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When to call the doctor

Bumps and bruises can be worrying, and it can sometimes be hard to tell if you are dealing with a minor ailment or if its the right time to see a doctor. 

Always call the doctor if your child:

• Has a bump to the head.
• Is accidentally burned.
• Seems much sleepier/drowsier than usual.
• Is not feeding as regularly as normal.
• Is sick, and the vomit is green, bloody, or forceful (projectile).
• Has severe diarrhoea and vomiting.
• Has diarrhoea, which is green and watery (for more than a day).
• Doesn’t wee as much as usual.
• Grunts during breathing/is having difficulty breathing.
• Has long fits of coughing.
• Has a mild cough that develops into long frequent bouts of coughing (could be whooping cough).
• Looks bluish round the lips and tongue after coughing or feeding.
• Has a fit (convulsion).
• Screams for long periods.
• Seems to be in a lot of pain.
• Has a stiff neck and is sick.
• Cries with a high-pitched moaning sound.
• Develops a rash of small red/purple spots or bruises and seems very irritable, and/or has very cold hands and feet – if in doubt at all, call your doctor.
• Is floppy or clammy or turns blue or pale (check the palms of the hands of dark skinned babies).