A sudden change in your child can be frightening, but knowing a few key warning signs ahead of time can help you act quickly. Based on AAP guidance, here’s an overview of how to recognize a pediatric emergency.
Recognizing a Pediatric Emergency
Being unresponsive or hard to wake, a bluish color around the lips or face, and unusual extreme lethargy or confusion are all considered signs that immediate help is needed. Labored breathing with visible chest retractions is another warning sign.
Common Emergency Situations
A blocked airway with no cough or sound, a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) with facial swelling, hives, and breathing trouble, a head injury followed by loss of consciousness or unusual behavior, and a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes are all considered common pediatric emergencies.
First Response at Home
Keeping your child safe comes first, and calling 911 without hesitation is recommended once a situation looks serious. If your child has a prescribed epinephrine auto-injector, using it right away according to instructions is important, and it’s generally safer to call for help and follow dispatcher guidance than to attempt untrained removal of a swallowed object.
When to Call 911 or Head to the Emergency Room
Being unresponsive, not breathing or struggling badly to breathe, a bluish color around the face or lips, heavy bleeding that won’t stop, or a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes all call for calling 911 or getting to the emergency room right away, without delay. This information is based on U.S. (AAP) guidance; if you live elsewhere, check with your local emergency medical system and a pediatric provider for country-specific recommendations. This information isn’t a diagnostic tool and doesn’t replace advice from a medical professional.