It’s easy to panic if your child breaks out in a rash or spots, or his temperature shoots up. You may not know how to distinguish between a pimple and a bite, so we’ve put together some descriptions and a gallery for a few of the most common ones. You can familiarise yourself with these and minimise that panic.
Once bitten...
- Spiders and spider bites
- Spiders and spider bites gallery
- Blue bottles and blue bottle stings
- Snakes and snakebites
- Bug bites
Read more on fevers in babies in:
Wondering how to tell different rashes apart?
Spots! Read here for information on all of these kinds of spots in:
- Roseola (baby measles)
- Measles (rubeola)
- German measles (rubella)
- Erythema infectiosum (‘slapped cheek disease’)
- Kawasaki disease
- Chickenpox (varicella)
- Shingles (herpes zoster)
- Cold sores (herpes simplex)
- Hand, foot and mouth disease
You can also view a gallery of these here:
These are merely an introduction to these ailments, so remember:
You do need to see a doctor if...
- Your baby is younger than three months and has a temperature of more than 38°C.
- Your child is older than three months and has a temperature of more than 40 °C.
- Your child is older than three months and has a temperature of between 38 °C and 40 °C but doesn’t want to eat or drink, has constant diarrhoea or nausea, shows signs of dehydration or has short spells of fever a few nights in a row, or if the fever doesn’t drop within 72 hours after sponging your child down and administering children’s paracetamol or ibuprofen.
- Your child is younger than two years and the fever doesn’t drop within 24 hours of doing the above.
911 - Rush to your doctor if your child has a fever and...
- Cries inconsolably for hours and is extremely irritable.
- Is very listless and struggles to wake up.
- Has a rash that looks like bruising.
- Struggles to breathe.
- Leans forward and drools.
- Has what appears to be an epileptic attack or fit.
- The lips, tongue and nails are blue.
- His neck is stiff and he has a bad headache.
- His body is limp and he struggles to move.
- The fontanel on his head bulges.
Facebook or Google is not your doctor! Do consult a medical professional should you have concerns for your child's health.
How often does your child get sick? Comment below.
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