Falciparum malaria in a young child is a medical emergency. It maybe rapidly fatal. Early symptoms are atypical and difficult to recognize, and life-threatening complications can occur within hours of the initial symptoms. Medical help should besought immediately if a child develops a febrile illness within 3 months (or, rarely, later) of travelling to a malaria-endemic country or territory. Laboratory confirmation of diagnosis should be requested immediately, and treatment with an effective antimalarial drug should be initiated as soon as possible. In infants, malaria should be suspected even in non-febrile illness. Parents should be advised not
