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The return of the school year goes hand-in-hand with cold and flu season. But with COVID-19 in the mix, it can be difficult for parents to know where they should bring their child for care if they’re feeling unwell.

We spoke with Dr. Dilip Mehta, Director of the CIBC Just For Kids Clinic at St. Joseph’s Health Centre, about the different pediatric services available at St. Joseph’s and why he says parents should trust their instincts.


Primary care physician

If your child is unwell but is still walking around and asking to play, it’s a good sign they don’t need emergency care. Dr. Mehta says that if a child has a dedicated primary care physician, a call to their office is a good first step to discuss the health issue and navigate next steps.

“The wonderful thing about family doctors is that they really know the family,” says Dr. Mehta.

More info on St. Joseph’s Urban Family Health Team can be found here.


CIBC Just For Kids Clinic

The CIBC Just For Kids Clinic was established by Dr. Mehta over 20 years ago, and he says the original goal was to provide families with a pediatric walk-in clinic option after-hours and on weekends.

The clinic is available for all children, from newborns until a child’s 18th birthday, and is a back-up for when family doctors aren’t available. The clinic is a good place to bring your child when they have symptoms that aren’t significant enough to warrant a visit to the emergency department, such as a cough, fever or diarrhea, and you have been unable to access your child’s family physician in the community.

“We have 5 – 7 pediatricians on-call to the JFK clinic and the Emergency department each day and are here to provide service when community physicians are not available”, he says.

More info on the CIBC Just For Kids Clinic can be found here.

Emergency department

A visit to the emergency department would be appropriate if your child is having difficulty breathing or is dehydrated, or for an injury that needs stitches or casting.

“Generally, parents have good instincts,” says Dr. Mehta. “If your child is laying down, very lethargic… that’s a good sign they need emergency care.”  

St. Joseph’s emergency department is available for urgent, serious health issues and is open 24 hours, every day of the year. More info on St. Joseph’s Emergency Department can be found here.

COVID-19

If your child is experiencing minor cough and cold symptoms, Dr. Mehta recommends bypassing a family doctor or walk-in clinic appointment.  “Children only really need to seek medical attention if their symptoms are not minor,” says Dr. Mehta.

By: Jennifer Stranges