Parent Resources for Sick Children

Caring for a sick child can be overwhelming and scary. We’d do anything to help them feel better, and don't always know where to get the appropriate level of care for them. This page will provide resources about where to get care, as well as signs and symptoms to look out for.

Care Options

The best place to start is often with a call to your health plan’s 24/7 nurse line. The nurse will ask you questions about how your child is doing and what symptoms they’re experiencing, and also offer advice on what to do next. This initial level of advice can help prevent expensive trips to the emergency room with your sick child. For example, a cough with a low-grade fever and congestion are symptoms best treated by non-emergency care.

Next steps might be waiting until your regular doctor’s office opens, utilizing telehealth from the comfort of your own home, a trip to urgent care, or in some instances a trip to the emergency room.

Telehealth is a great, convenient option for receiving care. You can speak to a doctor, receive a diagnosis, and get a prescription from the comfort of home.

For illnesses that can wait until the morning, you may be able to make a same-day appointment with your regular doctor’s office. This option offers the advantage of a clinic your child is familiar with, and one that is familiar with your child’s medical history.

For non-life threatening injuries or illnesses that can’t wait until your doctor’s office opens, visit your local urgent care.

While your young child is under the weather and can’t tell you what’s wrong, you may feel like the hospital emergency room will provide the quickest and best treatment. But in many cases, you can avoid the wait and busyness at the emergency room and look to other, more convenient medical care options first. A 2020 survey of State of Wisconsin Group Health Insurance members showed that 67% of emergency room visits could have been avoided altogether. Reserve the emergency room for serious, immediate medical needs.

If you’re not sure what your best option is, call your health plan’s nurse line for advice. Learn more about your care options with this video on the ETF website.

Parent Resource Center

Common Childhood Illnesses

When your child is experiencing upper respiratory symptoms, a good first plan of attack is often encouraging lots of fluids—water, diluted 100% fruit juice, or coconut water are some good options. For children who can’t yet blow their nose, occasionally clearing out mucus with a nasal aspirator can help them breath a bit easier. You can also place a cool-mist humidifier in their room at night and try propping up their mattress under their head. (Place something like rolled-up blanket under the mattress, no soft bedding like pillows should be added to a young child’s sleeping area until after 12-18 months.) Children over one age one who have a cough can also take up to 1 teaspoon of honey to help soothe their throat (WebMD, 2019). And, for all ages, plenty of rest.

Contact your health plan’s nurse line or child’s doctor if their cough is persistent or if it involves any of the following (Mayo Clinic, 2020):
- Coughing up thick, greenish-yellow phlegm
- Wheezing
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Fainting
- Ankle swelling or weight loss
Seek emergency care if your child is:
- Choking or vomiting
- Having difficulty breathing or swallowing
- Coughing up bloody or pink-tinged phlegm
- Experiencing chest pain
If you have any questions or concerns about your child, call your health plan’s nurse line or child’s doctor’s office.
A fever is when the body temperature rises above 100.4 degrees F. Fevers help kill germs and fight infections. While unpleasant, they’re not always a bad thing. It’s your body’s superhero powers coming to the rescue. Often, fevers only last a few days. But they can be scary, especially when our child has a fever.

A fever is typically nothing to worry about when:
- Your child’s behavior is relatively normal. No need to be concerned if they’re eating and drinking and still playful.
- Your child recently received an immunization. Low grade fevers can be normal within the first few days following vaccination. When your child receives a vaccination, your doctor’s office will provide a fact sheet with side effects to watch for.
To help your child’s fever fight the infection, encourage plenty of rest and fluids to prevent dehydration. You may also offer acetaminophen or ibuprofen for children over six months, if your child needs it to feel more comfortable. Always follow dosage recommendations from your child’s doctor or the medication label.

Call your child’s doctor’s office if your child:
- Has a temperature of 104 degrees or higher
- Has a fever that lasts longer than 72 hours (or more than 24 hours if your child is under age two)
- Is under three months old
- Has a fever along with other symptoms such as a stiff neck, extremely sore throat, ear pain, rash, or severe headache
- Has a seizure
- Seems very sick, upset, or unresponsive
If you have any questions or concerns about your child, call your health plan’s nurse line or doctor’s office.
Vomiting is not fun for anyone. Unfortunately, it’s something that most every caregiver will experience with their child. Vomiting is caused by a variety of issues like reflux in a baby or a stomach virus at any age. Seek medical care if your child experiences any of the following with the vomiting (Cleveland Clinic, 2018):
- No wet diapers in six hours for an infant
- Projectile vomiting for infants
- Green color in the vomit
- A fever of 102 degrees (or 101 degrees for more than three days)
- Dehydration including lack of tears when crying, dry mouth, sunken eyes, clammy hands and feet, or lack of energy
To prevent dehydration, offer small amounts of fluids (but avoid high sugar juices). Once vomiting stops, you can help ease your child back into regular eating.

If you have any questions or concerns about your child, always call your health plan’s nurse line or doctor’s office.