Is your child sick?

What to do

1. 1. Emergency? Call 911

   • Trouble breathing, blue or gray lips
   • Unresponsive, very hard to wake, or a seizure
   • A baby under 2 months with a fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher
   • Severe allergic reaction, serious injury, or swallowed something dangerous (Poison Control: 1-800-222-1222)

2. 2. Call or text us

   Same-day sick visits on weekdays. Tell us what is going on and we will get your child seen or advise you.

   Call (770) 615-7000Text us

   After hours: When the office is closed, call the main number, (770) 615-7000. After hours the call goes to our after-hours line for urgent concerns. Use the patient portal for anything that can wait until the next business day. In an emergency, call 911.

   How same-day sick visits workWhere to go when we are closed

3. 3. Telehealth

   Rashes, pink eye, follow-ups and medication questions often work well by video. Established patients can start a visit online.

   Start a telehealth visit (opens in new tab)

4. 4. What you can do at home

   Our provider-reviewed guides cover the common illnesses, what helps at home, and the signs that mean it is time to come in.

   Browse all parent guides

Common illnesses, explained

• Teen (12–18 years) · Young adult (18–21 years)

  Acne in teens: what works over the counter, and when to see us

  Acne affects most teens and is driven by hormones, not dirt or chocolate. Benzoyl peroxide and adapalene, used nightly for 8 to 12 weeks, clear most mild acne. Moderate or scarring acne needs prescription treatment, and we start it early.

  Teens, Illness & symptoms

• Preschool (3–5 years) · School age (5–12 years)

  Head lice: how to check, treat and stop the cycle

  Lice are a nuisance, not a health hazard, and not a sign of poor hygiene. Check with a fine comb on wet hair, treat with an over-the-counter permethrin or a newer prescription product, comb out nits, and repeat as directed. Children can stay in school.

  Illness & symptoms, School & sports

• Newborn (0–2 months) · Infant (2–12 months) · Toddler (1–3 years)

  Diaper rash, cradle cap and baby skin: what needs treatment and what does not

  Most newborn rashes, from baby acne to cradle cap, clear on their own. Diaper rash responds to air, frequent changes and a thick zinc oxide barrier. A bright red rash with satellite spots is yeast and needs an antifungal cream.

  Newborns & feeding, Illness & symptoms

• Infant (2–12 months) · Toddler (1–3 years)

  Teething: what is normal, what is not, and safe ways to soothe

  First teeth arrive between 4 and 12 months, usually the bottom front two. Teething causes drooling, gum rubbing and fussiness, not fever, diarrhea or rashes. Chilled teethers help; numbing gels and amber necklaces do not and can harm.

  Growth & development, Illness & symptoms

• Toddler (1–3 years) · Preschool (3–5 years) · School age (5–12 years) · Teen (12–18 years) · Young adult (18–21 years)

  Diabetes in children: type 1 warning signs and preventing type 2

  Type 1 diabetes can appear at any age and needs same-day care when the signs show: thirst, urination, weight loss, tiredness. Type 2 is now seen in children from about age 10 and is largely preventable with family habits.

  Illness & symptoms, Nutrition

• Newborn (0–2 months) · Infant (2–12 months) · Toddler (1–3 years) · Preschool (3–5 years) · School age (5–12 years) · Teen (12–18 years) · Young adult (18–21 years)

  Urgent care or your pediatrician? Where to take a sick child

  Call your pediatrician first for most illnesses: same-day sick visits cost less, your child’s history is here and follow-up is built in. Urgent care fills evenings and weekends; the ER is for trouble breathing, seizures, serious injuries and babies under 3 months with fever.

  Illness & symptoms

• Infant (2–12 months) · Toddler (1–3 years) · Preschool (3–5 years) · School age (5–12 years)

  Coughs and colds: home care and when it is more than a cold

  Children get 6 to 10 colds a year, each lasting 7 to 14 days with a cough that can linger for three weeks. Fluids, honey (over age 1), saline and a humidifier help; cough medicines do not and are not safe under 6. Watch breathing, not the cough.

  Illness & symptoms, Seasonal

• Newborn (0–2 months) · Infant (2–12 months) · Toddler (1–3 years) · Preschool (3–5 years) · School age (5–12 years)

  Fever in babies and children: what to do and when to call

  A fever is a temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher. In a baby under 3 months it is an emergency; in older children it is usually the body fighting an infection, and comfort matters more than the number.

  Illness & symptoms

Quick answers

• Do you offer same-day sick appointments?

  Yes. Call or text (770) 615-7000 when the office opens at 9:00 AM and we will see your child that day, in the office or by telehealth when appropriate.

• Do you offer telehealth visits?

  Yes, for established patients, on weekdays. Rashes, pink eye, medication follow-ups and behavioral health check-ins often work well by video; fevers in babies and breathing problems need to be seen in person.

• How much acetaminophen or ibuprofen can I give my child?

  Dose by weight, not age, using the AAP dosing tables: acetaminophen every 4–6 hours (no more than 5 doses a day) from 3 months with our okay, ibuprofen every 6–8 hours from 6 months. Never give aspirin. Call us for babies under 3 months.

• What should I do if my child has a fever at night?

  If your baby is under 3 months, or your child has trouble breathing, a stiff neck, a purple rash or is hard to wake, go to the ER or call 911. Otherwise give fluids and weight-based acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and call us in the morning.

• When can my child return to school after being sick?

  Once they are fever-free for 24 hours without fever medicine, vomiting and diarrhea have stopped for 24 hours, and they are well enough to take part. A lingering cough alone is not a reason to stay home. Strep needs 12 hours of antibiotics first.