Infant and toddler health (20)
- Language development: Speech milestones for babies
- Vaccines schedule for children
- Car seat safety: Avoid 10 common mistakes
- see all in Infant and toddler health
Newborn health (21)
- Infant development: Birth to 3 months
- Breast milk storage: Tips for storing breast milk
- Newborn care: Common-sense strategies for stressed-out parents
- see all in Newborn health
Infant health (18)
- Teething: Tips for soothing sore gums
- Solid foods: How to get your baby started
- Infant development: Milestones from 7 to 9 months
- see all in Infant health
Toddler health (14)
- Temper tantrums: How to keep the peace
- Parenting tips: How to improve toddler behavior
- Burn safety: Protect your child from burns
- see all in Toddler health
About our e-newsletters
- Free e-newsletters
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- We do not share your e-mail address
Housecall, our weekly general-interest e-newsletter, keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics with timely, reliable, practical information, recipes, blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts and more. Our biweekly topic-specific e-newsletters also include blogs, questions and answers with Mayo Clinic experts, and other useful information that will help you manage your health.
Housecall Archives
Mayo Clinic Housecall
Stay up to date on the latest health information.
What you get
- Free weekly e-newsletter
- Mayo Clinic expertise
- Recipes, tools and other helpful information
- We do not share your e-mail address
continued:
Sick baby? When to seek medical attention
When to seek emergency care
Seek emergency care for:
- Bleeding that can't be stopped
- Poisoning
- Seizures
- Trouble breathing
- Head injuries
- A sudden lack of energy or inability to move
- Unresponsiveness
- Large cuts or burns
- Neck stiffness
- Blood in the urine, bloody diarrhea or persistent diarrhea
- Skin or lips that look blue, purple or gray
Prepare for emergencies by asking your baby's doctor during a scheduled checkup what to do and where to go if your baby needs emergency care. Learn basic first aid, including CPR, and keep emergency phone numbers handy.
Be ready to answer questions
Whether you contact your baby's doctor or seek emergency care, be prepared to help the medical staff understand what's happening with your baby. Expect questions about:
- Your baby's symptoms. What prompted you to seek medical attention for your baby? What are your specific concerns?
- Your baby's medical history. Does your baby have any known allergies? Are your baby's immunizations current? Does your baby have any chronic conditions? Be prepared to share details about your pregnancy and the baby's birth.
- Changes in your baby's feeding and bowel movements. Have you noticed changes in your baby's eating or drinking patterns, in the number of wet diapers, or in the number and consistency of bowel movements?
- Changes in your baby's temperature. Does your baby have a fever? What's your baby's temperature? How did you take your baby's temperature? At what time did you take your baby's temperature?
- Home remedies and medications. Have you tried any home remedies or given your baby any over-the-counter or prescription medications? If so, what, how much and when?
In addition, before you contact your baby's doctor make sure you're prepared to jot down any instructions. Be sure to have your pharmacy's contact information ready, too.
Being prepared will save you and your baby's doctor time — and stress — during a phone call, office visit or emergency situation.
Previous page(2 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.
Find Mayo Clinic on