Sick Day Decision Guide

Home care, call the doctor, or ER? Clear answers for fever, vomiting, cough, and rash.

It’s 9pm, your kid has a fever/rash/cough, and you’re stuck between “I’ll just watch it” and “should we go in?” This guide turns that gut-check into a 30-second read.

What’s Inside:

• Decision flowcharts for fever, vomiting/diarrhea, cough/cold, and rash — each sorted into Home Care, Call the Doctor, or ER Now

• The dehydration check most parents miss (the pinch test, wet diaper tracking, infant-specific signs)

• Universal red flags that mean “go in now,” regardless of which symptom brought you here

• What to pack and what to tell the doctor if you do head to urgent care or the ER

Made by a licensed pharmacist who’s also a parent — because at midnight, you want decisiveness, not a 45-minute Google spiral.

This guide is for general education and isn’t a substitute for advice from your child’s pediatrician.