When Should I Take My Child to the Doctor or Emergency Room?

When should I take my child to the doctor or emergency room? It can be difficult to decide, especially when symptoms begin suddenly or your child cannot explain how they feel.

Mild symptoms can often be assessed by your child’s doctor. However, difficulty breathing, severe dehydration, seizures, poor responsiveness or rapidly worsening symptoms require immediate emergency care.

When Should I Take My Child to the Doctor or Emergency Room?

Contact your child’s doctor when symptoms are persistent, worsening or affecting their ability to eat, drink, sleep or participate in normal activities.

Go directly to the nearest emergency unit when your child appears severely unwell, is struggling to breathe, is difficult to wake or is deteriorating quickly.

Difficulty Breathing

Breathing difficulties should always be taken seriously.

Seek emergency care when your child:

• Is struggling or working hard to breathe

• Is breathing much faster than usual

• Has skin pulling in around the ribs

• Makes grunting or unusual breathing sounds

• Cannot feed, speak or cry comfortably

• Has blue, grey or unusually pale lips or skin

• Has pauses in their breathing

Do not wait for a routine appointment if your child is struggling to breathe.

Poor Feeding

Babies and children may eat less during a mild illness, but a significant change in feeding may require medical attention.

Contact your doctor when your baby is refusing feeds, drinking much less than usual or producing fewer wet nappies.

Seek urgent care when your baby is too sleepy or weak to feed, cannot keep fluids down or becomes breathless while feeding.

Lethargy

A child who is unwell may sleep more, but lethargy is different from ordinary tiredness.

• Warning signs include:

• Being unusually difficult to wake

• Appearing floppy or very weak

• Responding slowly to voices or touch

• Showing little interest in people or surroundings

• Not behaving normally when awake

A child who cannot be woken or is not responding normally needs immediate emergency care.

Dehydration

Vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and poor fluid intake can lead to dehydration.

Signs include:

• Fewer wet nappies or less frequent urination

• Dark urine

• A dry mouth or tongue

• Few or no tears when crying

• Sunken eyes

• Unusual sleepiness or irritability

Contact your doctor when your child is drinking less and showing early signs of dehydration.

Go to an emergency unit when your child cannot drink, repeatedly vomits all fluids, has not passed urine for many hours or is difficult to wake.

Persistent High Fever

A fever is generally a temperature of 38°C or higher. The temperature matters, but your child’s breathing, hydration and behaviour are equally important.

Contact a doctor urgently when:

• A baby younger than three months has a temperature of 38°C or higher

• A fever persists for several days

• The fever improves and then returns

• Your child is drinking poorly

• Your child has an existing medical condition

• Your child is not behaving normally

Seek emergency care when fever is accompanied by difficulty breathing, a seizure, a stiff neck, severe dehydration, confusion or a rash that does not fade when pressed.

Other Emergency Warning Signs

Take your child directly to an emergency unit when they:

• Have a first seizure

• Cannot be woken

• Develop a severe allergic reaction

• Have a non fading rash

• Have green vomit

• Have a serious head injury

• Swallow medication or a poisonous substance

• Experience uncontrolled bleeding

• Have rapidly worsening symptoms

When to Book a Doctor’s Appointment

Arrange a consultation when your child has:

• A persistent or recurring fever

• A worsening cough

• Ongoing vomiting or diarrhoea

• Reduced feeding or drinking

• Ear pain or a persistent sore throat

• Recurring infections

• Symptoms that are not improving

• A change in behaviour that concerns you

Parents should also trust their instincts. You know your child’s usual behaviour, energy and feeding patterns. Seek medical advice when something does not feel right.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Every Fever Require an Emergency Room Visit?

No. Many fevers can be assessed by a doctor. Emergency care is needed when fever is accompanied by breathing difficulty, a seizure, severe dehydration, confusion, a stiff neck or difficulty waking the child.

When Is Poor Feeding an Emergency?

Poor feeding becomes urgent when a baby is too weak or sleepy to drink, cannot keep fluids down, has very few wet nappies or struggles to breathe while feeding.

How Do I Know if My Child Is Dehydrated?

Look for reduced urination, a dry mouth, no tears, sunken eyes and unusual tiredness. Severe dehydration requires urgent medical care.

Should I Call the Doctor Before Going to an Emergency Room?

You may contact your doctor for mild or moderate symptoms. Do not delay emergency care when your child is struggling to breathe, having a seizure, cannot be woken or appears severely unwell.

Trust Your Instincts

When deciding when should I take my child to the doctor or emergency room, consider how your child is breathing, drinking, responding and behaving.

Contact your doctor when symptoms are persistent or concerning. Seek immediate emergency care when symptoms are severe, worsening quickly or affecting your child’s breathing or responsiveness.

Book a Paediatric Consultation

For the assessment of childhood illnesses, contact Dr Lerissa Pillay’s paediatric practice.

Disclaimer

This article provides general educational information and does not replace an individual medical assessment. Contact a qualified healthcare professional when you are concerned about your child and seek immediate emergency care for severe symptoms.