Supporting parents after hours: Bridging the care gap for sick kids

In today’s healthcare landscape — still recovering from the impact of COVID-19, workforce shortages, and limited access to care — parents are often left wondering: How can I help my sick child when the doctor’s office is closed?

This is especially challenging in the evening hours, when many symptoms tend to get worse.

Why do fevers spike at night?

It’s a well-known fact among pediatric providers that children often experience their highest fevers in the late afternoon and evening—typically between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m., sometimes even peaking around midnight. This timing is driven by the body’s natural circadian rhythm, which raises body temperature later in the day. Fevers can also rise during sleep due to decreased heat loss (blankets) and increased immune system activity.

Combine this with jam-packed provider schedules and the reality that most parents are still at work during typical office hours. It’s a perfect storm of parental stress. The result? Sleepless nights, anxiety, and uncertainty about what to do next.

The after-work dilemma: What now?

So, what should a parent do when they walk in the door from work to find their toddler with a fever, sore throat, or rash? Especially for first-time parents, unfamiliar symptoms can quickly become overwhelming.

That’s where healthcare organizations can step in by offering after-hours support tools that empower parents with guidance that’s trusted, actionable, and accessible.

A proven solution: Self Care Decisions’ Symptom Checker

One such tool is Self Care Decisions’ symptom checker, which is authored by the renowned Dr. Barton Schmitt, MD. His gold-standard protocols for telephone triage, now used at over 10,000 practices and 400 nurse advice lines, have been successfully adapted for digital use.

Supported for more than 25 years, this resource helps families make informed decisions, especially when a provider isn't immediately available.

How it helps: Guidance when it’s needed most

With a digital symptom checker, parents can:

• Assess their child’s symptoms
• Receive step-by-step care guidance for 160+ common concerns like:
  • Fever (the most frequently accessed guide)
  • Sore throat
  • Vomiting, Diarrhea, Rashes, etc.

This timely support can often help a child with symptom relief and rest — making it possible for the parent to get some rest too. In many cases, the issue may begin to resolve before morning, easing worry and avoiding unnecessary ER visits.

Why it matters

Parents deeply value pediatric practices and children’s hospitals that provide access to tools like these. They see it as a sign that their provider cares and is thinking beyond business hours.

Best of all, this solution is easy to license and implement on a healthcare organization’s website or mobile app — and becomes even more essential during virus season, when fevers and common respiratory infections surge.