1. Choose the Appropriate Topic. Topics are arranged alphabetically by symptom. Choose the symptom from the pull-down list that most closely matches your child's illness. If your child has more than one symptom, address the most serious symptom. Serious means the symptom that potentially could cause harm to your child. (Example: for nosebleed and head injury together, use the Head Injury guideline.) If you aren't sure, use more than 1 guideline.
   
   Caution: don't use the fever guideline unless fever is your child's only symptom. If your child also has a cough, diarrhea or other symptom, go to that topic instead of fever. Choosing the appropriate symptom is very important because it leads you to the best information for your child's illness or injury.
   
   
2. Read the Symptom Description (found in the purple box at the top). Read the Symptom Description to be sure it's a good fit for your child. If not, consider related symptoms listed under "See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one)" or "See Also" (the sections highlighted in green).
   
   
3. Read the "When to Call Your Doctor..." Section (pink, yellow, and blue columns). Following the Symptom Description section in each topic, there is a "When to Call Your Doctor "Section composed of Parent Responses (what action you should take). Examples include "Call Us Now If," "Call Us Within 24 Hours If," and "Home Care." Below each Parent Response is a list of symptoms/reasons for calling or being seen by your child's doctor. Read through these bulleted items. Read the columns from left to right and don't skip any symptoms or reasons. The purpose of these is to help you determine how sick your child is. The definition of each parent response is explained below.
   
   
4. Symbols: > means more than or greater than
   < means less than or smaller than
   
   
5. Follow the Suggested Parent Response. If your child has even one of the serious or other call-your-doctor symptoms, stop reading the questions and take the Parent Response Action suggested in the heading above that question. (See the following document on Parent Responses to Illness and Injury.) If the recommendation is to "Call Us Within 24 Hours…" or "…During Weekday Office Hours…", refer to the "Home Care" column (highlighted in blue) to help you keep your child comfortable until then.
   
   
6. Follow Home Care Advice. If your child has none of the call-your-doctor symptoms, follow the "Home Care" listed in the right-hand, blue column. But watch your child carefully for any worsening or new symptoms. If your child's condition changes for the worse, calling your doctor again is a good idea.
   
   
7. Reader's Responsibility. Finally, you're in control of this process. If you think or feel your child needs to be seen, call your doctor for assistance. And if you think you are dealing with a medical emergency, call 911 NOW.
   
   
8. Disclaimer Notice. These guidelines have been carefully written and reviewed. They were last updated on 8/2004 and revised at that time, if neccessary. The author disclaims any responsibility, however, for any harm or damage associated with the use of this information.
   
   
9. Copyright Protection Notice. All rights reserved. No part of this program can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author and publisher. It is prohibited to make or distribute any unauthorized copies of these Parent Care guidelines for personal or business purposes, to create derivative works, etc. These guidelines are copyright protected and are not available for any of the following purposes:
   • To use as a template or model for writing a commercial product, be it printed or software.
   • To use as a reference when writing a commercial product, be it printed or software.
   • To use as a resource for updating a commercial product.
   
   
   

One of the purposes of these guidelines is to help you determine how sick your child is. Then it's time to make a decision and act. By reading the questions and using your common sense, you should be able to fit your child into 1 of the following 5 Parent Response categories:

"Call 911 Now:"
(Your child may need an ambulance)
Definition: your child may have a life-threatening emergency
Action: Immediately call 911 or your Emergency Medical Response system.

"Call Us Now If:"
Definition: your child may have a non-life-threatening emergency or urgent condition
Action: Call your child's doctor immediately. If you can't reach your doctor within 60 minutes, go to the nearest emergency room by car. If you don’t have a doctor, go to the ER now.

"Call Us Within 24 Hours (Between 9 and 4) If:"
Definition: Your child probably has a nonurgent illness that may require a specific test (such as a throat culture) or an antibiotic (such as for an ear infection). Your child may need to be seen, but it can safely wait for up to 24 hours.
Action: If the office is open, call now. If the office is closed now, but will be open within 24 hours, call when it opens. If the office won't be open within the next 24 hours, call your doctor's answering service between 9:00am and 4:00 pm on any day of the week (including weekends and holidays) for assistance. If you don’t have a doctor, go to an urgent care center or ER within the next 24 hours.

"Call Us During Weekday Office Hours If:"
Definition: Your child has a nonurgent symptom or illness that has lasted longer than expected (such as a persistent cough or localized rash) but usually carries no risk of complications. Your child may need to be seen in the office but it can safely wait a few days if it's the weekend or a holiday.
Action: If the office is open, call now. Otherwise, call during scheduled weekday office hours on Monday - Friday. (This category therefore excludes weekends and holidays). If you don’t have a doctor, choose a doctor and make an appointment to be seen within the next 3 days.

"Home Care:" Definition: Your child has a mild illness that's usually self-limited or harmless. Follow the detailed home care advice that's provided in each guideline.
Action: Your child can be safely cared for by you at home. Call your doctor if your child's condition becomes worse.