Urgent symptoms
Clear, practical information for your next step.
Topics to discuss
- A baby 3 months old or younger with a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
- Trouble breathing, very fast breathing, or lips or face turning blue
- A seizure, or a child who is very hard to wake or does not respond
- Signs of dehydration, such as no urine in 8 hours, no tears, or a very dry mouth
- Swelling of the face, lips, or throat after a food, sting, medicine, or vaccine
- A stiff neck with fever, or a serious head injury
- A rash that does not fade when a clear glass is pressed on it, especially with fever. Do not wait for a rash if your child is seriously unwell.
- For any of these, call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room.
Choosing the next step
Use the warning signs above to decide when emergency help is needed. This page cannot check your symptoms or tell you that it is safe to wait. If symptoms are severe, sudden, or getting worse quickly, seek urgent medical help. A routine appointment request is not an emergency service, and a message may not be read right away.
For a life-threatening emergency, call 911. Do not drive yourself if you feel faint, confused, or unable to travel safely. If possible, have someone stay with you while help arrives. Bring your medicine list and allergy information if they are easy to reach, but do not delay emergency care to collect records.
Content approved by Viva Centers
Sources
- Well-Child Care: A Check-Up for Success — American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- Bright Futures — American Academy of Pediatrics
- Well-child visits — MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Childhood Immunization — MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Fever and Your Baby — American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- Teen Health — MedlinePlus (NIH)
- Meningitis: emergency signs — NHS