Every age
The illnesses that come round in the first four years, what a fever actually means at each age, and the signs that mean you call a doctor today rather than tomorrow.
This is information, not a replacement for your doctor. Here is what matters most: when to call, and what to do at home.
| If you notice… | What to do |
|---|---|
| A fever of 38°C or more in a baby under 3 months | Call a doctor straight away. |
| Yellow skin lasting over two weeks, or in the first 24 hours | See a doctor for tests. |
| Crying for more than three hours a day | Speak to a doctor. |
| A cold lasting more than 3 to 4 days, ear pain, a sudden rise in temperature, abnormal breathing, vomiting, stomach pain or a severe headache with constant crying | Call the doctor. |
| Diarrhoea with signs of dehydration, or vomiting that won’t stop | Go to a health clinic. |
| A rash that lasts, or heat rash that spreads or hasn’t cleared in 3 to 4 days | See a doctor. |
| No response to sounds or their name by around 8 months | Take them to the doctor. |
| No tooth by 12 months, not walking by 2 years, speech delayed in the second year, still wetting the bed at 4 | See a doctor. |
A child’s immune system isn’t fully developed until around age five, so several colds a year is normal. Both a cold and flu are caused by viruses, so antibiotics won’t help either.
| Sign | Cold | Flu |
|---|---|---|
| Fever | Rare | Usual |
| Aches | Slight | Usual, often severe |
| Chills | Uncommon | Fairly common |
| Tiredness | Mild | Moderate to severe |
| Starts | Gradually | Suddenly, within hours |
| Cough | Hacking, productive | Dry |
| Sneezing, stuffy nose, sore throat | Common | Uncommon |
| Chest discomfort | Mild to moderate | Often severe |
| Headache | Uncommon | Common |
Diarrhoea means watery stools, more than three times a day. It is most common between six months and two years. The danger is dehydration, so watch your child closely.
Measure exactly and use level spoons.
Stir until dissolved. Make a fresh batch after 24 hours. Or use one packet of oral rehydration salts (20.5 g) in a litre of water.
Preventing it: wash hands before preparing food. Wash fruit, vegetables and grains. Clean bottles and utensils. Keep flies and pests away. Reheat cooked food until it is properly hot (at least 70°C). Breastfeed small babies, and keep vaccinations up to date.
It can show as a rash, hives, eczema, red spots, or swollen lips and eyelids. Common triggers are cow’s milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, peanuts and tree nuts. Many children grow out of an egg or milk allergy. A peanut allergy needs the food avoided completely, and hidden traces in cookies and prepared food need watching.
A sudden, severe reaction. Swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, wheezing, trouble breathing, a fast pulse, dizziness, fainting, vomiting, pale or blue skin, confusion. It usually starts within two hours.
A long-term inflammation of the airways. Signs are difficulty breathing, wheezing, a tight chest, poor sleep and a cough that is worse at night. It can’t be diagnosed in children under about one. Follow the doctor’s treatment, and keep your child calm during an attack.
Vaccination is the main protection against most of these.
| Illness | How it spreads | Shows up after | What to look for | Protection and care |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chickenpox | Airborne, and touching blisters. | 2 to 3 weeks (about 14 days). | Mild fever, tiredness, then itchy red bumps that turn to blisters, then scabs. | Vaccine. Keep them home until the blisters crust. Calamine lotion, trimmed nails, paracetamol, no aspirin. |
| Polio | Coughs and sneezes, and food or drink contaminated by stools. | 3 to 21 days. | High fever, headache, stiff neck and back, muscle weakness, possible paralysis. | Vaccine in a series of doses from about 2 months, plus boosters. |
| Whooping cough | Coughs, sneezes and touching the patient’s things. | 4 to 21 days (about 7). | Long bouts of coughing that end in a “whoop”, fever, bluish skin while coughing. | DTaP vaccine in a series of doses from about 2 months, plus boosters. Isolation and a doctor’s care. |
| Measles | Airborne, from before the rash. | 10 to 14 days. | High fever, cough, blocked nose, swollen eyes, then a rash from the face down after 4 to 5 days. | MMR vaccine. Rest, fluids, dim light. Never aspirin. Complications can be serious, which is why vaccination matters. |
| Rubella | Airborne. | 14 to 20 days. | Cold-like signs and a mild rash for three days. The real danger is to pregnant women. | MMR vaccine. No specific treatment. |
| Diphtheria | Airborne, and contact with an infected person or objects. | 1 to 7 days. | Sore throat, grey-black covering in the throat, barking cough, hoarseness, breathing trouble. | Vaccine. Needs urgent treatment by a doctor. |
| Rheumatic fever | Not contagious, but the strep throat that leads to it is. | Follows repeated throat infections, ages 6 to 12. | Fever, painful joints that move about, tiredness, and inflammation of the heart, the most serious sign. | Treat repeated throat infections. Ask the doctor how to prevent a relapse. |