When to Call About Symptoms

When to Call Your Child’s Doctor

Contact our team at (309) 624-4945 as soon as possible if you notice any of the following:

• Shivering, fever or chills, especially after the central line or port is flushed
• Pain, redness and/or swelling anywhere on the body
• Pain or redness at the central line/port catheter site
• Break or tear in the central line
• Blurred or unfocused vision, difficulty seeing, etc
• Not acting like themselves or seems awake but “out of it”
• Not able to respond to questions
• Exposure to chickenpox
• Nose bleed or bleeding from the gums that does not stop within five to ten minutes of pressure
• Blood in the urine or stool
• Bleeding
• Pain or burning with urination or a bowel movement
• Vomit or stool that looks black or green
• Ongoing vomiting
• Easy bruising or tiny red freckles on the skin
• Difficulty breathing
• A change in behavior or level of consciousness
• Being unusually sleepy or irritable
• Not making sense when talking
• Slurred speech
• Severe headache
• Heart pounding
• Facial droop and/or drooling
• Crying that cannot be distracted or crying with no tears
• Inability to keep medicines down two times in a row
• Mouth sores that make it difficult to drink

If you are unsure whether symptoms require urgent care, it is always best to call your child’s care team for advice. We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays. If you call at night, on the weekend or on a holiday, press option #2 when you call. You may also call the impatient hematology/oncology unit at (309) 624-0819 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including holidays.

When to Call 911 or Go to the Emergency Department

Some symptoms require immediate evaluation and treatment at the emergency department (ED). Go to the nearest ED if your child:

• Has difficulty breathing or severe shortness of breath
• Has blue lips or skin
• Doesn’t have a heart beat
• Is not able to wake up or is unresponsive
• Is having a seizure

Tips for Visiting the ED

• We will give you a Fever Neutropenia (new-truh-PEE-nee-uh) Cardthat explains your child’s condition and gives instructions as to how to care for them.
• Remember to call the OSF Children’s Hospital Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute at (309) 624-4945 to talk with the doctor on call.
• When you arrive in the ED, tell the nurse that your child is being treated for cancer or a blood disorder, and they may potentially have low blood counts.
• Explain your child’s specific diagnosis, most recent blood counts and the most recent medications that your child has received.
• Tell the nurse that your child may not receive an enema, suppository or rectal temperature.
• If your child has a fever, the team should give your child antibiotics within 30 minutes.