Does my child need to see a doctor?

As a parent, yours concerns are valid because one should not ignore illness in a child. When your son or daughter is sick, deciding whether to take him or her to the doctor can be quite a dilemma — you want help when it's truly needed but you'd also like to avoid unnecessary trips to the doctor. Use the following guidelines to help you decide when your child should see a doctor:

If your child is a Newborn or is less than one year old:

Bring your baby for a medical evaluation if there is -

• Fever above 100.4 F (rectal) for babies up to one month old
• Fever above 101 F (rectal) for ages 3-6 months
• Fever above 104 F (rectal) for ages 6 months to 1 year
• Pain in the ear
• Difficulty swallowing
• Bulging of the fontanelle (the soft spot on a baby's head)
• Change in your child’s normal eating pattern
• Vomiting continuing for more than 8-12 hours
• White patches on the tongue or inside the mouth
• A pink eye

If your child is between the ages of 1-18 years:

Bring your child if there is:

• An episode of unconsciousness or near unconsciousness
• A seizure-like episode
• Pain in the ear
• Difficulty or trouble breathing
• Rash over their body in more than 1 or 2 areas
• Suspicion of a chemical ingestion
• Vomiting has been going on for several hours
• Vomiting or coughing up of blood or dark stuff
• Yellowness of the eyes or skin
• Severe stomach pain
• Pain when passing urine
• Presence of blood in the stool
• Discharge coming out of the eyes or ears

Conditions and illnesses that can be treated at home

You can treat your child's condition yourself in certain cases:

• Minor cuts, scrapes and rashes
• Common cold or flu
• Low-grade fever

What to do if you are still in doubt about what to do

The above guidelines don't cover every illness or condition your child might face. If you're still unsure regarding what you need to do, call our Urgent Care Professional at
(516) 938-1550. We could help you with the decision and we are available just a phone call away, all 7 days a week, every holiday, all 365 days a year at times when your doctor’s office may not be open.