9:36am

I think you should call your GP and find out exactly who you should call so you are not caught out in the middle of a crisis.

I have the following list taped on my fridge:

The GP
The out of hours service number
The phone number of the nearest hospital
The health insurance nurse number
PPS numbers and insurance numbers

And a note of a particular medication he has a reaction to

[In case I am not there and something happens]

The thing is ...in a panic it's easy to forget what you know so it's good to have it there even for you.

January · 16-09-2010 10:49am

wolfpawnat wrote: »

There are only 2 specialist Childrens Hospitals in the Dublin area, Crumlin and Temple Street. As a result of this a lot of the other hospitals in Dublin area do not admit children, the Ambulances will bi-pass them all and go to the closest one of these two. I know it is annoying for those of us who don't have cars, but it means that these hospitals have the most of the best and most educated of paediatric medical staff in Ireland!

As others have said you should find out which out of hours doctors, eg shannon doc, south doc, etc and keep that on the fridge. The annoying thing with some places eg Clare is Shannondoc is in Kilrush til 12 then goes up to Milltown Malbay after that! I spend a lot of time in Kilrush and dont have a car so it really is a case of hoping if he is sick, it happens before 12!!!!

There does need to be a way for a doc to see those who are not able to get to them! In the old days you could call your GP 24 hours a day 7 days a week!

I know D-DOC do call outs but you could be waiting hours as they see the more serious cases first. My partner was waiting 7 hours before... It also costs more for a home call out so a taxi to the clinic usually works out about the same.

if baby is ill who can you call at night?

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