It can be quite difficult to tell how a baby is feeling because of its inability to talk. Being able to recognize important signs and symptoms and what each of them means is an important skill for every parent.
Dads Adventure shared some tips on how to know if your baby is not well. These are all important to learn especially for new parents.
1. Fever
Fever usually means that there is an underlying infection. Parents need to call a doctor if a baby less than two months old has a temperature that is higher than 100 degrees or if the fever lasts longer than a day. Fever with rashes should also prompt parents to consult a doctor.
2. Colds
When babies have colds, parents need to make sure that the baby can breathe properly and that the airway is not blocked. And since a baby cannot blow her nose all by herself, the parents need to do it for her.
"To get the job done, wrap your arm around his head (i.e., put him in a gentle but firm headlock) with you hand on his chest to immobilize him," Dads Adventure advised. "Squeeze the air out of the bulb with your other hand, then place the bulb gently but snugly in his nostril, and let the bulb expand. Repeat with the other nostril."
3. Coughing
Parents should also monitor a baby's cough. It is important to call the doctor if the baby's coughing becomes too labored or if there is a wheezing sound during a cough.
4. Teething
A baby's teeth usually show up when she reaches four to six-months-old. As the teeth develop, they push through the baby's gums and cause pain.
Drooling with slight fever are common symptoms of teething. Giving a teething baby a teething ring and applying a topical pain reliever on the baby's gums are recommended.
5. Falls and other accidents
Parents should thoroughly check their babies for 24 hours if they fall or bump their heads. A baby involved in a fall or other accidents should be checked for signs of weakness, confusion, deformities, red eyes, pink fluid dripping from nose or ears, crossed eyes, unequal size of pupils, vomiting and crying when a body part is touched or moved. If parents notice one or more of these symptoms after an accident, the baby should be immediately taken to the hospital.
Aside from the symptoms listed above, other baby signs and symptoms that parents should never ignore include unresponsiveness, unconsciousness, burns, bleeding, seizures and breathing difficulties. Babies should also be taken to a hospital if they swallow toxic chemicals or foreign objects, according to CYH.
