Guide to Seeking Care for Your 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.

What care should I seek for my 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)
• Virtual Visit (available at IU Health for children 2 years and older)
• Emergency (Call 911 or get to an emergency department)

Symptom Guide for Children

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

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

View or download a PDF version of this guide below: