Awareness and First Aid

Learn when to call an ambulance for your child – and when to wait.

When your child gets sick, you want them treated and better as soon as possible. Sometimes this requires a simple home remedy, other times a visit to the doctor, and in an emergency, calling an ambulance is warranted. Victor Phooko, ER24 Upington Branch Manager, explains when to contact ER24 – and when not to.

When to wait

Child-related calls are often seasonal, explains Phooko. “In summer, we encounter gastro-related issues, which can lead to dehydration, and in winter, we deal mostly with colds and flu, which often lead to mild asthma attacks.”

Another common scenario is when parents panic after they’ve already seen a doctor. “Parents can be quick to call an ambulance immediately after a doctor’s consultation, before the prescribed medication has had time to take effect.”

Phooko points out that children are resilient and often recover quickly with appropriate medical intervention. That’s why it’s best to monitor your child’s condition after starting a new treatment before calling ER24 for an ambulance. Only make that call if their condition deteriorates.

Common childhood conditions

If it’s not an obvious emergency, such as a car accident or electrocution, monitor your child’s condition for 1-2 hours to see if the symptoms worsen, advises Phooko. He lists common conditions that don’t require an ambulance:

  • Scrapes and bruises
  • Coughing
  • Lack of appetite
  • Teething in babies 
  • Mouth sores. 

When it’s an emergency

In an emergency, ER24’s Emergency Resource Officers will ask the necessary questions to determine the level of the emergency. “This information will also assist them to dispatch an ambulance with the correct level of care, if required,” Phooko says.

If your child presents with any of these conditions, call ER24 for real help, real fast – or get to your nearest Mediclinic immediately:

  • High fever 
  • Seizures 
  • Drowning
  • Breathing difficulties, especially if the child is turning blue
  • Severe diarrhoea 
  • Serious falls where limbs appear deformed 
  • Burns.

Make the right decision

The Northern Cape is the largest province in South Africa, but it is sparsely populated. This means ambulances need to travel long distances to reach emergencies. Phooko says it’s crucial for parents to understand when a condition isn’t a life-or-death situation. “There could be a real emergency elsewhere where we need our ambulance and crew,” he says. “Using resources unnecessarily can affect another patient’s access to emergency medical care.”

Phooko also emphasises how important it is to stay calm if your child’s condition is an emergency. You must be able to provide the correct information to the ER24 Emergency Resource Officer. This will allow the dispatcher to send the appropriate level of care. It will also assist paramedics when they brief the receiving hospital about the patient.

Remember, never use an ER24 ambulance simply as a means of transport when you could have taken your child to a doctor in a private vehicle or via public transport.

Call ER24 on 084 124 for real help, real fast.