What's the management of a child with fever and petechiae?

if ill, work up + antibiotics --> admit

if well appearing and

  • < 12 months, work up + antibiotics --> admit

  • > 12 months, work up and if WBC between 5000 - 15000 and other labs unremarkable --> d/c +/- antibiotics


consider checking rapid strep as part of work up given that streptococcal pharyngitis can present with petechiae

Source

The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Resource. 4th ed.