Serious symptoms in children never to ignore

As a parent it is sometimes difficult to know when an illness is serious in your child or not. The old adage that “Mum knows best” is usually true. If you think this presentation is not normal for your child then seek advice and do not let up until you are happy the situation has resolved to your satisfaction.

I know some parents do not wish to seek advice for fear “they are bothering the doctor”. Any doctor will tell you they are more than happy to help.

The following link provides some good things to look out for if you suspect your child is ill and may need medical attention. The rule of thumb I use is an acronym FABC, this stands for

FLUIDS – in and out, your child should be drinking and should be weeing it out; look for wet nappies, has this increased or decreased compared to normal

ALERT – is you child as alert as they usually are; can you arouse them

BREATHING – does your child’s breathing appear to be normal; is their chest rising at a rate that appears normal to you; does their breathing appear more rapid or more shallow than usual.

CIRCULATION – does your child look blue around the lips or tongue; are the hands or feel blue; (NB mottling may be normal for your child)

If in doubt seek professional advice.