Handouts
Child fever/rash: home-care and safety net
Plain-language parent guide for comfort care, hydration, and urgent warning signs.
How to use this handout
Offer frequent fluids, monitor urine output, and use fever medicine only at the dose recommended by your clinic.
Get urgent care now for trouble breathing, child difficult to wake, stiff neck, seizure, purple/non-blanching rash, repeated vomiting, no urine for many hours, or signs of dehydration.
If fever or rash is not improving as expected, or you are worried at any time, contact your clinic or urgent care promptly.
Return precautions (patient script)
Suggested plain-language wording for safety-net counseling:
If symptoms get worse, new warning signs appear, or you cannot follow the plan from this visit, seek urgent care now.
- Use with the specific red flags listed on this page.
- Confirm follow-up timing and where to go after-hours.
- Document that return precautions were reviewed and understood.
Source and licensing
Original handout created for DrSonia. Safety-net language aligned with Canadian Paediatric Society resources.