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Is my child sick?


Disclaimer: This fact sheet is for educational use only. Please consult your doctor or other health professional to make sure this information is right for your child.

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.
 

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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 111 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 111 for help rather than travel to the doctor using your own car. (See Emergencies - Dialling 111).
 

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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 (see a photo of a meningococcal rash)
  • 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

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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.
 

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Where to go for more information

On this website
 
BabyCheck
This is part of a website designed by a neonatal doctor. It is for children under six months old. It might help guide you as to whether you need to see a doctor. The other areas of this website (NICU Tools) are aimed at health professionals.
Website: http://www.nicutools.org/MediCalcs/BabyCheck.php3
 
Telephone advice - Healthline and PlunketLine
  • ring PlunketLine on 0800 933 922 if you have child health and parenting questions or queries. For example, if you have questions about such issues as parenting, crying, sleeping, your child's growth, development, behaviour, immunisation, breastfeeding, nutrition, oral health, safety or want to know more about the Well Child / Tamariki Ora programme
  • call Healthline on 0800 611 116 if you need advice about a child of any age who is unwell or hurt, or has any symptoms of sickness. Healthline provides a full range of telephone triage and health advice for children (and adults)
  • both services are available 24 hours and are free to callers throughout New Zealand, including from a mobile phone

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Endorsement

This fact sheet was endorsed by PSNZ - 04/06/2008

Copyright

Fact sheets are subject to copyright. In the interests of information sharing they may be copied but acknowledgement must be given to PSNZ and Starship Foundation.
© The Paediatric Society of New Zealand and Starship Foundation 2005 - 2010


The Paediatric Society of New Zealand
http://www.paediatrics.org.nz 		Starship Foundation
http://www.starship.org.nz