Recognizing Illness

Parenting Resources and Community Outreach

Although serious illnesses are rare in newborns and infants, it’s important for every parent to know about symptoms that warrant a call to the pediatrician. The following information can help you recognize when medical care is needed.

Fever – Call your physician immediately if your baby is younger than 3 months old and has a rectal temperature of 100.4˚F or higher.

Changes in Behavior – A change in behavior may be one of the first signs of illness in a newborn. If your baby is alert, active and feeding well and can be comforted when crying, occasional variations in behavior are normal. On the other hand, distinct changes in a baby’s activity level, appetite and crying pattern may signal illness. Call your pediatrician if your baby has:

• little or no energy
• difficulty sucking at the breast or bottle
• lack of hunger or refuses several feedings
• persistent crying or irritability

Breathing Problems – Changes in a baby’s breathing rate or pattern – using other muscles and parts of the chest to breathe – or changes in color may mean the baby is having respiratory distress and needs immediate medical attention. Call your pediatrician if your baby:

• has blue-tinged skin
• takes more than 60 breaths a minute
• has longer than 10 seconds between breaths
• flares the nostrils, sucks in the chest or grunts when inhaling
• moans or sighs when exhaling
• coughs persistently

Gastrointestinal Problems – A newborn’s ability to eat and digest food is essential to growth and development. Most babies are able to absorb milk normally at each feeding and then have normal bowel movements. Difficulty in either of these areas can be a sign of a more serious problem. Watery bowel movements and diarrhea in a newborn can quickly lead to severe dehydration and should be treated immediately. The following symptoms may indicate the baby is having gastrointestinal problems:

• frequent, forceful or projectile vomiting
• discolored or green-tinged vomit
• diarrhea (watery, very loose bowel movements that occur very frequently)

Congestion

Most infants at some time may sound congested. Coughing and sneezing are your baby’s attempts to blow his nose. You can help your baby by suctioning his nose often when he’s congested; use a rubber suction bulb made especially for infants. To thin the mucous before you suction his nose, use a normal saline solution (infant nose drops from the store or drops you prepare by dissolving 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a cup of warm water). Place one or two drops in one nostril, then suction. Repeat in the other nostril. To suction: squeeze the bulb and then insert the tip gently into the nostril; slowly release the bulb to draw the mucus into the bulb. Empty the bulb by forcing the air out into a tissue, then repeat the suctioning process in the other nostril. Make certain to clean the bulb between uses.

Ear Infections

Ear infections may develop along with a cold in the early months. Symptoms can include loss of appetite, irritability, difficulty sleeping, fever and vomiting. Other symptoms may include ear pain and, in later months, pulling at the ear. If your baby has these symptoms, see his pediatrician. If the pediatrician prescribes medicine for the infection, be sure to give it to the baby for as long as the doctor says. A warm (not hot) compress held over the ear can sometimes soothe the baby.