Right Care, Right Place: Where to Turn When Your Child Is Sick
Published on in Health Tip of the Week
Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) is dedicated to ensuring your child receives the best care possible. Your primary care provider is always the first line of care for your child. The CHOP Care Network provides many ways to seek medical care for your child when your pediatrician's office is closed. The following information can help you determine the best place to seek care when your child is sick or injured. Making thoughtful choices about where to seek care can help emergency rooms stay ready for families who need them most.
Your Primary Care Office
Most of the following symptoms can be managed at home or with a call to your pediatrician, who can help you determine the right place to seek care. They may schedule a sick visit, recommend a telehealth appointment or refer you to the Emergency Department (ED).
- Allergic reactions (mild)
- Allergies
- Burns (minor)
- Colds
- Colic
- Constipation
- Cough
- Dizziness
- Dog bites (minor)
- Ear infection
- Fever lasting longer than 2-3 days
Older than 2 months, otherwise well
- Head injury (minor)
- Insect bite
- Nausea/Vomiting
- Rash
- Stomach pain (mild)
Don’t forget: you are the best judge of your child’s needs. If your child has alarming symptoms or is in pain, don’t hesitate to seek emergency care.
Use this symptom checker for help determining how serious your child’s symptoms are, if a visit to the doctor is needed, and what steps you can take to relieve symptoms at home.
Watch this helpful video for more about managing your child’s fever.
Urgent Care Center
The following ailments can also be managed by your pediatrician during normal office hours. If you need immediate assistance after hours, call your pediatrician’s office to speak to an after-hours nurse. If care can’t wait until your pediatrician’s office reopens, find an Urgent Care center near you for any of these symptoms:
- Allergic reactions (mild)
- Allergies
- Arm and leg injuries (minor)
Skin intact and shape normal - Asthma attack (minor)
- Congestion (severe)
- Cuts and burns (minor)
- Ear pain
- Fainting
Acting normal
- Head injuries (minor)
- Pink eye
- Sore throat
- Urinary infection
Emergency Care
For these or other serious or life-threatening situations, go to the Emergency Department (ED) right away.
- Allergic reactions (severe, anaphylaxis)
- Asthma attack (severe)
- Breathing trouble
- Broken bone
Abnormal shape or torn skin - Burns or cuts (severe)
- Chest pain (severe)
- Dehydration
- Eye emergency (severe)
- Facial injury (severe)
- Fainting
With abnormal behavior - Fever over 100.4°Child younger than 2 months or with underlying conditions
- Headache (severe, prolonged)
- Head injury (severe)
- Psychiatric emergency
- Seizure
- Stomach pain (severe)
Want to print this out and save it for quick reference? Download a print-friendly flyer here.
CHOP Doctors are Closer Than You Think
Did you know that CHOP doctors are on staff in the emergency departments and inpatient pediatric units at several community hospitals throughout the region? Kids have even more options to access the expert pediatric care they need, closer to their homes! See locations near you.
Poisonings/ Swallowed Objects
Call the Poison Control Center hosted at CHOP at 1-800-222-1222, and a specially trained nurse or pharmacist will assist you. This free hotline is available 24/7. *IMPORTANT: If you think your child swallowed a button battery, go to an emergency room right away.
COVID-19 Testing
For COVID-19 testing for your child, use the retail or public health sites in your community. CHOP also has dedicated COVID-19 testing sites. You can make an appointment for a COVID-19 test here. This helps free up space in the ED for serious medical emergencies.
For more COVID-19 testing resources, call the Greater Philadelphia Coronavirus Helpline at 800-722-7112.
Contributed by: Lisa Biggs, MD, Ron Keren, MD, MPH
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