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Sick baby? When to seek medical attention
When a healthy baby gets sick, there's no reason to panic. Understand when to call the doctor and when to seek emergency care for your baby.
By Mayo Clinic staffEvery parent wants a healthy baby, but occasional infections and fevers are inevitable. Even parents who have plenty of experience with sick babies can have a tough time distinguishing normal fussiness and mild illnesses from more-serious problems. Here's when to contact the doctor — and when to seek emergency care — for a sick baby.
When to contact your baby's doctor
An occasional illness is usually nothing to worry about in an otherwise healthy baby — but sometimes it's best to contact the doctor. Look for these signs and symptoms:
- Changes in appetite. If your baby refuses several feedings in a row or eats poorly, contact the doctor.
- Changes in mood. If your baby is lethargic or unusually difficult to rouse, tell the doctor right away. Also let the doctor know if your baby is persistently irritable or has inconsolable crying jags.
- Tender navel or penis. Contact the doctor if your baby's umbilical area or penis suddenly becomes red or starts to ooze or bleed.
- Fever. Mild fevers are common and usually harmless, but keep an eye on the thermometer. If your baby is younger than age 3 months, contact the doctor for any fever. If your baby is age 3 months or older and has an oral temperature lower than 102 F (38.9 C), encourage rest and offer plenty of fluids. Contact the doctor if your baby seems unusually irritable, lethargic or uncomfortable. If your baby has an oral temperature of 102 F (38.9 C) or higher, give your baby acetaminophen (Tylenol, others). Contact the doctor if the fever doesn't respond to the medication or lasts longer than one day.
- Diarrhea. Contact the doctor if your baby's stools are especially loose or watery.
- Vomiting. Occasional spitting up is normal. Contact the doctor if your baby spits up large portions of multiple feedings or vomits forcefully after feedings.
- Dehydration. Contact the doctor if your baby doesn't wet a diaper for six hours or longer, the soft spot on top of your baby's head seems to sink, or your baby cries without tears or has a dry mouth without saliva.
- Constipation. If your baby has fewer bowel movements than usual for a few days, contact the doctor.
- Colds. Contact the doctor if your baby has a cold that interferes with his or her breathing, lasts longer than two weeks, or is accompanied by severe coughing.
- Ear trouble. Contact the doctor if your baby doesn't respond normally to sounds or has fluid draining from his or her ears.
- Rash. Contact the doctor if a rash covers a large area, appears infected or if your baby suddenly develops an unexplained rash — especially if the rash is accompanied by a fever.
- Eye discharge. If one or both eyes are pink, red or leaking mucus, contact the doctor.
Trust your instincts. If you think you should contact the doctor, go ahead. After hours, you may be able to use a 24-hour nurse line offered through the doctor's office, clinic or your health insurance company.
Next page(1 of 2)
- When to call the pediatrician. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/fever/pages/When-to-Call-the-Pediatrician.aspx. Accessed Nov. 2, 2010.
- When to call the baby's doctor: Print-and-go guide. National Women's Health Information Center. http://www.womenshealth.gov/pregnancy/mom-to-be-tools/when-call-baby-doctor.pdf. Accessed Nov. 2, 2010.
- Shelov SP, et al. Caring for Your Baby and Young Child, Birth to Age 5. 4th ed. New York, N.Y.: Bantam; 2004:138.
- Mozingo TA. RSV: When it's more than just a cold. American Academy of Pediatrics. http://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/pages/RSV-When-Its-More-Than-Just-a-Cold.aspx. Accessed Dec. 16, 2010.
- Powell KR. Fever. In: Kliegman RM, et al. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 18th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2007. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/171587449-4/0/1608/510.html?tocnode=54478711&fromURL=510.html#4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-2450-7..50176-6_3974. Accessed Nov. 2, 2010.
- Hoecker JL (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. Nov. 4, 2010.
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