Call Your Doctor if Your Child Has

Signs of infection

  • Fever. Check your child’s temperature any time he/she is warm to the touch, shivering, or just not feeling well. Call if your child’s temperature is:
    • At or above 101° F or 38.3° C once
    • 100.4 to 100.9° F 2 times at least 1 hour apart in 24 hours
  • Shivering and fever, especially after the central line or port is flushed
  • Redness, warmth, swelling, and/or pain at any break in the skin. You may or may not see drainage (pus).
  • Sores in the rectal area
  • Very bad headaches and/or a very bad cough
  • Pain or burning with urination (peeing) or feelings of having to pee often
  • Constant headache and/or stiff neck and fever, especially if your child is having spinal taps done

Exposure to or signs of infectious diseases

  • Exposure to chicken pox, shingles, measles, mumps, rubella, or hepatitis
  • Signs of chicken pox, shingles, or cold sores

Signs of bleeding

  • Bleeding that is not normal
  • Bleeding that cannot be stopped after 5 to 20 minutes of pressure
  • Easy or bad bruising or petechiae (small spots due to bleeding in the skin) not due to trauma
  • Signs of internal bleeding, such as blood in the urine, in stool (poop), or in vomit (throw up)
  • A headache that does not get better with Tylenol®, especially if your child becomes sleepy or hard to wake up
  • Heavier or longer than normal menstrual bleeding or passing large clots

Signs of very bad anemia

  • Very pale cheeks and lips
  • Very tired with no energy
  • Very irritable
  • Complaints of dizziness, headaches, heart pounding, or shortness of breath with light activity

Signs of dehydration

  • Nausea and vomiting that last longer than 7 hours
  • Not able to keep liquids down
  • No urine out for 8 hours or very little urine that is dark yellow or foul-smelling in 8 hours
  • Diarrhea stools (poop)
    • 1 or more in 4 hours
    • 5 large, watery stools in 24 hours
  • Crying with no tears
  • Mouth and lips are dry
  • Very weak and wants to sleep all the time

Signs of an allergic reaction

  • Rash or hives over any part of the body—call first; do not bring them right to clinic
  • Shortness of breath or wheezing
  • Redness or swelling at injection sites

Other signs or symptoms that need care right away

  • Very bad stomach pain after green (bile), forceful, or early morning vomiting
  • Very bad stomach pain or a swollen abdomen
  • Vomiting any chemotherapy medicine
  • Not able to keep prescribed medicines down 2 times in a row
  • Very bad mouth sores that make it hard for your child to drink
  • Very bad constipation: 3 days with no stools after taking a laxative
  • Very bad sunburn
  • Pain, redness, or blisters at the site where chemotherapy was given
  • Any pain that does not get better after taking Tylenol® or prescribed pain medicines
    • Always check your child’s temperature before giving Tylenol®. NEVER give Tylenol® if you child has a fever.