Illness

It’s sometimes difficult to tell at first when a baby is ill but you may have a funny feeling that things aren’t quite right. If you’re at all worried, ask for help. You are not fussing. It’s far better to be on the safe side, particularly with a very small baby. Trust your own judgement. You know your baby best.

Very urgent problems

Sometimes there are more obvious signs that your baby is not well. Contact your doctor at once if your baby:

• makes jerky movements – this is a fit or convulsion;

• turns blue or very pale;

• has quick, difficult or grunting breathing, or unusual periods of breathing, for example if your baby breathes with pauses of over 20 seconds between breaths;

• is very hard to wake, or unusually drowsy, or doesn’t seem to know you;

• develops a rash of red spots which do not fade and lose colour (blanch) when they are pressed.  This may be the rash of meningococcal septicaemia – an infection in the blood. There may not be any other symptoms.
• your baby may need treatment very quickly. If you can’t get hold of your GP at once, dial 999 for an ambulance or take your baby to the Accident and Emergency Department of your nearest hospital as quickly as possible.

Problems that could be serious

• if your baby has a hoarse cough with noisy breathing, is wheezing, or cannot breathe through the nose.

• if your baby is unusually hot, cold or floppy.