Just one of the dilemmas parents wrestle with – but an important one – is when to call a pediatrician if their child has a fever, diarrhea, stomach upset or just isn’t himself. Often, these issues resolve themselves, but tell that to a concerned parent! A good rule is, if you’re really worried, call. Here are some guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and WebMD to help you assess the situation.

Fever

Monitor your child’s fever – if it climbs near 105 degrees, it’s a medical emergency. If your child is younger than 3 months, call immediately if his rectal temperature is higher than 100.4, or he’s crying inconsolably, hard to awaken, has a convulsion or stiff neck, has purple spots on his skin, had difficulty breathing or swallowing or just looks or acts very sick. If your child is 3 months or older, call within 24 hours if your child is running a fever of less than 103 degrees; if burning or pain occurs with urination, or your child has a fever for 24 hours with no obvious cause. If the temperature is 103 or higher, call immediately.

Stomach Flu and Diarrhea

For stomach flu and diarrhea, call if there is blood in a stool or vomit, a fever of more than three days or abdominal pain. Call if your child has severe vomiting or if it lasts more than 24 hours or he has a headache accompanying a fever and vomiting. Vomiting and diarrhea can cause dehydration; call your doctor if your child has dry lips, no tears when he cries, is wetting fewer diapers or goes for six hours with a dry diaper, or has lethargy.

Coughs, Colds, Sore Throat

For coughs and colds, call if coughs are constant, if your child has labored breathing, if coughing causes vomiting, if coughing keeps your child up at night or if coughing lasts more than two weeks. For colds, call a doctor if they last more than two weeks, cause breathing problems or are associated with a fever lasting longer than three days. A sore throat is common in kids, and usually is not strep throat. Don’t go to the doctor at the first sign of a sore throat, but wait to assess the situation: If it’s strep, your child will have a fever for three days or more and an extremely red throat, but no cold-related symptoms such as coughing and runny nose.

Earaches

Ear infections are common in young children and sometimes resolve themselves. Call a doctor if your child has sudden hearing loss, severe pain or dizziness, has a high fever and stiff neck, if you see swelling or redness around his ear, if treatment over several hours has no effect or the condition worsens, or your child with an ear tube develops an earache or has drainage from the ear.

Rashes

For rashes, call if your child is bothered by the rash, if it doesn’t improve in two to three days, if the rash looks like bruises and does not lighten in color when you press on it, or if the rash is accompanied by a fever.

Injuries

Call your doctor if your child has swelling after an injury or fall or loses consciousness during or after an injury. For head injuries, anything more than a mild bump should be investigated. Deep or large cuts and burns also need immediate attention.

Recent Posts