Emergencies are hectic and can often times be confusing. Is medical attention needed within minutes of the incident? Or can it be resolved at home or the following day with your primary physician? Dr. Gerald Lavandosky of Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida weighed in on when you should and shouldn’t call 911 on Reader’s Digest.

You should call when you or someone else is experiencing a severe allergic reaction. If anyone begins showing signs of a severe allergic reaction – increased heart rate, difficulty breathing, swelling tongue – call 911. Severe allergic reactions can lead to death quickly – in under an hour – so you may not have enough time to get to the emergency department. Emergency responders can give immediate treatment with epinephrine.

“Parents and caregivers are not trained medical professionals, so making a medical decision as to whether an allergic reaction is 911-worth can be challenging,” says Gerald Lavandosky, MD a pediatric critical care doctor at Pediatric Critical Care of South Florida.

To read the full story, visit Reader’s Digest.