Unwell child

When your child isn’t feeling well, he or she will often behave differently than what you’re used to, or may be in pain, drowsy or listless. Parents are often the first to notice when something isn’t right with their child. It's always a good idea to be alert and to get help if you're concerned.

Your unwell child may display one or more of the following symptoms:

• Red spots or rash. The colour will often become lighter or paler when you press down on them.
• A fever. The body temperature is 38°C or higher.
• Feeling short of breath.
• Can’t, or can barely, urinate.
• Can’t, or can barely, drink.
• Vomiting.
• Diarrhoea.
• Abdominal pain.
• Earache.
• Pain in the arms or legs.
• Grey and pale skin.
• Rapid breathing.
• A wheeze.
• Blue lips or nails.
• Blotchy skin.
• Red spots or a rash which won’t fade when pressed.
• Pain when swallowing.
• Your child is inconsolable.
• Swollen joints.
• Twitches in the arms or legs.
• Drooling.

• Try to comfort and calm your child.
• Make sure your child gets plenty of sleep.
• Measure your child’s temperature with a thermometer. This is best done via the anus, as an ear thermometer is less accurate.
• Make sure your child continues to drink enough. The guideline for this is 1.5 to 2 litres of water a day. Give your child small sips if this is difficult to achieve.
• Give your child paracetamol if he or she has any pain.
• Give your child ORS in case of frequent vomiting or diarrhoea. This will prevent your child from becoming dehydrated. ORS powder is available from the chemist or pharmacy. Get advice on how to use it if you’re not familiar with the product.
• Continue to breastfeed or bottle feed your baby. Give your baby small sips every 5 to 10 minutes if necessary.

Children between 6 months and 6 years old can suffer from febrile seizures. Your child will then jerk and pull his or her arms and legs and become stiff. You will then need to:

• Empty your child’s mouth using your finger.
• Lay your child on his or her side.
• Make sure your child can’t hurt him or herself or fall.
• Call your GP immediately.

Consult your GP if:

• Your baby is suffering from diarrhoea.
• Your baby is vomiting.
• Your baby is vomiting and hasn’t improved after 4 hours.
• Your baby is vomiting or spitting up for more than a day.

Call your GP immediately if:

• Your child has a fever and is younger than three months.
• Your child develops a fever again after having had a fever.
• Your child has a fever and is taking medication which will compromise his or her immune system.
• Your child has a fever and a compromised immune system.
• Your child has not yet had any vaccinations at the health clinic.
• Your child has travelled outside of Europe and the symptoms appeared within 4 weeks of your return.
• Your child hardly responds to what you’re saying.
• You can’t wake your child.
• You can’t get your child to respond to you.
• Your child is short of breath.
• Your child is breathing rapidly.
• Your child has a wheeze.
• Your child is retracting the skin between the ribs and the neck.
• Your child’s nostrils noticeably move while breathing.
• Your child is making strange noises and is drooling while breathing.
• Your child can’t, or can hardly, speak.
• Your child sometimes stops breathing.
• Your child is inconsolable.
• Your child is moaning.
• Your child is crying in a high pitched tone.
• Your child is crying weakly.
• Your child is in pain when bending his or her head forward.
• Your child has a pale and grey colour.
• Your child has pale or blue nails.
• Your child has a rash on his or her skin.
• Your child has a rash on his or her arms, legs, chest, back and/or on the mucous membrane of the eye. This rash doesn’t fade when you press down on it.
• Your child hasn’t urinated for half a day, or doesn’t have a wet nappy.
• Your child isn’t, or is hardly, drinking.
• Your child is drowsy, has a dry mouth, dry eyes, a dry nose and is floppy. This may mean your child is, or is becoming, dehydrated.
• Your baby has vomited a lot and is barely keeping anything down.
• Your child’s tummy ache is constantly getting worse.
• Your child has mucus and blood in his or her stool.
• Your child’s tummy ache worsens when your child moves.
• Your child’s tummy ache is in the lower right abdomen.
• Your child suffers pain when urinating or has blood in the urine.
• Your child has a severe ear infection.
• Your child’s ear is protruding from his or her head.
• Your child is becoming increasingly more unwell.
• Your child suffers a febrile seizure.