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Knowing the right time to contact your pediatrician could save your child’s life.
Is it more
than just a cough?
PEDIATRICS
Sawyer enjoyed his first
birthday thanks to the fast-
acting care provided by his
pediatrician.
Denis Manuel Diaz, MD
Coughing,
fevers, runny noses
and upset stomachs are all part of
raising a child. And so is knowing
the right time to contact your
pediatrician.
Devon Blackman, of Tavares, didn’t
imagine she would be taking her son,
Sawyer, to the hospital just a few
short days after he showed signs of a
fever.
“His fever started on a Thursday
evening, and then he progressively
got sick throughout the weekend,”
Devon says. “His breathing was just
scary. There was a lot of wheezing and
shortness of breath, and he was really
frustrated and just uncomfortable.
You could tell something was wrong.”
Devon and her husband, Taylor,
called their pediatrician, Denis
Manuel Diaz, MD, who was already
very familiar with their 1-year-old son.
Trust your instincts
Dr. Diaz recommends that parents
reach out to their pediatrician when
children are experiencing symptoms
that can be considered out of the
ordinary.
“As a parent, you know your child
better than anyone, and you are the
best judge of when a situation has
escalated beyond the common cold or cough,” Dr. Diaz
says. “With that being said, there are some signs you
should never ignore, such as a high fever, clear signs of
dehydration or a severe cough.”
This wasn’t the first time the Blackmans turned to
Dr. Diaz for help. Sawyer was born nearly five weeks
prematurely and experienced a severe case of bronchiolitis
when he was only four months old.
“Not all premature babies
experience complications, but in cases
where the respiratory system did not
fully develop, it is not uncommon
that they will experience reoccurring
breathing issues,” Dr. Diaz says.
As instructed by Dr. Diaz, the
Blackmans performed in-home
breathing treatments before taking a
more aggressive approach. After several
hours with little to no relief, the
Blackmans again called Dr. Diaz and
he instructed them to come straight to
his office Monday morning. “We were
probably only there a couple hours
before Sawyer was admitted to the
hospital,” Devon says.
Once at Florida Hospital Waterman,
Sawyer was able to get settled and his
parents were finally able to get some
peace of mind.
“The nursing staff was amazing, and honestly it was a
relief just to have some help,” Devon says. “Sawyer is such
a ham, and when I woke up during one of his breathing
treatments at 3 a.m. and the nurses had him giggling and
laughing, I knew everything was going to be OK.”
In addition to the trouble breathing, Sawyer was having
an eczema outbreak that had left him with a rash covering
his entire body.
“Studies have shown a link between eczema and
respiratory issues,” says Dr. Diaz. “In Sawyer’s case, his
parents now know that the two go hand in hand and that
when both are present, it is a clear red flag.”
After Sawyer was released from the hospital, preventive
breathing treatments became a regular part of life for the
Blackman family to avoid a trip back to the hospital.
“We are thankful to know that if another episode occurs,
Sawyer will have the support and attention he needs at any
hour of the day or night, even on the weekend,” Devon
says.