Guide to Seeking Care for Your Child

Review our symptom guide to help determine if primary care, urgent care, virtual care or emergency care is the appropriate option for your child.

What care should I seek for my child?

If your child does get sick, whether respiratory or another illness, or is hurt, it’s important to know when to seek emergency care, urgent care, a primary care appointment with your pediatrician or a virtual visit.

For nonemergency situations, parents should call their pediatrician’s office to discuss the child’s needs. Pediatricians have the expertise to help decide the best care choice for your child.

For help answering if your child’s need is a medical emergency or not, please review our symptom guide below. This guide helps families determine which care option may be appropriate for you:

Primary Care
Urgent Care (available at IU Health for children 3 months and up)
On-Demand Virtual Visits (available at IU Health for children 2 years and older)
Emergency (Call 911 or get to an emergency department)

Always seek the appropriate care at a facility that works for you and your family.

Symptom Guide for Children

Symptom	Primary Care	Urgent Care	On-Demand Virtual Visits	Emergency Care
Allergic reaction where it's hard to breathe				✓
Allergies	✓	✓	✓
Asthma attack: inhalers working some	✓	✓
Asthma attack: inhalers no help, trouble breathing				✓
Bladder infection (UTI)	✓	✓	✓
Broken bones - suspected		✓		✓
Burns - minor	✓	✓	✓
Burns - severe				✓
Chest pain				✓
Constipation	✓	✓	✓
Cough with stuffy or runny nose, like a cold	✓	✓	✓
Coughing or throwing up blood				✓
COVID-19 test	✓	✓
Cuts - minor	✓	✓	✓
Cuts that are deep or bleeding that won't stop				✓
Dehydration - no tears, dry mouth, less urination				✓
Dizziness or vertigo	✓	✓	✓
Ear pain or suspected infection	✓	✓
Eye pain or suspected infection	✓	✓	✓
Fever - above 100.4°F, not controlled by medicine	✓	✓	✓
Fever - above 100.4°F for at least 3 days	✓	✓		✓
Fever - above 100.4°F and less than 3 months old				✓
Flu-like symptoms, such as fever, achy body, cough	✓	✓	✓
Headache	✓	✓	✓
Headache - severe				✓
Insect stings and bites	✓	✓	✓
Passing out or blacking out				✓
Poisoning				✓
Rashes and other minor skin problems	✓	✓	✓
Rashes - redness stays when skin pulled tight		✓		✓
Seizures				✓
Sinus infections	✓	✓	✓
Snake bites				✓
Sore throat, suspected strep throat	✓	✓	✓
Sports physicals	✓	✓
Sprains	✓	✓	✓
Stomach pain - minor, throwing up, loose stools	✓	✓	✓
Stomach pain - severe				✓
Trauma or very bad injury				✓
Trouble breathing				✓
Vomiting	✓	✓	✓