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How can I tell if my child is sick?

The best guide to your child鈥檚 health is their behaviour. If they are happy, active, playing and eating as they usually do, they are probably not very sick.

A sick child may:

• be unsettled or irritable
• lose interest in playing
• be unusually quiet and inactive
• not want to eat
• feel hot to the touch
• look tired, flushed or pale
• shiver or complain of feeling cold

Read more about your newborn鈥檚 health.

What symptoms should I look out for?

Symptoms you should look out for when your child seems sick are:

• fever
• drowsiness
• breathing changes
• dehydration

Fever

A is a temperature over 38鈦癈.

Most of the time, fever itself is not harmful. It means your child鈥檚 body is fighting an infection. How high the fever is doesn鈥檛 tell you how serious the infection is.

If your baby is under 3 months old and has a fever, take them to the doctor straight away, even if they have no signs of being sick. Young babies are at higher risk of complications from infections. The signs of a serious infection may not be obvious.

If your child has a seizure during a fever, call triple zero (000) and ask for an ambulance. Fever-related seizures are usually not harmful. However, your child needs to be checked at the hospital.

Drowsiness

If your child is sick, they may be sleepy and not interested in playing. Take them to the doctor straight away if:

• they seem very drowsy and don鈥檛 wake up easily
• they don鈥檛 have enough energy to cry loudly
• they seem floppy when you pick them up

Breathing changes

If you notice any changes in your child鈥檚 breathing, take them to the doctor straight away. You might notice:

• fast or noisy breathing
• grunting sounds with each breath
• the skin between their ribs sucking in with each breath

Dehydration

happens when your child doesn鈥檛 have enough fluid in their body. They may become dehydrated if they:

• have a fever
• don鈥檛 want to drink
• are vomiting
• have diarrhoea

See a doctor if your child is drinking less than half their usual amount or if they are weeing less than usual.

Other symptoms

A child who is sick may also have:

• vomiting
• diarrhoea
• pain
• a
• tiredness
• pale skin or a

How do I check my child鈥檚 temperature?

Feeling your child鈥檚 forehead is not a reliable way to check their temperature. Always use a thermometer.

How can I tell if my child has a serious illness?

Watch for changes in how your child looks and acts. They may have a serious illness if they:

• are unusually drowsy or floppy
• have pale, purplish or bluish skin
• have difficulty breathing 鈥� are breathing fast or shallow or are grunting while breathing
• show signs of dehydration
• have severe pain that doesn鈥檛 go away
• have a seizure
• are vomiting repeatedly or if the vomit has a green tinge or contains blood

Signs of meningococcal disease

It鈥檚 important to know the symptoms of . This is a medical emergency and early treatment is important. Think about meningococcal disease if your child is unwell and has a:

• bad headache
• stiff neck when moving
• purple or red rash that does not turn skin-coloured when pressed
• bulging fontanelle (the soft spot on top of your baby鈥檚 head)
• high-pitched cry
• difficulty looking at light

When should I take my child to the doctor?

Your child should see a doctor straight away if they look unwell and have any symptoms of a serious illness. If you鈥檙e worried, that鈥檚 a good enough reason to take them to the doctor.

Your child should also see a doctor if they:

• are less than 3 months old and have a fever
• have had a fever for more than 2 days
• have pain that doesn鈥檛 go away with pain-relieving medicine
• are drinking less than half their usual amount or are not feeding well
• are not passing some urine every 6 hours
• refuse to use their arm or leg or have a swollen joint
• have vomiting that is frequent, has a green tinge or contains blood

Urgent care clinic

In some parts of Australia, you can visit a when your child needs medical attention but doesn鈥檛 need to go to the .

These clinics provide urgent care if you can鈥檛 get a regular appointment with your doctor or . During hours when your doctor is unavailable, take your child to a Medicare urgent care clinic.

Find your nearest .

FIND A HEALTH SERVICE — The Service Finder can help you find doctors, pharmacies, hospitals and other health services.

When should I call an ambulance for my child?

You should call an ambulance if your child:

• becomes unwell very quickly
• is very drowsy or not responding
• has difficulty breathing, is breathing fast or shallow, grunting or their lips turn blue
• stops breathing for short periods
• has a seizure
• has symptoms of meningococcal disease

Resources and support

Visit the Royal Children's Hospital for more information about:

Find your closest .

If you鈥檙e unsure if your child鈥檚 illness is serious, call the on 1800 022 222 at any time to speak to a registered nurse (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria) for more information and advice.

Other languages

You can call the on 131 450 if you speak a language other than English and need help finding out where your nearest Urgent Care Clinic is.