BACKGROUND: The precise timing as to when caregivers should take their children to the hospital is crucial to ensure the health and safety of children. As children cannot make these decisions on their own, caregivers bear the core responsibility for the wellness of their children. The aim of this study was to determine how disease, disabilities and child behavior can influence when and how often caregivers take their children to the hospital. METHODS: A structured anonymous online survey was circulated to pediatricians in Japan. Pediatricians were queried about the patients' dispositions including their reactivity to pain, expression of pain, behavior at the hospital, and the timing of the visit. Patients were school-aged children and included those with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, Down syndrome, mental retardation, epilepsy, premature birth or allergies. RESULTS: Sixty-eight out of the 80 pediatricians responded to the survey (85% response rate). The results indicated that caregivers of the children with autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and mental retardation took them to the hospital later than they should have essentially done. Conversely, children born prematurely or those with allergies were taken to the hospitals even when the symptoms were mild. CONCLUSIONS: Caregivers make decisions on when to visit the hospital based on the child's expression of pain and their behavior. The creation of guidelines to give appropriate guidance to caregivers as to when to visit the hospital is essential.