If you suspect that your child has cellulitis, seek treatment early. If you notice your child has red, swollen, warm, painful skin, even if you do not see a recent wound, see your physician that day. The swelling, redness, pain, or warmth is still there 48 hours after your child started taking the antibiotic. Your child still has a fever 48 hours after he or she started taking the antibiotic. The swelling, redness, pain, or warmth spreads or worsens.
Red streaks develop from the infected area.
Your child starts to act very sick. Written by the Section of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, The Children's Hospital, Denver.