What's the baby up to?
Growth points
Learning to sit can be exhausting, so don’t be surprised if your baby sleeps a bit more some days.
Month 5 milestones
Lifts head up 90 degrees when on stomach
Holds head up more steadily
Can hold things deliberately
Enjoys "peek-a-boo" games
Can bear weight on legs
Coos when you talk to him
Laughs out loud
Other stuff to think about
A super-high fever
A high temperature can be more serious for a baby than an older child, mostly because of the risk of febrile
convulsions - which your mom would call a 'fit'.
They most commonly occur between the ages of 18 months and 3 years.
They are rare in babies under 6 months old and over the age of 6 years.
Fits have nothing to do with epilepsy.
A fit is not usually dangerous and most babies will recover completely.
No treatment is usually needed for the convulsion itself if it stops within a few minutes.
(However, treatment may be needed for the infection causing the fever).
Any illness which causes a fever (high temperature) can cause a fit. Most occur with common illnesses such
as ear infections, coughs, colds, flu, and other viral infections.
What are the signs and symptoms?
Your baby or toddler may look flushed, dazed and then become unconscious.
Eyes may appear to roll backwards.
Parts of the body may twitch or shake.
Your baby or toddler may be sleepy for some time afterwards.
What to do
Lay your baby on his side with his head level or slightly lower than the body (the recovery position).
Do not put anything into the mouth, but carefully remove anything that could affect breathing (such as vomit or food).
When the convulsion stops, try to lower your child's temperature to make him more comfortable.
Get to a doctor if your child does not improve quickly once a short convulsion is over, or a convulsion lasts more than
five minutes. If your child has difficulty breathing, get emergency medical help.
Go back to the complete list of Baby week-by-week updates.
