Pediatric Telehealth: When To Call A Provider For Your Child

When your child is sick, the first decision is always the same: do I wait it out, call our pediatrician, do a virtual visit, or head to urgent care? This is the simplest framework we can give you — bookmark it for the next time it's 9pm and you're trying to decide.

Great fits for a virtual visit

• Pink eye (conjunctivitis) — easy to diagnose over video, antibiotic drops sent to pharmacy
• Mild ear pain without fever — we can guide you on pain management and tell you whether to escalate
• Common cold, mild cough, low-grade fever lasting under 3 days
• Rashes — most can be diagnosed from photos and video, especially eczema, contact dermatitis, viral rashes
• Lice, ringworm, and other skin issues
• Mild stomach bug — focus on hydration plan, anti-nausea medication if needed

Call your pediatrician or urgent care directly

• Any infant under 3 months with a fever
• Persistent fever above 102°F for more than 48 hours
• Difficulty breathing — chest retractions, blue lips, wheezing not relieved by inhaler
• Severe dehydration: no wet diaper in 8 hours, no tears when crying, sunken soft spot
• Severe abdominal pain or persistent vomiting
• Any head injury with loss of consciousness or repeated vomiting

How a pediatric virtual visit actually runs

Have your child in good lighting, ideally not crying. Have a thermometer, any current medications, and a list of symptoms with start dates. Most visits run 10 to 15 minutes. If your provider needs a hands-on exam — an ear that's hard to see, a belly that needs palpation — they'll tell you in the first few minutes and help you decide where to go.

Parents are usually their kid's best diagnostician. We're here to confirm, prescribe, and tell you when to escalate — without you having to pack everyone into the car.