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ER Doc+Mom | Baby-Proofing + CPR Training

@drdarria

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🩺 Learn to prevent & handle emergencies in our courses
👩‍⚕️Board-certified ER Doc + Prof; CPR instructor
🎥On Babycenter, CNN, NBC, Netflix
Rep: @wme

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Choking - every parent’s fear— AND something that you CAN (and must) respond to immediately. This is one of those moments that there is NOT time to wait for EMS.

And yet - it can be confusing to remember the technique for each age.

So - here’s your quick refresher - SAVE and SHARE this!
-Infants (<1): 5 back blows, 5 chest thrusts (NOTE: I am using the HEEL of my hand here for chest thrusts. The AHA changed that this past October - it used to be 2 fingers, but is now the heel of the hand. It’s not as hard as you do for “back blows”, but the same part of the hand.
- Children (>1) and adults: 5 back blows, 5 abdominal thrust (previously known as “Heimlich”).

Comment GUIDE if you’d like our printable “Choking + Poisoning Hazards List” that you can print + post / screenshot and share with anyone who cares for your little.

If you’d like to learn more, check out our fully virtual CPR, Choking, and Drowning course at nopanicparenting.com/courses - NOW newly available as a subscription option! (or a one-time purchase - whatever you’d prefer to make this easier for you).

Because when you know what to do, you don’t panic - you HANDLE it.

In health,
Dr. Darria taken in Atlanta, Georgia by @drdarria

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5 months ago

A fever in littles can be scary. What do you do? When do you treat?

FACT: You do NOT need to treat every fever! A fever is the body’s natural reaction to an infection + a sign that immune cells are at work.

So, we say, we treat the CHILD - not the NUMBER.

What does that mean? If kiddo is running around, playing, drinking fluids and just doesn’t really seem bothered, we can often just let their body do its thing.

We treat when:
-Kiddo is really miserable (because fevers can make you just feel like crap + bringing that temp down can take a child from just lying around to acting like their normal rambunctious self).
-Refusing to drink fluids. A fever increases fluid loss, and can make children also just not even feel well enough to want to drink fluids, both of which increase their risk of dehydration
-If they have pain (like from a sore throat / ear ache), the fever reducer will also help with that pain.

What are the 🚩🚩 when to get them checked out? Similarly, the number matters less - if your child exhibits any of these signs, you want them to get checked out (regardless of the level of fever)
-Age: Younger than 3 months old and has a temp > 100.4
-Symptoms: Have difficulty breathing, seizures, an unusual rash, stiff neck
-Behavior: They’re lethargic / way more tired than normal (even after fever medications brought down their fever - if they’re still behaving this way, definitely want to get them checked), inconsolably crying, or “just not themselves” (which is a mama gut feeling / my 6th vital sign!)
-Timing: A fever that doesn’t improve after 3-5 days (or fevers that keep coming back)
-Some numbers: if < 3 months and T > 100.4. If 3-36 months, and temp > 100.4 for > 3 days, or if their T > 102. Or, older children with an oral or rectal temp of 104 or higher
-Medical history: If your child has chronic medical problems
-Your gut telling you something is wrong. When a parent says “I know my child and they’re just not behaving like themselves”, that’s my 6th vital sign. If you’re feeling that way, come see us

Comment DOSING below and I’ll DM you my guide for dosing pain/fever meds -LMK what Qs you have!

#emergencymedicine #fever #infantfever #doctor taken in Atlanta, Georgia by @drdarria

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3 years ago

THIS is why doctors don’t like phrases like “dry drowning” and “secondary drowning” - but hasn’t been explained well. Please watch + share bc HERE is what ER doctors want parents to know.

If a child falls into water and developed any of these signs in the next 6-8 hours, have them seen by a doctor.
- Significant or worsening cough - anything worse than just “drinking something that went down the wrong tube”, that’s distressed, where they vomit or are coughing up liquids or can’t get a breath, that doesn’t get better in minutes, or that gets worse
- Blue lips/ blue around the lips or grey/white lips or gums (or around eyes) in people of color
- Vomiting
- Mental status changes - ie they’re acting lethargic, not responding how you’d normally expect, or just not acting like themselves. (ie: this is the parent who says “I know my child, and he’s not right” - THAT is the 6th vital sign, in the peds ER).
- Any signs of difficulty breathing - gasping, breathing quickly, flared nostrils, or retractions around their chest or neck. Or (if the child is old enough to tell you), a feeling that they’re having trouble breathing.
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Remember - most kids who fall in, come up, sputter a little and are immediately FINE, WILL BE FINE long-term.
And - statistically - even those with one of the symptoms above who are seen by a doctor, will be OK - but they need to be evaluated and may need some medical care.

If you have questions about what to do if the child is NOT breathing or unresponsive, comment POST and I’ll send you to that post

#summer #summersafety #childsafety #watersafety #emergencymedicine #doctor
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NO ADVICE: This resource contains general information about medical conditions and treatments for educational and entertainment purposes, and is not a substitute for hands-on training by a certified professional. The information is not advice and should not be treated as such. If experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 and seek immediate medical assistance from a healthcare professional. taken in Atlanta, Georgia by @drdarria

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2 years ago

Parenting can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! 💛

Join us this Tuesday, October 20, as we welcome Dr. Darria to Peachtree MomCo for “No Panic Parenting.” @drdarria

We can’t wait to learn together and see you there!

📍 Peachtree Church | 9:30–11:30 AM taken in Peachtree Church by @drdarria

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11 hours ago

As an ER doctor and a mom of 3, I know how important it is to protect the people we love. ❤️

My bottom line on the flu shot? Just get the shot.

Watch my video from September 29 for more on why it matters! 🎥

#FluShot #FluSeason #FluPrevention #ERDoctor #ParentingTips by @drdarria

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4 days ago

What’s actually happening when you have a PVC that causes palpitations? Here’s how I explain them to my patients.

Palpitations can feel TERRIBLE and be so scary - and as a patient who developed life-threatening ones myself a few years back, I GET it - and I do everything I can to help my patients - and you - understand what’s going on, and what to do about it.

Double-tap and follow if this is helpful so that you don’t miss any upcoming info

#pvcs #palpatations #emergency #emergencymedicine #doctor by @drdarria

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10 days ago

The human brain can go 4 to 6 minutes without oxygen.
EMS averages 7 to 10 minutes to arrive. That gap is why I teach this.

Too often in the ER I thought, “If l’d taught this family two days ago...” So I built the course I wish every parent had.

Infant = 2 fingers. Child = 1 hand. Adult = 2 hands.

Comment CPRPRINT and I’Il DM you the free infant-CPR printable I use to teach.

Save this and share with one parent.
— Dr. D by @drdarria

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11 days ago

and here we are, worrying that robots may replace doctors and nurses... 😂 #doctor by @drdarria

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12 days ago

Thank you, Dr. Ryan Stanton, President-Elect of the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP), for putting together such an inspiring ACEP 2026 conference! 🤩

Always a great reminder that there’s so much to learn, so many new people to meet, and so many ways to be inspired beyond the ER. 🩺✨

@drdarria @acepnation #emergencymedicine #doctor #premed

hey look ma, we made it! 🤩

Lessons from an unexpected Olympic journey ✨

OK, but actually, where can we all get this jersey? 🤩 #er #911

Stunning venue! 🤩

Family🤍

When in doubt, always tell yourself: I don’t know how, but I will ✨🫶🏼

I’m not crying, you’re crying 🥹 what an incredible moments to speak with Dr. Anil Manon, a fellow ER doctor, from space 👏🏼🌌✨

The future of medicine is cute 😍 @gorovexofficial

Vibes 🕺

Baddies

I could get used to this place 😍

I stand by my skincare routine #giftedbylarocheposayusa @larocheposayusa 🫶🏼 #glowing taken in Chicago, Illinois by @drdarria

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13 days ago

Norovirus (that nasty stomach bug causing 🤮, and all sorts of stomach upset that can sweep through the house) is just starting to rise - it tends to increase through the winter and peak in Feb/March, so save this info.

You give your child medicine, and they throw it up - what do you do? Do you give more? Skip the dose? Here’s what I tell my patients.

Comment GUIDE and I’ll send my Pain + Fever Quick Guide (including medication dosing log), to help you keep it all straight!

#medication #childsafety #infantsafety #parenttips #doctortips by @drdarria

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18 days ago

#ad | I’m a Medical Advisor to Hiya Health.

FINALLY — a great multivitamin designed specifically for teens! Thank you, Hiya Health, for launching this one just in time for my own house. 🙌
One important reminder: a multivitamin is backup, not a replacement for a healthy diet. I think of it like nutritional spackle — helping fill some of the cracks while we keep fighting the good fight of getting our teens to eat the actual food.
Now, about two nutrients you won’t find in meaningful doses here: calcium and iron. That’s something I actually like, because these are nutrients where I don’t necessarily want every teen getting the same blanket supplemental dose.
1. CALCIUM: Kids and teens ages 9–18 need 1,300 mg/day. That is a LOT of calcium to physically fit into a multivitamin this size, so multivitamins generally aren’t where teens will get their full calcium needs. Food comes first; if your teen isn’t getting enough, talk with their pediatrician about whether targeted supplementation makes sense.
2. IRON: Iron needs vary significantly with age, sex, menstruation, diet, and the individual child. And more is definitely not always better: too much supplemental iron can be harmful and iron overdose can be dangerous. So if you’re concerned your teen may need additional iron, I prefer discussing that specifically with their pediatrician rather than automatically adding a high dose to every teen’s daily multivitamin.
Bottom line: food first, multivitamin as backup, targeted supplementation when your individual child actually needs it. by @drdarria

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