It’s inevitable that your baby will be sick at one point in their life or another. As a parent, understanding this and staying calm when your baby does get sick is important.
Here’s a few tell-tale signs of when you should call your Pediatrician:
- Loss of appetite: If your baby refuses multiple meals, it’s time to call your Pediatrician.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
Article Source: MayoClinic.Com
Brian K. Gaw, MD: Pediatrics + Adolescent Medicine 