Sick Child Visits

sick child

We make every effort to schedule appointments for sick children on the same day that you call us. It’s best to call in the morning if your child needs to be seen that day. When calling us to schedule your appointment please provide us with all of your concerns that you would like addressed so we may schedule the appropriate amount of time.


We are now offering online scheduling of Express Care appointments at our Enola office. Click on the "Make an Appointment" button in the upper right hand corner of this page to schedule. Please limit to the following concerns:

  • Ear pain
  • Insect bites
  • Pink eye
  • Upper respiratory concerns including ear, throat, or sinus infection (without signs of respiratory distress)
  • Sore throat
  • Fever (3 months of age and older)
  • GI upset that started in the past 2-3 days

If you would like us to see more than one child, please schedule both of them when you make your appointment. Without an appointment, we may not be able to see a sick sibling right away, and you may be asked to wait while the physician sees a scheduled patient who may be waiting. A parent or legal guardian must accompany all patients.


Sometimes, delays with emergencies may cause us to fall behind schedule. We are providing the best possible care on an individual basis and these delays are sometimes unavoidable. We respect the value of your time and will do everything possible to maintain our schedule.

WHEN DOES MY CHILD NEED IMMEDIATE MEDICAL CARE?

Some symptoms are red flags that your child needs quick medical attention. Call us immediately for the following symptoms:

  • Fever of 100.4ºF or higher in children younger than one year old
  • Fever that lasts longer than three days
  • Unusual symptoms lasting more than three days
  • Persistent pain
  • Widespread rash with fever of 102ºF or higher plus other symptoms in children over one year old
  • Fever accompanied by a rash, stiff neck, vomiting, or headache

Did you know that JDC has some great resources on this website that may help you the next time your child is sick?


One of these may have the answer you are looking for:

  • "Is Your Child Sick?" is an online triage system that utilizes the same clinical protocols used by JDC Pediatrics, over 20,000 pediatricians, and almost every children’s hospital. Just select your child’s symptom(s) from the drop-down list and you will be given basic instructions on how to manage the problem, when to seek medical care, and what symptoms warrant urgent care.
  • Visual Symptom Checker Hover your mouse over the area of the body about which you would like information. Click on that area and choose your area of interest from the list that appears.
  • Medicine Dosages This tool will give you information on using over-the-counter medicines with your child, including dosage charts and safety information.