Kids' Health Cold & Flu When to Take Your Sick Child to the Doctor By Kristina Duda, RN facebook twitter linkedin Kristina Duda, BSN, RN, CPN, has been working in healthcare since 2002. She specializes in pediatrics and disease and infection prevention. Learn about our editorial process Kristina Duda, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Jonathan B. Jassey, DO on April 15, 2020 facebook Jonathan B. Jassey, DO, is board-certified in pediatrics. He has been in private practice at Bellmore Merrick Medical in New York since 2007 and is the co-author of "The Newborn Sleep Book." Learn about our Medical Review Board Jonathan B. Jassey, DO Updated on May 04, 2020 Print Table of Contents View All Table of Contents Overview Fever Flu Shots/Other Vaccinations Home Care Especially during cold and flu season, it may be hard to determine when you and your sick child should stay home and when you should go see your pediatrician. Parents should always seek professional care when concerned with their child’s health, however, or if they have any unanswered health-related questions. Verywell / Brianna Gilmartin Overview A simple phone call to a nurse or an appointment with a doctor can help ease a parent’s mind if something just doesn’t seem right. You should seek medical care if your child is experiencing: High or persistent feverAny breathing problems, such as fast, labored, or noisy breathing from the chestPersistent pain, such as an earache, sore throat, severe headache, or stomach acheEye discharge that is thick, sticks the eyelids shut, and doesn’t get better during the day Additionally, you may need to have your child seen for: Frequent vomiting or diarrhea, not being able to keep down enough liquids to produce urine at least once every six to eight hours, or dehydration (severe dehydration needs to be treated in the emergency room)Vomit or diarrhea that contains bloodA stiff neck, extreme lack of energy, or illness seems to be getting worse rather than staying the same for more than four to five daysExposure to a contagious illness, such as mono, influenza, chickenpox, or has traveled out of the country recentlyUrinary problems, as those may indicate an infection, or in some cases, diabetes Fever It’s important to pay attention to how a child is acting with a temperature. If the child has a high fever but is playful and active, the illness may be less concerning. Paying close attention to a child’s respiratory symptoms is also important, as fast or labored breathing may signal that the child has a serious illness. Children’s fevers may reach different heights (some tend to run high whenever they’re sick, while others rarely have high temperatures), so it is important to pay attention to how a child is acting and eating/drinking. For newborns (under two months), any fever over 100.4 F can be concerning and requires evaluation. For children three months to one year, a fever higher than 102 F can be worrisome. In general, there isn’t a set cutoff number for children’s fevers, but the symptoms occurring alongside the fever are very significant. Flu Shots and Other Vaccinations It is important for children aged 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine. Not only does it protect them from serious complications of the flu, but by preventing young children from getting sick, they will be less likely to spread the disease to people with relatively poor immune systems, such as infants or the elderly. In addition, children under 2 years of age are at risk for hospitalization from problems associated with the flu, such as pneumonia. Another option is the nasal flu spray vaccine, which may be used for children age 2 years and older who do not have asthma. To reduce distress while the vaccine is being given, distraction works well (singing a song or watching a video). Try numbing the spot ahead of time—ask your doctor about where to apply a freezing spray, ice pack, or lidocaine cream and make sure the cream has enough time to work. Older children may also appreciate it if a parent gets a shot with them. Home Care Make sure your child gets plenty of fluids and rest. Before giving your child any medication, be sure to talk with your pediatrician about the best treatment for your child’s ailments. You should not give younger children medications meant for older kids or adults. Dosage is important, so read labels carefully. Although schools and child care centers may have their own rules, it is common for them to require the following before a child can return to the setting: No fever over 100.4 for 24 hoursNo vomiting and/or diarrhea for 24 hoursOn antibiotics for 24 hours if they were prescribed If a child is uncomfortable, tired, or in a great deal of pain, they are better recuperating at home. Children with a high or persistent fever, excessive fatigue, rashes which could be contagious, difficulty breathing, frequent cough, thick eye discharge, dehydration, or repeated episodes of vomiting or diarrhea should seek medical advice before returning to school. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. Colds in children. Paediatr Child Health. 2005;10(8):493‐495. doi:10.1093/pch/10.8.493 Cleveland Clinic. Nausea & vomiting: when to call the doctor. Updated July 23, 2019. NIH MedlinePlus. When your baby or infant has a fever. Updated October 18, 2017. American Academy of Pediatrics. The flu. Updated September 2, 2019. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV)/nasal spray vaccine. Updated November 7, 2019. American Academy of Pediatrics. Tear-free vaccination tips. Updated November 12, 2019. American Academy of Pediatrics. Caring for your child's cold or flu. Updated April 19, 2019.