1. We mentioned previously that adults with certain illnesses, including some mental illnesses, are defined as choleh she’ein bo sakanah. Any katan (child) is also defined as a choleh she’ein bo sakanah in any case of illness, even a minor one for which an adult may not violate Shabbat in any way. Therefore, a child may be given medicine in this case, and a non-Jew may be asked to perform melachah for any very important need of the child (Rema 328:17; Shulchan Aruch 276:1; Mishnah Berurah 276:6).

2. Many poskim say that defining any illness of a child as choleh she’ein bo sakanah, for which they can take medicine or ask a non-Jew to help for important needs, applies only for very young children, for whom it will be difficult to deal with the illness – perhaps until around age 3 (Nishmat Avraham 328:57). Others are more lenient and allow for children until age 6 (Tzitz Eliezer 8:15), and some allow until age 9 (Shemirat Shabbat K'hilchata 37:2). Some Sephardic poskim allow even until bar or bat mitzvah (Ohr Ltzion 2:36).

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Dedicated by Fran Broder as a zechus for the hostages to be released safely to their families and may everlasting peace come to Eretz Yisrael in the merit of learning Hilchos Shabbos.