Parenting is a mysterious and tough task to conquer! It is obvious that along with happiness, your bundle of joy brings a lot of worry. Being a new parent, it is tough to know whether your newborn is ill or not. To cope up with your new role, you can ask for advice from your friends and relatives or follow a few tips that will help you a lot.
1. Crying: Though crying in this stage is common, but the cry sound becomes different when a baby is sick. In general, they cry when they are hungry, wet or sleepy. However, if the sound is complaining, high-pitched, or abnormal, you must be careful and take your baby to doctor as these types of sounds might be symptoms of meningitis.
2. Cold: Don’t neglect if your child has got cold and cough. Take him or her to doctor if the medicine you give it is not reducing or if it persists more than 15 days.
3. Loss of appetite: If your new born doesn’t want to have food or if he or she is eating very less, it’s not a normal sign. It is better you take your baby to pediatrician at once.
4. Navel or penis becomes red: In case, the soft umbilical area of your infant or the penis starts to become red or if blood starts to flow from there, seek medical help immediately.
5. Dehydration: If you notice that the infant’s nappy doesn’t get wet in 6 hours or the soft part on the top of the child’s head called fontanel seems to sink or the baby’s mouth has dried up, you must call the doctor.
6. Rashes: Though rashes are quite normal in babies, as a parent you should not neglect them especially if they have occurred in large numbers or if the newborn develops fever or diarrhea along with the rashes.
7. Fever: Fever is quite normal, but if your child is between 3-6 months has a fever of 102 degrees or more and is restless, petulant, call a doctor. In addition, if your child is below 3 months and has high temperature, take him or her to doctor at once.
8. Vomiting: Vomiting is common in infancy but if your infant vomits continuously for 12 hours or more, call a doctor.
9. Problem in breathing: If your child shows difficulty in breathing, don’t neglect. Call the doctor at once.
