Children's Health

Does your child have severe pain that is not relieved by passing gas or having a bowel movement?

Does pressing on your child's abdomen cause severe pain?

Is your child's abdomen swollen or hard (rigid) to the touch?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your child have severe pain?

Has your child had any bleeding from the rectum, urethra, or vagina that started after an injury to the abdomen?

Does pressing on your child's abdomen cause severe pain?

Is your child's abdomen swollen or hard (rigid) to the touch?

Has your child's pain localized below the right or left ribs?

Has your child had an abdominal wound that penetrated deeper than a scratch?

Do you think your child's injury was intentionally caused by another person?

Has your child vomited more than one time following an injury to the abdomen?

Does your child still have pain when pressing on the abdomen 1 hour after an injury?

Has your child had nausea or has he or she vomited one time in the last 24 hours?

Is your child less hungry than normal in the last 24 hours?

Has your child had an ongoing mild stomachache for 24 hours but no other symptoms?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Has your child had severe pain that is not relieved by passing gas or having a bowel movement?

Is your child's pain rapidly getting worse?

Does your child have nausea or vomiting?

Has your child had moderate pain for 4 hours without other symptoms?

Does your child have pain with a new or different bulge at the navel or groin?

Has your child had mild pain that comes and goes for 12 hours but does not have other symptoms?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Has your child had continuous severe pain for 30 minutes or longer?

Has your child had mild to moderate pain for more than 4 hours and the pain is getting worse?

Has your child had mild to moderate pain for longer than 4 hours?

Has your child had mild pain for 48 hours or longer?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Has your child developed a serious symptom or problem?

Has your child developed a symptom or problem and you do not know whether it is a serious symptom or problem?

Has your child developed a minor symptom or problem?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your child have more than a streak of blood on the surface of the stool or on the diaper?

Has your child had a stool with blood and mucus (looks like red jelly) on it?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your baby younger than age 3 months have a temperature of or higher?

Do you think your baby younger than age 3 months has a fever but you are unable to measure his or her temperature?

Does your child older than age 3 months have a temperature of or higher?

Do you think your child older than age 3 months has a high fever, but you are unable to measure his or her temperature?

Does your child have a fever and a health risk that increases his or her chances of having a serious problem?

Does your child have a temperature higher than that has not come down after 12 hours of home treatment and medicine?

Do you think your child older than age 3 months has a moderate fever but you are unable to measure his or her temperature?

Does your child have a temperature of or higher that has not come down after 24 hours of home treatment and medicine?

Do you think your child has had a mild fever for 24 hours or longer, but you have not been able to measure his or her temperature?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Does your child have symptoms of moderate dehydration and he or she is unable or unwilling to drink fluids?

Does your child have symptoms of moderate dehydration but he or she is drinking a small amount of fluids?

Has your child had symptoms of mild dehydration for longer than 12 hours?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Do you think that your child's abdominal pain may be caused by a medicine?Note: If your answer is "Yes ":Call the doctor who prescribed your child's medicine to see whether your child should stop taking the medicine or take a different one. An appointment may not be needed.If your child is taking a medicine not prescribed by a doctor, stop the medicine. Call your child's doctor if you feel your child needs to keep taking the medicine or if you need help controlling your child's symptoms after the medicine is stopped.

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

Is your child's pain getting more severe?

Are your child's episodes of pain occurring more often?

Is your child's current episode of pain different than the other episodes?

Has your child had episodes of abdominal pain without other symptoms?

Is your child less hungry than normal and he or she has lost weight?

If you have answered "No" to the above questions, go back to Check Your Symptoms and continue to answer the questions to evaluate your symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may need immediate care. Call your health professional now to discuss your symptoms and arrange for your care.

• Symptoms are likely to worsen without medical care.
• If you do not have a health professional, seek emergency care.
• Emergency transportation is not needed. However, if you are not able to travel safely either by driving yourself or having someone else drive you, call an ambulance.

You do not need to answer any of the other questions.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you need to call your health professional to discuss your symptoms and arrange for care.

• An appointment today is usually needed.
• Symptoms are unlikely to improve without medical care.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.

You have answered "Yes" to a question that indicates you may wait to see if your symptoms improve over the next 24 hours (or the specified time period). If symptoms improve, no appointment is needed.

• If symptoms do not improve after 24 hours (or the specified time period), an appointment within the next 24 hours is usually needed.
• If appropriate, try home treatment to relieve your symptoms.
• Check your symptoms in 24 hours, or sooner if there is any change.
• Call your health professional if symptoms get worse.

Return to the Check Your Symptoms section and answer the questions. You may need to see a health professional sooner if you have other more serious symptoms.