Kid's Health

Is my child very sick?

Healthy young children have on average 12 infections each year. These are a normal part of childhood. As a parent or caregiver you deal with these but you may worry about missing a serious illness.

There is no foolproof system to tell you whether or not your child is seriously ill.
Knowing your child and seeing a change in your child’s behaviour could be the most important clue.

What do you do if you think your child is sick?

Depending on the circumstances you may decide to:

see your GP (general practitioner)

go to an after-hours medical centre

dial  for urgent medical help

You should stay calm and explain why you are worried about your child. Ask for your child to be seen by a doctor.

If you are waiting to be seen and think that your child is getting sicker, calmly explain again why you need your child to be seen soon.

In some circumstances it might be better to dial urgent medical help  for help rather than travel to the doctor using your own car.

Symptoms

The following is a list of some of the symptoms that mean your child has a significant health problem. See a doctor if your child:

has an unusual colour – they are very pale or have blue tongue and lips

has a worrying rash especially one that does not go away when you press on it

is very sleepy or drowsy

has an unusual high-pitched cry

has trouble breathing, has noisy breathing or is breathing fast

complains of a stiff neck or light hurting their eyes

has a severe headache

refuses to drink - even small sips

is not passing urine

passes urine that is very dark or has blood in it

vomits a lot – and cannot keep sips of replacement drinks down

vomits yellow-green fluid (bile)

vomits blood – this may be red or brown or look like coffee grounds if it is not fresh

has black tar-like stools or blood in the bowel motions

has frequent and watery bowel motions (diarrhoea)

has a fever that lasts for more than two days

is in pain

is not interested in surroundings (lethargic)

is getting sicker or is not improving after two days

What about young babies?

Young babies (less than three months old) need a more cautious approach.

If your child is under three months old and you are worried about them, they should be checked by a doctor, even if they do not have one of the above symptoms. You should trust your instinct.

Source: http://www.kidshealth.org.nz