Emergency red flags in babies and children

These are warning signs that need immediate in-person medical care. If your child has any of them, go to the nearest hospital emergency department now.

Do not wait for a clinic appointment, a WhatsApp reply or an online consultation in an emergency.

Emergencies need hospital assessment with equipment and staff that a consulting room or an online message cannot provide. Arrange emergency transport or reach the nearest emergency department by the fastest safe route.

Clinic line: 0314-2227878

The clinic line is answered during clinic hours and is not an emergency service.

Warning signs by category

Breathing

• Severe difficulty breathing, gasping or very fast breathing
• Grunting, nostril flaring, or skin pulling in between or below the ribs
• Noisy breathing in at rest, drooling or inability to swallow
• A baby too breathless to feed, or a child unable to complete a sentence
• Choking, or a sudden coughing episode after a small object or food

Colour and circulation

• Blue, grey or very dusky lips, tongue or skin
• Skin that is mottled, cold and pale with poor colour return
• A rash of small red or purple spots that does not fade under gentle glass pressure

Consciousness and the brain

• A seizure or fit, especially a first one or one lasting more than five minutes
• Unresponsiveness, or a child who cannot be woken properly
• Confusion, unusual drowsiness, a very weak or high-pitched cry
• A stiff neck with fever and dislike of bright light
• Sudden weakness, floppiness or loss of a previously present skill

Dehydration and feeding

• No urine or dry nappies for many hours
• Sunken eyes, very dry mouth, or no tears when crying
• Repeated vomiting, green vomit, or inability to keep any fluid down
• Blood in stool or vomit
• A newborn refusing feeds or feeding very weakly

Fever and the newborn

• Any fever in a baby under three months old
• A newborn who is unusually cold, floppy or hard to wake
• Deepening jaundice with poor feeding or sleepiness
• Fever with severe headache, persistent vomiting or a spreading rash

Injury and poisoning

• A head injury with vomiting, drowsiness, fits or unequal pupils
• A fall from height, a road accident, or a deformed painful limb
• Suspected swallowing of medicine, chemicals or a battery
• A burn, electric shock, near-drowning, or a bite or sting with swelling and breathing difficulty
• Bleeding that does not stop with firm pressure

Questions parents ask

Should I message the clinic first in an emergency?

No. If your child has any of the warning signs on this page, go straight to the nearest hospital emergency department or arrange emergency transport. Do not wait for a WhatsApp reply, an online consultation or a clinic appointment.

What should I take to the emergency department?

If it is safe to do so, take the child's vaccination and health records, any medicines they are taking or may have swallowed with their packaging, and notes on when symptoms started.

What if I am not sure whether it is an emergency?

If you are seriously worried about your child's breathing, colour, responsiveness or hydration, treat it as an emergency and seek immediate in-person assessment. It is always safer to be checked.

Child fever guideMeasuring fever, home care and when to be seen.Read guide Cough and breathingRecognising respiratory distress, wheeze and stridor.Read guide Diarrhea and dehydrationFluids, ORS and dehydration warning signs.Read guide

This page is general parent education and does not replace examination, diagnosis or treatment by a qualified medical professional.

For non-urgent concerns, book a consultation

Routine child-health questions, follow-up and ongoing concerns can be booked at Arham Childcare Clinic or as an online consultation.

Clinic hours: Monday–Saturday 6 PM–10 PM, Sunday 10 AM–2 PM. Requests are usually answered during clinic hours.

Book an Appointment Call 0314-2227878

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