How Urgent Are My Child's Symptoms?
The following conditions REQUIRE IMMEDIATE CARE and the child should be taken IMMEDIATELY TO THE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM:
- These reasons include, but are not limited to the following:
- Difficulty breathing (e.g. choking, stopped breathing, weak breathing, stridor, cyanosis, or other signs of respiratory distress.
- Possible anaphylaxis (difficulty breathing or swallowing following medicine, bee sting, food, or other possible allergen).
- Severe bleeding (active), which cannot be controlled with direct pressure for a few minutes
- Neurological symptoms (e.g. seizure, loss of consciousness, hard to awaken, confusion, altered mental status, stiff neck).
- Poisoning, ingestion, drug overdose.
- Foreign body – in the airway (choking) or swallowed.
- Trauma to the neck or eye.
- Electric shock.
- Near drowning.
- Suicide – threats or attempts.
The following conditions typically require "same day" treatment. Parents should either schedule an appointment, or use walk-in care for the following symptoms/conditions:
- Trauma other than neck or eye.
- Asthma, wheezing, or croup with no difficulty breathing.
- Foreign body – ear, nose, or vagina.
- Minor bleeding (active) including blood in vomit or stool.
- Bites (e.g. animal, snake, spider, marine animal, bee, yellow jacket – not insects or ticks.)
- Child older than 2 months of age with fever over 105° F.
- Infant less than 2 months of age with fever over 100.4°F.
- Severe pain, especially abdomen, head, or chest.
- Possible dehydration.
- Purple or blood colored rash.
- Heat exhaustion or stroke.
- Hypothermia.
- Psycho-social emergencies (sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence.)