Paediatric and Adolescent Emergency Department

When your child gets ill, always call the following number first: 02 313 1420. Our telephone counselling professionals provide help in questions connected with your child’s health and in assessing the urgency of treatment.

We use a callback system at our emergency department: this means that callers leave a request to call them back. Waiting in the phone counselling queue slows down making contact.

There may be a callback delay at rush times and during the night.

In our waiting area, you can find books, toys, television and a microwave oven for heating up children’s food. 

Patients requiring isolation (e.g. stomach ailments or chickenpox) must not use the common waiting area.

Due to the limits on our facilities, we appreciate a child / young person having only one person escorting him/her.

Hospital clowns entertain your children at the emergency department.

In addition to the emergency department located at the children’s clinic, the Salo Hospital's emergency centre still serves families with children round the clock.

The emergency centres in Loimaa and Vakka-Suomi are open to the public daily until 20:00.

If coming to the emergency department by car, we recommend using parking garages 1 or 2 (buildings 17 and 23 on the area map).

Usually a child with an infection can be treated at home. Please make sure you have these at home:

• A thermometer
• Paracetamol (solution, tablet, oral preparation)
• Ibuprofen (solution, tablet) OR naproxen (solution)
• Diarrhoea replacement liquid (Osmosal/Floridral)
• Plasters
• Skin cleanser

Fever is a sign of an inflammatory reaction in the body, usually caused by viruses or bacteria.

In a resting child, the limit for fever is considered to be 38.0°C.  Fever is very rarely dangerous for the child.  It is often tiring but does not cause injury.

In viral infections, the fever often lasts three to six days, but can even last longer.  Three days is therefore not the limit for seeking medical attention: rather, the main criterion is the general well-being of the child.

Fever medications

• primarily oral usage for children of all ages
• Paracetamol (e.g. Panadol, Pamol F) 15 mg/kg 3–4times daily
• Ibuprofen (e.g. Burana) 10mg/kg three times daily OR naproxen (e.g. Pronaxen) 5 mg/kg two times daily (Ibuprofen and Naproxen must NOT be used at the same time).

Please remember

• Light clothing
• Plenty of liquids
• Rest
  • however, the child is allowed to be mobile, calmly play and go outdoors in accordance with how s/he feels;
  • the baby can take a nap outside during the day, as long as s/he has adequate clothing.

• A child under three months of age develops a fever (over 38 °C)
• A child with fever has earache, urinary problems, severe headache or stomach pains
• A feverish child who is confused or otherwise abnormal
• A child with fever develops bruises or red spots a few millimeters in diameter on the skin
• A feverish child limps or develops swelling in a joint
• A feverish child drinks exceptional amounts of liquids and urinates frequently 
• A child with fever has bloody diarrhoea
• The cause of the fever is unclear
• The fever lasts for over a week
• The child has feverish episodes at three to four week intervals, without other symptoms

Call 02 313 1420

Vomiting and diarrhoea in a child is most often the result of intestinal infection caused by a virus. The illness normally heals by itself in two to five days. Frequently vomiting and diarrhoeal disease are also linked with fever.

Adequate liquids

The most important thing during a period of diarrhoea and gastroenteritis is that the child is given sufficient liquids (water, mild juice, juice soup). Small amounts of carbohydrate-rich food can be offered (e.g. fruit and berry purees).

Replacement solution

in order to prevent dehydration, it is advisable to start the administration of the replacement solution (Floridral, Osmosal) as soon as possible after the onset of the disease.  The solution dosage should follow the instructions on the package.

Probiotic preparations

Probiotic preparations (lactic acid bacteria) can be used alongside the replacement solution.

Paracetamol

Oral dosage of paracetamol is primarily recommended as a treatment for fever. A suppository can be considered in the case of a young child vomiting considerably.

• Always in the case of a child under six months of age
• A diarrhoeal and vomiting child under one year of age
• If the child is in poor condition
• If diarrhoeal blood is found
• If home care is unsuccessful
• If severe stomach pain is connected with diarrhoea
• If the child’s vomiting is very strong.

Call 02 313 1420