Has your baby younger than 3 months of age had severe diarrhea for longer than 4 hours?

Has your baby age 3 months through 6 months had severe diarrhea for longer than 8 hours?

Has your child age 7 months through 11 years had severe diarrhea 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.

Does your child have black or bloody diarrhea, but does not have signs of shock?

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 abdominal pain?

Does your child's diarrhea look like currant jelly?

Does your child have moderate abdominal pain?

Has your child had mild abdominal pain for longer than 24 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.

Has your child had localized abdominal pain for longer than 4 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.

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

Do you suspect your baby younger than 3 months of age has a fever but you are unable to measure your child's temperature?

Does your child have a rectal temperature of or higher?

Do you suspect a high fever but you are unable to measure your child's temperature?

Does your child have a rectal temperature of or higher?

Has your child had a rectal temperature of to for longer than 12 hours?

Do you suspect a moderate fever but you are unable to measure your child's temperature?

Does your child have a recurrent or ongoing fever without an obvious cause after traveling outside your own country in the last 6 weeks?

Has your child had a rectal temperature of to for longer than 24 hours?

Do you suspect your child has a mild fever for longer than 24 hours, but you are unable to measure your child's 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 signs of moderate dehydration, and he or she is unable to drink enough liquid to replace lost fluids?

Does your child have signs of moderate dehydration?

Does your child have signs of mild dehydration, and he or she is unable to drink enough liquid to replace lost fluids?

Does your child have signs of mild dehydration for longer than 24 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.

Is your child having more frequent episodes of diarrhea than he or she had in the past?

Has your child had diarrhea off and on for longer than 2 months?

Has your baby's or child's ongoing diarrhea been evaluated by a doctor, but it is not following the expected course?

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 baby younger than 3 months of age had diarrhea for longer than 24 hours?

Has your baby age 3 months through 6 months had diarrhea for longer than 24 to 48 hours?

Has your child age 7 months through 11 years had diarrhea for longer than 4 to 7 days?

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.

Did your child's diarrhea start after an increase in a dose of medication or after taking a new medication?Note: Call the doctor who prescribed the medication to determine whether your child should stop taking the medication or take a different one. An appointment may not be necessary.If your child is taking a nonprescription medication, stop the medication. Call your child's doctor if you feel your child needs to continue taking the medication.

Did your child's diarrhea start after starting treatment with an antibiotic?

Did your child's diarrhea start within 2 weeks of stopping treatment with an antibiotic?

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.