Although we all wish to deal with serious conditions in paediatrics as little as possible, we must be well prepared for them. The most important aspect is to recognize a seriously ill child early, which can sometimes be difficult considering a crowded waiting room of a general paediatrician.
Then urgent intervention is, of course, necessary, including the administration of proper medication and, finally, mediation of transport to a suitable department. The presented article deals with the recognition of a seriously ill child and the basic management of the most common emergencies in primary paediatric care.