How do I know if my baby is not feeling well?
Note: If you have urgent concerns, call 999 and ask for an ambulance. Examples of problems that need this response include, but aren’t limited to:
- not breathing
- not waking
- having a rash that doesn’t disappear under a glass
- having a seizure or allergic reaction
- if you think your baby may be seriously injured.
In non-urgent cases, it can be difficult to know if a baby is unwell. Babies can become unwell very quickly, which can be scary, but they can also recover quickly too. It’s important to trust your instincts when it comes to your baby’s health – you know them and their behaviour better than anyone else. If you are unsure, there are tools to help decide the best place to access care:
- Ring NHS 111 and describe the symptoms you are concerned about. They can offer medical advice and direct you to help.
- Use apps: Check your baby’s symptoms on the free Lullaby Trust Baby Check App – answer 19 questions and receive advice on whether to seek healthcare, and how urgently
- Check for warning symptoms and signs on the NHS website.
When accessing care for a baby or young child, care is often divided into levels of urgency that dictate when and where your child is seen:
- Non-urgent: mild concerns that don’t require same-day care. Most of the time these issues can be assessed by your GP or health visitor
- Urgent: moderate concerns that need to be dealt with that same day via an Emergency Department or Urgent Care service. It may better to bypass a smaller hospital if it doesn’t have a paediatric (children’s) department – go straight to a larger hospital
- Emergency: if you feel it is an emergency always call 999 and ask for an ambulance.
Other general points
- If your baby doesn’t have a temperature, that doesn’t necessarily mean they aren’t unwell. Not all illnesses result in a fever, and you can still have an infection with a normal temperature.
- If your baby is fully awake, smiling and eating, these are all good signs and there is unlikely to be an urgent issue
- If you’re concerned, always seek help from a doctor ASAP. We prefer to see babies before they get very unwell.
