Signs Your Baby Is Unwell: When to Seek Medical Help

Babies cannot tell us what hurts, so it is understandable to wonder which changes are normal and which need medical attention. Important signs your baby may be unwell include difficulty breathing, unusual sleepiness, feeding much less than normal, drier nappies, abnormal skin colour, persistent or unusual crying, green vomit and certain changes in temperature.

Some symptoms need urgent medical help, particularly in very young babies. You also do not need to wait for every symptom on a checklist to appear. NHS guidance encourages parents to trust their instincts if they think their baby is seriously unwell.

Knowing your baby’s usual behaviour can help. A change from what is normal for them may be just as noticeable as a specific symptom.

Your baby is feeding differently

A change in feeding is one of the things to pay attention to when a baby is unwell.

The NHS lists not feeding normally when you are worried as a possible sign of serious illness.

One shorter feed or an occasional distracted feed does not necessarily mean your baby is ill. Look at the wider picture and whether there has been a clear change from their usual pattern.

For example, you may notice that your baby:

repeatedly refuses breast or bottle feeds
takes much less milk than usual
seems too sleepy or tired to feed normally
starts feeding but repeatedly stops because they seem uncomfortable or breathless

If your baby is feeding significantly less than normal and you are worried, contact your GP or NHS 111 for advice.

Your baby’s nappies are much drier than usual

Wet nappies give you useful information about your baby’s fluid intake.

The NHS lists nappies that are drier than usual as a sign that a baby or child may be seriously unwell. Fewer wet nappies can also be a sign of dehydration.

Other possible signs of dehydration in babies include:

few or no tears when crying
sunken eyes
a sunken soft spot on the top of the head
unusual drowsiness
irritability

The number of wet nappies expected changes during the first days after birth, so newborn patterns need to be considered in context.

If you notice a significant reduction from what is normal for your baby, particularly alongside poor feeding, vomiting, diarrhoea or unusual sleepiness, seek medical advice.

Your baby is difficult to wake

Babies sleep a lot, particularly when they are very young.

There is a difference, however, between a peacefully sleeping baby and one who is unusually difficult to wake or does not respond as they normally would.

The NHS lists being hard to wake, appearing disoriented or confused, or not responding normally among signs that need medical attention.

Pay attention if your baby seems unusually floppy, cannot stay awake for feeds or appears much less responsive than usual.

If your baby will not wake up or is not responding normally, this can be an emergency. Follow NHS emergency guidance and call 999 when indicated.

Your baby is struggling to breathe

Changes in breathing should always be taken seriously.

NHS signs of possible serious illness include:

rapid breathing or panting
difficulty getting a breath
the stomach sucking in underneath the ribs
unusual noises while breathing

You may also notice that feeding becomes difficult because your baby is working hard to breathe.

Call 999 if your baby is struggling for breath, stops breathing or has blue, grey or unusually pale lips, tongue or skin.

On brown or black skin, colour changes may be easier to see on the lips, tongue, gums, palms of the hands, soles of the feet or inside the eyelids.

Your baby’s colour looks different

A baby’s skin colour can vary naturally, but certain changes can be warning signs.

The NHS advises getting medical help for skin that becomes blue, pale, blotchy or grey.

Look at your baby’s lips and tongue as well as their skin.

On darker skin, potentially concerning colour changes may be more noticeable on areas such as the palms and soles.

A blue or grey colour around the lips or tongue alongside breathing difficulty requires emergency medical attention.

If your baby simply looks very different from normal and you are worried, seek professional advice.

Your baby has a high temperature

A high temperature is generally considered to be 38°C or above.

Age matters when assessing fever in babies.

NHS guidance says you should ask for an urgent GP appointment or call NHS 111 if:

your baby is under 3 months old and has a temperature of 38°C or higher
your baby is 3 to 6 months old and has a temperature of 39°C or higher

Use a digital thermometer in your baby’s armpit to check their temperature.

A bath, warm room, lots of clothing or being wrapped in a blanket can temporarily affect a temperature reading. If your baby has just had a bath or been wrapped up, the NHS advises waiting a few minutes and checking again.

Do not rely only on the number. How your baby looks and behaves matters too.

A low temperature can matter too

Parents often look for fever, but a very low temperature can also accompany serious illness.

Current NHS meningitis guidance advises emergency medical help for a baby or child under 5 who has symptoms that could be meningitis and a very low temperature below 36°C, or who feels cold to the touch or is shivering.

If your baby feels unusually cold, appears unwell or has other concerning symptoms, seek medical advice.

Temperature is only one part of assessing an ill baby.

Your baby’s cry sounds unusual

Parents gradually become familiar with their baby’s different cries.

The NHS lists constant crying that cannot be consoled or distracted, or a cry that does not sound normal for the child, as possible signs of serious illness.

A weak, high-pitched or continuous cry can also be associated with serious illness such as meningitis.

Babies cry for many ordinary reasons, including hunger, tiredness and wanting comfort. The concern is a marked change in the cry or crying accompanied by other signs of illness.

If something about your baby’s crying feels very different and you cannot settle them, seek advice.

Your baby has green vomit

Babies often bring up small amounts of milk, particularly during the early months.

Green vomit is different.

The NHS lists green vomit as a sign of serious illness in babies and young children.

If your baby has green vomit, seek urgent medical help rather than assuming it is ordinary posseting or reflux.

Repeated vomiting can also contribute to dehydration, especially if your baby is struggling to keep feeds down.

If vomiting is accompanied by reduced feeding, fewer wet nappies, unusual sleepiness or other concerning symptoms, contact a healthcare professional.

Your baby has a rash that does not fade under pressure

Many childhood rashes are not emergencies, but a rash that does not fade when pressed can be a warning sign of meningitis or sepsis.

NHS guidance recommends the glass test. Press the side of a clear glass firmly against the rash and check whether the spots fade.

A rash that does not fade under pressure requires emergency medical attention.

Do not wait for a rash if you suspect meningitis. The NHS notes that not everyone with meningitis develops one.

Other symptoms in babies can include unusual sleepiness, poor feeding, a weak or high-pitched cry, a stiff or floppy body, vomiting, seizures or a bulging soft spot on the head.

Your baby seems unusually floppy or unresponsive

A baby who suddenly becomes floppy, unusually weak or less responsive than normal needs prompt assessment.

This is particularly concerning if they are also difficult to wake, refusing feeds, struggling to breathe or have an abnormal temperature.

NHS meningitis guidance specifically includes being floppy, difficult to wake or more sleepy than usual among warning signs in babies and young children.

You do not need to work out the cause yourself.

If your baby is unresponsive or will not wake, call 999.

Your baby is having difficulty staying awake

Ill babies may sleep more than usual, but marked drowsiness can be a warning sign.

Watch for a baby who cannot stay awake long enough to feed, repeatedly falls asleep in an unusual way or is much harder to rouse than normal.

Consider the whole picture.

A baby who is sleepier after a busy day but wakes, feeds and responds normally is different from a baby who seems floppy, poorly responsive and uninterested in feeding.

If you are unsure whether the change is significant, contact a healthcare professional.

Your baby has signs of dehydration

Babies are more vulnerable to dehydration than adults.

Possible signs identified by the NHS include:

fewer wet nappies
few or no tears when crying
sunken eyes
a sunken soft spot on the head
drowsiness
irritability

Vomiting, diarrhoea, fever and feeding difficulties can all increase the risk of dehydration.

If your baby is showing signs of dehydration, contact NHS 111 or seek medical advice.

Call 999 or go to A&E if signs of dehydration occur alongside severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, being unusually difficult to wake or blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin.

What if your baby just does not seem themselves?

Sometimes there is no single dramatic symptom.

Your baby may simply seem quieter, more irritable, less interested in feeding or noticeably different from normal.

That observation matters.

NHS guidance specifically tells parents to trust their instincts. You know what is normal for your baby, and healthcare professionals would rather assess a young baby when there is genuine concern than have a parent wait because they cannot identify a specific illness.

If you are worried, contact your GP, health visitor or NHS 111.

Very young babies can be particularly difficult to assess remotely. The NHS notes that if a baby is under 6 months, it can be difficult for a doctor or nurse to assess them over the phone. You may be advised to attend an urgent treatment centre or A&E, particularly if you are very worried.

When to call 999

Call 999 for emergency medical help if your baby:

stops breathing
will not wake up
is struggling for breath
has blue, grey, unusually pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue alongside serious illness
has a first seizure or fit
has a severe allergic reaction
has a rash that does not fade under pressure and appears seriously unwell
is unresponsive or unusually floppy

Follow the instructions given by the emergency call handler.

If you think your baby may have meningitis or another life-threatening illness, do not wait for every possible symptom to develop.

When to contact NHS 111 or your GP

Some situations need prompt medical advice even if they do not appear immediately life-threatening.

Contact your GP urgently or NHS 111 if your baby is feeding much less than normal, has significantly drier nappies, seems unusually tired or irritable, has concerning vomiting, shows signs of dehydration or has a temperature that meets the NHS thresholds for their age.

For a baby under 3 months, a temperature of 38°C or higher needs urgent medical advice.

For a baby aged 3 to 6 months, NHS guidance recommends urgent advice for a temperature of 39°C or higher.

If you are worried but unsure which service you need, NHS 111 can help direct you to appropriate care.

What information can help when you call for advice?

When speaking to a healthcare professional, it can help to have a few details ready.

You may be asked:

your baby’s age
their temperature and how you measured it
when the symptoms began
how they are breathing
how much they have been feeding
when they last had a wet nappy
whether they have been vomiting or have diarrhoea
whether they have a rash
whether they are alert and responding normally
whether they have any existing medical conditions

You do not need to collect every detail before seeking help.

If your baby appears seriously ill, getting medical assistance is the priority.

When to get professional advice

Seek professional advice whenever you are worried that your baby is unwell, particularly if there has been a clear change in feeding, breathing, alertness, temperature, skin colour or wet nappies.

Contact your GP or NHS 111 promptly for concerning symptoms that are not immediately life-threatening.

Call 999 if your baby stops breathing, will not wake, is struggling for breath, has a first seizure, has a severe allergic reaction or appears seriously ill with other emergency warning signs.

Babies under 6 months can be difficult to assess over the phone. If your baby is very young and you are particularly worried, seek face-to-face medical assessment as advised by the NHS.

You do not need to diagnose your baby before asking for help. If their behaviour or appearance is telling you that something is wrong, take that concern seriously.