Pediatric Medical Emergencies: A Complete Parent’s Guide to Child Health Concerns (2025)

Would you believe that 71% of parents admit to feeling panicked when their child has a high fever? I’ve been there too! As a healthcare professional and parent, I remember the first time my daughter’s temperature hit 103°F – it was terrifying! But here’s the good news: understanding what constitutes a true medical emergency can help you make confident decisions about your child’s care.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk through everything you need to know about common pediatric medical concerns, backed by insights from leading emergency pediatricians. If you have questions, always call the pediatrician.

Medical emergencies can happen fast, but let’s walk through the basics, and turn that panic into preparedness!

Use this link for a quick and easy first aid guide and checklist https://justaskjennp.com/first-aid-guide-printable/

Understanding and Managing Childhood Fevers

• Age-based fever guidelines (what temperature is concerning)
  • A fever is technically any number over 100.4F. Personally, I don’t usually worry a lot about that number, I care about how the child looks- Are they alert? Interactive? Does the fever respond to medicine? Can they hydrate?
  • A baby under 2 months old will need to be seen at the emergency room for any fever over 100.4. 
• Different types of thermometers and proper usage
  • Rectal- important for the newborns. Don’t forget to lube it with vaseline!
  • Oral- Not always reliable and difficult to get a child to comply properly. (It’s hard to keep your mouth closed when you can’t breathe through your nose!)
  • Ear- my preferred route of taking a temperature. Keep in mind that one ear may be warmer than the other in the case of an ear infection.
  • Forehead- not the most reliable, I have a hard time trusting these ones. You might as well feel your child’s head to know if there is a fever or not. 
• Safe fever reduction methods at home
  • Light-weight clothing with layers
  • Applying a damp washcloth to the forehead
  • Ibuprofen or Tylenol (keep track of your dosing of each)
  • Warm bath- not too hot or cool
• Fever-related seizures: causes and response
  • Some little ones can have a febrile seizure. So scary! Keep calm, keep the child safe and time the duration of the seizure.
  • Manage the fever, bring down the temperature. 
  • Call your pediatrician. Usually you don’t need to go to the office or the emergency room, but they will give you guidance on moving forward.
  • Most children don’t have more seizures as they get older, but be vigilant. 
• Common fever-causing illnesses
  • Most viruses (especially the Flu), strep throat
• When fever requires immediate medical attention
  • If your child is dehydrated- no wet diapers in 9 hours
  • Lethargic- not responding as typical when talking to him or her
  • Inconsolable- not able to be consoled in any usual way
  • Not responding to medication
  • Fever lasting past day #5

Recognizing Serious Illness Symptoms

• Changes in breathing patterns and respiratory distress
  • Fast breathing (panting like a puppy), over 60 breaths per minute
  • Belly breathing, or retractions when they are breathing really hard and using extra muscles to get a breath
  • Noisy breathing- wheezing will sound like a high pitched whistle
    • Croup will cause your little one to sound like a seal when they cough, or cause a hoarse voice
• Signs of dehydration by age group
  • Babies- diaper count, anything fewer than one diaper every 6-9 hours depending on the age is an emergency
  • Toddlers- dry lips, no tears when they cry, hoarse voice
  • Older kids- headache or dizziness
• Mental status changes and lethargy
  • Most illnesses will cause your child to be sleepy and fussy with complaints of not feeling well. When your child starts making no sense, or they seem “off” to you as the parent, follow your instinct. “Mother’s intuition” is usually right!
• Severe pain indicators in non-verbal children
  • Fussiness, sleep disruptions, guarding an area on their body, or watching for signs like tugging on their ears
• Unusual rashes and skin changes
  • Skin can be so confusing! Many viruses will develop a rash along with it (Hand Foot and Mouth, Chickenpox…). My thought is, does the rash bother your child, or just you when you look at it? If the rash is not associated with other concerns (joint swelling, open sores, severe itching, breathing concerns) then oftentimes it is benign and will go away on its own. 
  • Any rashes that don’t blanch (turn white when you press on them) needs to be checked out by a provider. 
• Critical changes in eating and drinking patterns
  • When most kiddos are sick, they don’t feel like eating, especially with a fever. I don’t care if they skip a few meals, and just snack a little while they are sick. The most important thing is to stay hydrated! Encourage fluids by making popsicles, watering down some juice or Gatorade to flavor it up a bit. Pay attention to how much they are drinking. 

Common Childhood Medical Emergencies

• Allergic reactions and anaphylaxis
  • The reactions can go from mild to emergency super fast! Have a plan in place for any known allergies. 
  • Anaphylaxis is not only airway, but also stomach pain, nausea and vomiting
  • If you see signs of anaphylaxis- swelling of the face, difficulty breathing, wheezing, vomiting. Use the EpiPen! Then head to the ER or call 911 if needed. Benadryl is helpful if they are able to ingest it, follow the plan created by your provider. 
• Head injuries and concussion symptoms
  • Headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, confusion
    • If you are worried about the severity of the hit, go to the ER to be safe if imaging is needed. Any loss of consciousness should be seen in the ER. 
      https://dhhs.ne.gov/ConcussionManage/Documents/ACE.pdf
• Choking and airway emergencies
  • Babies you will lay over your arm upside down and do back blows
  • Children you will do heimlich maneuver
• Severe asthma attacks
  • Keep inhalers nearby once you know your child’s trigger- viruses, allergies, exercise, cold air
  • If needing the rescue inhaler more than once per week, seek more guidance from your provider to consider a maintenance inhaler in addition. 
• Burns and scalds
  • Cool water is the key. 
  • Avoid ice, oils or heat
  • Cool compress and non-stick gauze can help keep the temperature down without causing more tissue damage
• Poisoning and ingestion incidents
  • Keep the poison control number handy, or at least ask Siri to call for you if you are worried about what your little one ingested. 
  • Prevention is the key- lock up or keep out of reach of any cleaners or medications, do a sweep of the area to make sure there is nothing accessible near your child, otherwise they will find it!!
    https://www.poison.org/

Emergency Room vs. Urgent Care vs. Pediatrician

• When to visit each facility type
  • Pediatrician: when you don’t need immediate labs or imaging or possible stitching (when in doubt, call the office first and ask the triage nurse)
  • Urgent Care: after hours from your pediatrician’s office, or needing imaging on site or stitching
  • Emergency Room: life threatening illness or injury that requires immediate care
• What constitutes a true emergency
  • Think ABC’s
    • Airway, Breathing, Bleeding, Circulation
  • Severe injury needing immediate care – complex fracture, or deep laceration
• Cost considerations and insurance coverage
• What to bring to emergency visits
  • Insurance card
  • List of medication and times of when the most recent meds were given
  • Names of your child’s providers
  • A change of clothes if needed
  • Food and drink for you and your child in preparation for a long wait
  • Entertainment options for you and your child for a long wait (iPad, phone, toys)
• Questions to ask medical providers
  • Treatment plans- get them in writing
  • Follow up plans- where and when
  • Red flags to watch for if the plan isn’t going as expected

Creating a Medical Emergency Action Plan

• Emergency contact list organization
• Medical history documentation
• Current medication list
• Known allergies and reactions
• Nearest emergency facilities
• Transportation plans for emergencies

Being prepared for medical emergencies isn’t about living in fear – it’s about being empowered! Keep this guide handy, trust your parental instincts, and remember that it’s always better to err on the side of caution when it comes to your child’s health. Create your emergency action plan today, program important numbers into your phone, and discuss these guidelines with all caregivers. And remember, your pediatrician would rather receive a call that turns out to be nothing than miss something important. You’ve got this, parents!
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