Despite the best of circumstances and planning, sometimes emergencies or unanticipated problems will arise.

Prepare families to respond in an emergency (Who, What, Where, When, How, and Why).

Emergency planning can include an assessment of perceived acuity and an appropriate response (e.g., calling emergency services or 911 versus the contacting the pediatrician versus waiting until the next scheduled pediatric visit).

To assess perceived acuity, some families may benefit from using a visual graph of green (wait for the next scheduled pediatric visit), yellow (call the pediatrician right away), or red (call 911 or emergency services).

Encourage the family to learn how to use the pediatric patient portal if you have one and if they have access to a computer and/or smartphone.