57 illness guides
Baby health and illness
Fever, rashes, croup, bronchiolitis and the red flags that need a call tonight. Every page opens with when to get help, not with the background.
HealthBaby Breathing FastSixty breaths a minute or more in a baby under one is a NICE high-risk sign. How to count it…HealthCold Hands and Feet in a BabyCold hands and feet on a warm, feeding baby are usually normal. In an unwell baby, NICE lists cold…HealthBaby Fell Off the BedMost babies who roll off a bed are fine, but NICE sets specific rules for under-ones. The signs…HealthBaby Grunting and StrainingGrunting while straining to poo is normal in babies. Grunting at the end of every breath out is a…HealthA Baby Not Feeding When IllPoor feeding in a baby is listed in NICE guidance as a warning sign in its own right. How to judge…HealthA Baby Not Gaining WeightNICE sets exact centile thresholds for concern about faltering growth, and they depend on birth…HealthA Baby Not Responding to SoundA clear newborn hearing screen does not rule out hearing loss developing later. The sounds babies…HealthBaby Poo ColourGreen baby poo is almost always fine. The three colours that need a doctor are white or chalky,…HealthProjectile Vomiting in BabiesForceful vomiting after every feed in a baby of two to eight weeks who stays hungry can mean…HealthBaby Pulling Legs Up and ScreamingDrawing the legs up is usually wind or colic, but screaming in waves with a pale, floppy baby in…HealthA Baby Sleeping More Than UsualA baby who will not wake for feeds, or wakes and cannot stay awake, is a red flag in NICE guidance.…HealthSquint and Eye Alignment in BabiesOccasional crossing in the first months is common, but a constant squint needs checking. Why a…HealthBaby Swallowed SomethingA swallowed button battery is a 999 emergency even if your baby seems fine. Magnets too. What to do…HealthTwitching and Jerking in BabiesMost baby twitching in sleep is harmless and stops the moment they wake. The patterns that need…HealthWheezing in BabiesA wheeze plus struggling to breathe is a 999 call. What causes wheezing in the under-fives, what…HealthA Baby's Soft SpotA bulging fontanelle in a baby is a NICE red flag and a 999 call. A sunken one points to…HealthBirthmarks in BabiesMost baby birthmarks are harmless and many fade on their own. The ones that need early referral are…HealthBlue Lips or Skin in a BabyBlue or grey lips, tongue or gums in a baby is an emergency, not a wait-and-see sign. What central…HealthBreath-Holding Spells in BabiesBreath-holding spells look terrifying and are usually harmless. The two types, why babies go blue…HealthBronchiolitis and RSVBronchiolitis is worst on days 3 to 5 and the cough can last 3 weeks. The breathing signs that mean…HealthBruises on a BabyA bruise on a baby who cannot yet roll or crawl is taken seriously in NICE guidance. Why clinicians…HealthBurns and Scalds in BabiesCool the burn under running water for 20 minutes, then cover it with cling film. Why a baby's skin…HealthChickenpox in BabiesChickenpox clears in 1 to 2 weeks, but ibuprofen is the wrong painkiller for it. The three stages,…HealthClicky Hips in BabiesClicky hips usually mean a scan rather than a problem. The NHS risk factors that trigger an…HealthCold Sores and BabiesThe NHS says kissing a baby if you have a cold sore can lead to neonatal herpes. The warning signs…HealthConjunctivitis in BabiesRed, sticky eyes in a baby under 30 days old need an urgent appointment. What to do for older…HealthConstipation in Older BabiesStarting solids often changes a baby's poo. What counts as constipation once weaning starts, what…HealthCoughs in BabiesA cough alone in a feeding, breathing, settled baby is rarely urgent. The sounds that change that,…HealthCroup in BabiesCroup makes a seal-like barking cough that is worse at night. Why every case needs a call, the…HealthEar Infections in BabiesEar pulling is usually not an ear infection. The signs that are, why babies under 1 need a GP not a…HealthEczema in BabiesNICE says emollients are the foundation of treatment and should be used even when skin looks clear.…HealthFebrile ConvulsionsA fever fit usually lasts 2 to 3 minutes and rarely does harm. What to do while it happens, when to…HealthFever in BabiesA baby under 3 months with a temperature of 38C or higher is a medical emergency. The NICE…HealthFlat Head in BabiesFlat head syndrome is common and usually corrects itself as a baby sits and moves more. What…HealthGastroenteritis and DehydrationVomiting usually stops in 1 to 2 days and diarrhoea in 5 to 7. The dehydration signs to check in a…HealthHand, Foot and Mouth DiseaseHand, foot and mouth clears in 7 to 10 days on its own. What the spots look like, the dehydration…HealthHeat Rash in BabiesHeat rash clears on its own once a baby cools down and usually needs no cream. How to tell it from…HealthHives in BabiesHives with swelling of the lips, mouth or throat is a 999 call. What ordinary hives looks like on…HealthImpetigo in BabiesImpetigo leaves crusts that look like cornflakes stuck to the skin. Why babies under 12 months go…HealthA Lump in a Baby's GroinA groin lump in a baby that is firm, tender, red or will not go back needs emergency care. How to…HealthA Lump on a Baby's NeckMost neck lumps in babies are swollen glands from a passing infection. The features that need a…HealthMeasles in BabiesThe NHS says to seek urgent advice if a baby under one has been in contact with measles, before any…HealthMeningitis Red Flags in BabiesNeck stiffness and headache are often absent in babies. The signs NICE and the NHS list instead,…HealthMolluscum Contagiosum in BabiesMolluscum spots are dome-shaped with a shiny dimple, and the NHS says they clear within 18 months…HealthOral Thrush in BabiesThrush leaves white patches that do not wipe off easily; milk residue does. How to tell them apart,…HealthA Rash Around a Baby's MouthA rash only where food touched the skin is usually irritation, not allergy. The signs that mean a…HealthRoseolaRoseola causes 3 to 5 days of high fever, then a rash that arrives as the child improves. Why the…HealthScarlet Fever in BabiesScarlet fever needs antibiotics, and a baby stops being contagious 24 hours after the first dose.…HealthSlapped Cheek DiseaseBy the time the red cheeks appear, slapped cheek is no longer contagious. What the rash does, who…HealthA Swollen Eyelid in a BabyA red, swollen, hot eyelid in a baby can be infection spreading around the eye and needs same-day…HealthTeething or Illness?Teething raises a temperature only slightly, and to less than 38C. What teething does and does not…HealthThe Glass Test and Non-Blanching RashesHow to press a glass against a baby's rash, what a non-blanching rash means, where to look on…HealthUmbilical Hernia in BabiesMost umbilical hernias close on their own, often by the age of four or five. The rare signs that…HealthUndescended Testicle in BabiesMost undescended testicles move down in the first 12 weeks. The NHS refers at 4 to 5 months if one…HealthUrine Infections in BabiesNICE says refer babies under 3 months with a suspected urine infection to a specialist. In a baby,…HealthWhen to Call a Doctor or Emergency ServicesThe red flags that mean an ambulance, the ones that mean same-day advice, and the right emergency…HealthWhooping Cough in BabiesBabies under 3 months often do not whoop, and under-6-month-olds get the sickest of all. The NHS…