Every sign that makes PediBot put an emergency warning at the top of its answer, grouped by symptom. Each one says where it comes from. This is not a complete list of everything that can be serious: if something worries you, get help.
Fever
Call now or go to the emergency departmentMalaria with danger signsSource: WHO — Malaria
Call now or go to the emergency departmentNoisy breathing on breathing in (stridor): the airway is narrowed — get seen nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Call now or go to the emergency departmentThe inhaler is not working: an asthma attack that does not respond is an emergency nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Get seen todayCoughing that starts suddenly while eating something small: it may be in the airway — get seen todaySource: Junta de Andalucía — Cuídame: guía para madres y padres
Get seen todayBreathing faster than normal for their ageSource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Call now or go to the emergency departmentSuspected severe allergic reaction (swollen lips/eyelids with breathing difficulty, vomiting or dizziness)Source: SEUP — Anafilaxia. Información para padres
Call now or go to the emergency departmentSpots on the skin that do not fade when pressed (possible sepsis/meningitis)Source: SEUP — Fiebre. Información para padres
Get seen todayA wound or bite with spreading redness, heat or a red streak going up: get it seen by a doctor todaySource: NHS — Cellulitis
Get seen todayBruises without knocks plus pallor or tiredness, or bone pain that wakes at night: blood tests todaySource: PUC Chile — Manual de Pediatría
Call now or go to the emergency departmentNeurological signs — trouble seeing, moving an arm or a leg, walking or speakingSource: SEUP — Cefalea. Información para padres
Call now or go to the emergency departmentNeck stiffness: meningitis has to be ruled out right nowSource: MedlinePlus — Meningitis
Call now or go to the emergency departmentBulging fontanelle: it can mean pressure inside the head — get seen nowSource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Call now or go to the emergency departmentCannot open the mouth, or muscle spasms: go to emergency nowSource: WHO — Tetanus
Get seen todayHeadache with warning signs — waking at night, getting worse, or not responding to the usual treatmentSource: SEUP — Cefalea. Información para padres
Get seen todayLight hurts along with fever or headache: this needs to be seen todaySource: MedlinePlus — Meningitis
Get seen todayA weak, high-pitched or unusual cry is not the same as crying a lot — get seen todaySource: NHS — Colic
Tummy, vomiting and swallowed things
Call now or go to the emergency departmentSigns of severe dehydrationSource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Call now or go to the emergency departmentUnable to drink or breastfeed: it is one of the IMNCI danger signs — get seen todaySource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Call now or go to the emergency departmentCrying in waves while drawing the legs up, or jelly-like stool: possible intussusception — go nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Call now or go to the emergency departmentWatery diarrhoea like rice waterSource: WHO — Cholera
Get seen todaySigns of dehydration: sunken eyes, little urine, dry mouth, persistent vomiting or heavy diarrhoea >24 hSource: SEUP — Gastroenteritis aguda. Información para padres
Get seen todayVomits everything and keeps nothing down: it is a danger sign — get seen todaySource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Get seen todayIngestion of toxic products or medication overdoseSource: SEUP — Intoxicaciones. Información para padres
Get seen todaySevere, continuous, worsening abdominal painSource: SEUP — Dolor abdominal. Información para padres
Get seen todayAbdominal pain on the right side, or continuous and getting worse — a documented reason to seek careSource: SEUP — Dolor abdominal. Información para padres
Get seen todayGreen, brown or bloody vomit — a documented reason to seek careSource: SEUP — Dolor abdominal. Información para padres
Get seen todayBlack tarry stools or red blood in the stool — a documented reason to seek careSource: SEUP — Dolor abdominal. Información para padres
Get seen todayVery pale, white or chalky poo: get it seen by a doctor today, it can be a liver problemSource: NHS — Jaundice in babies
Get seen todayProjectile vomiting after every feed in a baby: needs to be seen today — it can be the pylorusSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Accidents and injuries
Call now or go to the emergency departmentHead injury with loss of consciousnessSource: SEUP — Traumatismo craneal. Información para padres
Call now or go to the emergency departmentDrowsy after a knock or a fall: call emergency services or go to the emergency department nowSource: SEUP — Traumatismo craneal. Información para padres
Call now or go to the emergency departmentBlood or clear fluid from the nose or ears after a blow to the headSource: SEUP — Traumatismo craneal. Información para padres
Call now or go to the emergency departmentNot moving legs or arms after a fall: do not move him, call emergency services nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Call now or go to the emergency departmentHard blow to the belly with pain or pallor: there may be bleeding inside — emergency nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Call now or go to the emergency departmentChemical in the eye: rinse with plenty of water for 15 minutes and go to emergency nowSource: Junta de Andalucía — Cuídame: guía para madres y padres
Call now or go to the emergency departmentSnake bite: go to emergency now — no tourniquet, no cutting the woundSource: WHO — Snakebite envenoming
Call now or go to the emergency departmentElectric shock: even if he seems fine, the heart can go off rhythm hours later — emergency nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Call now or go to the emergency departmentBreathed in smoke from a fire: the airway can swell hours later — emergency nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Call now or go to the emergency departmentSeveral people with headache and nausea in the same house: get outside and call — it may be carbon monoxideSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Get seen todayVomiting after a head injurySource: SEUP — Traumatismo craneal. Información para padres
Get seen todayA fall down stairs or from more than a metre, or crying that will not settle after a knock: get a doctor to see them todaySource: SEUP — Traumatismo craneal. Información para padres
Get seen todaySomething pushed into the nose or ear: it has to come out today, and not with tweezers at homeSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Get seen todayA sting in the mouth, throat or near the eye: get it seen today; if the lips or tongue swell or breathing gets hard, call emergency servicesSource: NHS — Insect bites and stings
Get seen todayAnimal bite: wash it and have a doctor see it TODAY — rabies and tetanusSource: WHO — Rabies
Get seen todayFell into water: even if he seems fine, get seen today — the lungs can suffer hours laterSource: Junta de Andalucía — Cuídame: guía para madres y padres
Get seen todayHeatstroke: cool them now (shade, water, air). If confused, not sweating, very hot or drowsy, call emergency services nowSource: NHS — Heat exhaustion and heatstroke
Newborn babies
Call now or go to the emergency departmentNewborn who stops feeding and becomes stiffSource: WHO — Tetanus
Get seen todayA newborn who is cold and will not warm up: it can be an infection — get seen todaySource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Get seen todayBaby with yellow skin or eyes: urgent appointment today. If under 24 hours old, very sleepy, not feeding, feverish or no wet nappies, go to emergency nowSource: NHS — Jaundice in babies
Get seen todayRed, swollen or smelly navel in a newborn: needs to be seen today — it can seed the bloodSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Mental health
Get help todayExpressing suicidal thoughtsSource: SEUP — Conducta suicida. Información para padres
Get help todaySelf-harmSource: SEUP — Conducta autolesiva no suicida. Información para padres
Get help todaySigns of an eating disorderSource: SEUP — Trastornos de la conducta alimentaria. Información para padres
Other signs
Call now or go to the emergency departmentPain in a testicle: a torsion has to be operated within hours — go nowSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Call now or go to the emergency departmentAn erection that lasts a long time or is painful: it needs hospital treatment as soon as possible to avoid damageSource: NHS — Priapism (painful erections)
Call now or go to the emergency departmentForeskin stuck behind the head of the penis (paraphimosis): this is an emergency, it can cut off the blood supplySource: NHS — Tight foreskin (phimosis)
Call now or go to the emergency departmentA diabetic who is sweaty, shaky or confused: sugar by mouth now if awake, and callSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Get seen todayA white pupil (in photos or in the light): get it seen by a doctor today or tomorrow, without waitingSource: NHS — Symptoms of retinoblastoma
Get seen todayBoth feet swollen: it is a danger sign in a child — get seen todaySource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Get seen todayVisible severe thinness in a child: it is one of the IMNCI danger signs — assess todaySource: NHM — IMNCI chart booklet — Integrated Management of Neonatal and Childhood Illness
Get seen todayDrinking and passing urine a great deal, with weight loss: diabetes has to be ruled out todaySource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Get seen todaySevere pain in a child with sickle cell disease: this is a crisis — treat today, do not waitSource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
Get seen todaySudden severe lower belly pain in an adolescent girl: a torsion has to be ruled out todaySource: Ecimed — Pediatría. Diagnóstico y tratamiento
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