When to Call Doctor When Child is Ill

During cold and flu season concerned mothers and fathers need to know when to call the doctor when a child is ill, a U.S. physician says.

Parents want to know how to make their youngsters feel better, and how to tell the difference between a simple cold or flu virus, versus a serious illness that requires emergency medical attention, Dr. Linda Lawrence, president of the American College of Emergency Physicians, said in a statement.

Lawrence says parents should call a doctor if the child has serious cough or fever symptoms that get worse — or get better then suddenly worsen — or if the child exhibits any of the following: severe dehydration; fast or difficult breathing; bluish skin, or gray for darker complexions; not awakening or interacting; fever greater than 102 Fahrenheit for more than a few days, or fever accompanied by a rash; a cough that produces discolored mucus; or in infants, extreme irritability and aversion to being held.

Symptoms that warrant immediate medical attention include: a stiff and painful neck with severe, persistent headache; confusion and possible vomiting; seizures, or a severe earache.