The children's doctor on-call service in Munich (Kinderarzt-Notdienst) is the acute medical care system for children outside regular practice hours, in the evenings, at night, on weekends and on public holidays, when the local paediatric practice is closed and an examination cannot wait until the next working day. Via the nationwide on-call number 116 117, the Association of Statutory Health Insurance Physicians of Bavaria (KVB) coordinates on-call practices, initial telephone assessments and house visits; in addition, the private on-call service RAB Arztbesuche offers home visits for families anywhere in Munich, typically within 60 to 90 minutes. This guide explains to parents when the paediatric on-call service is responsible, when 112 must be called immediately instead, and how a home visit for a sick child works.
When is the children's doctor on-call service in Munich responsible?
The paediatric on-call service covers acute but stable illnesses where there is no immediate danger to life and the regular paediatric practice is closed. It bridges the care gap between office-based paediatrics and the hospital emergency room in the evenings, on weekends and on public holidays.
Typical reasons why parents in Munich contact the paediatric on-call service are high or persistent fever above 39 °C that does not respond to fever syrups, severe earache, pronounced sore throat with difficulty swallowing, acute respiratory infections with coughing, vomiting or diarrhoea with early signs of fluid loss, and newly appeared rashes. Especially in babies and toddlers under three years of age, symptoms often change within a few hours, which is why a prompt medical assessment makes sense even without a life-threatening situation.
The Paediatric On-Call Service (116 117): What It Covers
The paediatric on-call service in Munich is reached via 116 117 and organised by the KVB, which coordinates on-call practices and a mobile service outside consultation hours. It treats acute, non-life-threatening complaints such as fever, earache or gastrointestinal infections; Munich's large paediatric emergency contact points include the Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital of the LMU and the children's hospital of the München Klinik Schwabing. If the journey and waiting room are unreasonable with a sick child, the private paediatric service from RAB Arztbesuche comes to your home daily from 6 a.m. to midnight.
When must parents call 112 immediately?
At any sign of acute danger to life, the rescue service on 112 is solely responsible, not the on-call service and not a private home visit. Any delay caused by first calling an outpatient service would be dangerous in these cases.
Call 112 immediately if your child shows any of these paediatric warning signs:
- Severe breathing difficulty: blue lips, visibly retracted breathing muscles, wheezing or greatly accelerated breathing.
- Reduced consciousness: unconsciousness, pronounced drowsiness, the child cannot be woken or does not respond.
- Febrile seizure or convulsion: especially if it lasts longer than five minutes or recurs.
- Dehydration: severe fluid loss through vomiting or diarrhoea, dry lips, no tears, no wet nappy for many hours.
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), swelling of the face and throat, suspected poisoning, and heavy bleeding that cannot be stopped.
- Babies under three months with a fever above 38 °C: always seek medical help immediately.
Munich has specialised children's hospitals with emergency departments, above all the Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital of the LMU and the children's hospital of the München Klinik Schwabing. Via 112, a paediatric emergency doctor is alerted if needed. A private on-call service never replaces the rescue service.
A paediatrician on the weekend in Munich: what are the options?
On weekends, Munich families have several care routes open to them, as only very few paediatric practices offer Saturday consultations and these are usually heavily booked. The first step is usually a call to 116 117.
The control centre names the nearest open paediatric contact point; the current locations and opening hours of the KVB on-call practices are available at any time via 116 117 or on 116117.de. Advance registration is usually not necessary; bring the child's health insurance card. Since children with statutory insurance are billed via the health fund, the care is free of charge, but especially on Sundays and during infection waves you should expect several hours of waiting in a full waiting room.
Why a home visit is often the gentlest option for a sick child
A home visit spares the sick child the stressful journey to a crowded on-call practice and reduces the risk of infection from other sick children in the waiting room. Wrapping up a feverish or exhausted child, putting them in the car and driving across Munich, say from Bogenhausen to Schwabing, means additional stress, while a wait of several hours is a considerable burden especially for babies and toddlers.
In familiar surroundings children are more cooperative, which allows the doctor a calmer and more precise clinical assessment; a crying child in an unfamiliar treatment room is much harder to auscultate than a settled child in a parent's arms. A home visit is particularly useful for very high fever, for severely weakened children, for families without a car or with several small children, and where a contagious infectious disease is suspected.
What RAB Arztbesuche provides during a home visit for children
RAB Arztbesuche, the private medical on-call service, carries out home visits for children throughout the Munich city area, in all 25 districts, daily from 6 a.m. to midnight, including Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. After a brief description of the symptoms by phone, the doctor typically arrives within 60 to 90 minutes.
On site, the doctor performs a complete physical examination: recording temperature, breathing rate and circulation signs, auscultating the lungs and heart, inspecting the throat and ears with an otoscope, and palpating the abdomen and lymph nodes. On this basis the doctor decides together with the parents on the next steps. Where clearly indicated, private prescriptions for fever reducers, decongestant nose drops or antibiotics can be issued directly; likewise a certificate of incapacity for work to care for the sick child (Kinderkrankschein) for the accompanying parent. If the examination points to a more serious illness, the parents receive a clear recommendation to present at a hospital outpatient clinic. For international families, an English-speaking doctor can be sent on request; more in the guide English-speaking doctor in Munich.
How a paediatric home visit works, step by step
Every home visit starts with a phone call in which the urgency is assessed. The process usually comprises five steps:
- Contact: You call via the call button or book online. The child's age, main symptoms, duration of symptoms, pre-existing conditions and any medication already given are recorded.
- Initial assessment: Based on this information, it is decided whether a home visit is the right option or whether, in the individual case, 112 or a hospital would be the right route.
- Journey: The doctor typically arrives within 60 to 90 minutes.
- Examination: The age-appropriate examination in the child's room or living room takes around 20 to 40 minutes depending on complexity.
- Treatment and follow-up: The doctor determines the next steps, prescribes medication if needed and gives advice on home care. If the condition does not improve or worsens within 24 hours, a clear recommendation for a follow-up assessment is given.
What parents should have ready for the home visit
A little preparation makes the doctor's assessment easier and saves valuable minutes. Ideally, have these documents and details ready:
- The child's health insurance card, vaccination record and the yellow examination booklet (U-Heft).
- An up-to-date list of the medication the child takes, plus known allergies.
- The fever curve of the last hours (measured temperatures with times) and notes on fluid intake, vomiting and bowel movements.
- Any medical reports for chronically ill children.
A thermometer, electrolyte solution for diarrhoea and a favourite toy to calm the child belong in every well-stocked medicine cabinet and help defuse many weekend situations.
Cost and billing of the private home visit
A private home visit is billed according to the German scale of fees for physicians (GOÄ) and usually falls in the range of around 150 to 300 €; the amount depends on the time of day, the day of the week and the scope of the examination. Privately insured children are generally reimbursed in full by their health insurance, those entitled to Beihilfe via their aid office.
Families with statutory insurance and self-payers can also use the service; reimbursement by the statutory health fund is generally not provided, but many private supplementary insurance policies cover the costs in full or in part. The invoice is issued transparently according to the GOÄ and can also be provided in English on request, which makes reimbursement by travel or international health insurers easier. A detailed breakdown is on the page doctor house call costs in Munich.
Frequently asked questions about the children's doctor on-call service in Munich
Is there a paediatrician on Saturday or Sunday in Munich?
Yes, children are examined on weekends too, via the KVB's paediatric on-call service and the emergency contact points of Munich's children's hospitals. The first pointer to the nearest open contact point comes from 116 117. Regular paediatric practices with Saturday hours are very rare in Munich and usually heavily booked. Anyone who wants to avoid waiting times and transporting a sick child can alternatively book a private home visit, which typically takes place within 60 to 90 minutes.
From what age does a doctor come for a home visit?
A home visit is possible for children of all ages in principle. For very young babies, especially under three months, it is checked particularly carefully on the phone whether presentation at a paediatric hospital outpatient clinic would be the medically safer option. For babies under three months with a fever above 38 °C, medical help must always be sought immediately anyway.
Can the doctor issue a prescription and a sick note?
Yes, where indicated, the doctor issues private prescriptions on the spot, for example for fever reducers, painkillers, decongestant nose drops or, where clearly indicated, antibiotics. The prescription can then be filled at an on-duty pharmacy. For the accompanying parent, a certificate of incapacity for work to care for the sick child (Kinderkrankschein) can also be issued, as can certificates for daycare or school on request.
How quickly does a doctor come to a sick child?
After the phone arrangement, the doctor from RAB Arztbesuche typically arrives within 60 to 90 minutes. At peak times, such as Saturday mornings, Sunday afternoons, public holidays or during infection waves, the arrival time can be longer; prioritisation follows medical urgency. For life-threatening symptoms such as severe breathing difficulty, a seizure or unconsciousness, always call 112 immediately; the rescue service is much faster and takes the child directly to the nearest paediatric emergency department.
When should you call 112 instead of the on-call service?
112 is always the right choice when a life-threatening situation cannot be ruled out: severe breathing difficulty, reduced consciousness, a febrile seizure, clear signs of dehydration, a severe allergic reaction or suspected poisoning. In these cases, outpatient care must not be waited for. The paediatric on-call service and a private home visit are intended exclusively for acute but stable complaints.
Choosing the right route to care
Munich's healthcare system is clearly tiered: 112 is reserved for life-threatening emergencies, 116 117 connects to the KVB's paediatric on-call service for acute but stable complaints, and office-based paediatric practices provide regular care. Assessing symptoms correctly helps avoid unnecessary strain on the child, relieves emergency departments and gets you to the right level of care quickly. If your child needs medical help in Munich outside consultation hours and there is no life-threatening situation, you can reach RAB Arztbesuche daily from 6 a.m. to midnight via the call button or book your appointment directly online.
What is the paediatric on-call service in Munich?
The paediatric on-call service is the KVB's 116 117 offering for children in Munich: doctors treat acute complaints without danger to life in the evenings, on weekends and on public holidays. At warning signs such as breathing difficulty, a febrile seizure or reduced consciousness, parents call 112 immediately.
Is there a private paediatric on-call service in Munich?
Yes, RAB Arztbesuche sends licensed doctors to the sick child's home within 60–90 minutes, daily from 6 a.m. to midnight, including weekends. Billing is transparent under the GOÄ, usually 150–300 €; details on the costs page.