Is Your Baby Sick? When to Get Medical Help
It can be difficult to know whether your baby is experiencing a minor illness or needs medical attention. While many common childhood illnesses can be safely managed at home, some symptoms should be assessed by a healthcare professional, while others require urgent or emergency care.
This guide can help you recognize when to monitor your baby at home, when to contact your baby's healthcare provider, and when to seek emergency medical care.
Remember—you know your baby best. If you are concerned about your baby's health or notice a significant change from what is normal for them, it is always okay to seek medical advice.
When to Seek Emergency Medical Care
Call 911 Immediately
Call 911 if your baby:
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Is not breathing, is gasping, or turns blue or grey, especially around the lips, tongue, or face
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Has a seizure or convulsion
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Is unresponsive, completely limp, or not moving
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Is having severe difficulty breathing, such as struggling for each breath, grunting with each breath, pulling in deeply around the ribs or chest, or severe flaring of the nostrils
Go to the Emergency Department Promptly
Have your baby assessed in the emergency department if they:
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Are under 3 months old and have a fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
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Have an abnormally low temperature, particularly in a newborn
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Refuse to feed or are unable to feed
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Are much sleepier than usual or difficult to wake for feeds
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Have a very weak, unusual, or high-pitched cry
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Look very pale, mottled, cold or clammy, or develop unusual red or purple spots on the skin
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Develop rapidly worsening jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), especially with poor feeding or unusual sleepiness
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Have a swollen or bloated abdomen with vomiting, especially green vomit
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Have redness or pus around the belly button, particularly if the redness is spreading onto the surrounding skin
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Have a bulging soft spot (fontanelle) on the top of the head when they are calm and upright
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Appear very unwell or are getting worse quickly
If you are unsure how serious your baby's symptoms are but feel that something is significantly wrong, seek medical attention
Fever
A fever is a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher.
Birth to 3 Months
If your baby is under 3 months old and has a fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher, go to your local emergency department immediately.
3 Months and Older
If your baby is otherwise doing well—alert, feeding or drinking adequately, and breathing comfortably—a fever can often be monitored and managed at home.
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if:
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The fever lasts 3–4 days
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Your baby's symptoms are not improving
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You are concerned about how your baby is doing
Seek medical care sooner if your baby:
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Appears unwell
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Is unusually sleepy or irritable
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Is feeding or drinking poorly
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Shows signs of dehydration
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Has difficulty breathing
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Develops other concerning or rapidly worsening symptoms
How to Take Your Baby’s Temperature
If you think your baby may have a fever, use a thermometer to check their temperature. Feeling your baby’s forehead or skin is not a reliable way to determine whether they have a fever.
For babies from birth to 2 years:
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A rectal temperature is the most accurate way to measure temperature.
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An armpit (axillary) temperature can be used as an alternative, but it is less accurate.
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If an armpit measurement does not show a fever but your baby feels warm or seems unwell, confirm the temperature using a rectal measurement.
Taking an armpit temperature
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Place the tip of a clean digital thermometer in the centre of your baby’s armpit.
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Hold your baby’s arm snugly against their body.
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Wait until the thermometer indicates that the reading is complete.
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Remove the thermometer and read the temperature.
Taking a rectal temperature
Rectal temperature is the most reliable method for babies. The Canadian Paediatric Society recommends only using this method if you are comfortable doing so and a healthcare provider has shown you how to do it safely.
Do not use mercury thermometers or fever strips. Non-contact forehead thermometers can be convenient, but their readings may be affected by factors such as sweat, positioning, head coverings, and the surrounding environment
For more detailed instructions, click here.
When to Contact Your Baby's Healthcare Provider
Not every illness requires a trip to the emergency department. The following concerns should be discussed with your baby's family doctor, nurse practitioner, pediatrician, or other healthcare provider.
Feeding Concerns
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if:
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Your baby is feeding significantly less than usual
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Your baby repeatedly refuses or misses feeds
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Your baby develops new or persistent difficulty feeding
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You are concerned that your baby is not getting enough breast milk or formula
Seek medical care sooner if poor feeding is accompanied by unusual sleepiness, difficulty waking, breathing difficulties, significantly fewer wet diapers, or your baby appears unwell.
Jaundice
Jaundice causes your baby's skin or the whites of their eyes to appear yellow. It is common in newborns, but sometimes requires assessment and treatment.
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if:
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You notice your baby's skin or eyes becoming yellow
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The yellow colour appears to be increasing or spreading
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You are concerned about your baby's jaundice
Seek medical care sooner if jaundice is accompanied by poor feeding, unusual sleepiness, difficulty waking, or your baby appears unwell.
Vomiting or Diarrhea
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if:
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Your baby is vomiting repeatedly rather than simply spitting up
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Your baby has frequent loose or watery stools
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Vomiting or diarrhea is persistent or worsening
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You are concerned that your baby may be becoming dehydrated
Repeated vomiting with an inability to keep fluids down or signs of severe dehydration requires more urgent medical assessment.
Constipation
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if your baby has not had a bowel movement for several days and appears uncomfortable, particularly if they also have:
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Vomiting
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A swollen or bloated abdomen
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Difficulty feeding
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Significant pain or distress
Signs of Dehydration
Watch for:
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Fewer wet diapers than usual
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Dry mouth or lips
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Few or no tears when crying
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A sunken soft spot (fontanelle)
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Poor feeding or drinking
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if you are concerned that your baby is becoming dehydrated.
Severe dehydration requires urgent medical care.
Cold or Respiratory Symptoms
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if your baby has:
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A persistent or worsening cough
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Ear pain
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Breathing that is faster than usual
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Symptoms that are not improving or last longer than expected
Significant difficulty breathing, struggling to breathe, or blue or grey lips or skin requires emergency medical attention.
Rash or Skin Concerns
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if your baby has:
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A severe, persistent, or worsening diaper rash
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A rash with blisters, spreading redness, swelling, drainage, or other signs of infection
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A rash accompanied by fever
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A new or worsening rash that concerns you
Most diaper rashes do not require emergency care, but a bothersome or persistent diaper rash should be assessed by your baby's healthcare provider.
Seek urgent medical attention if your baby has a rash and appears very unwell, or develops a rash that does not fade when pressed.
Eye Concerns
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if your baby has:
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Significant swelling around one or both eyes — this should be assessed promptly
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Persistent or worsening eye redness
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Eye redness accompanied by pain or other concerning symptoms
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Persistent discharge from one or both eyes
Mild redness or discharge alone is not usually an emergency. Eye discharge in babies can sometimes be caused by a blocked tear duct. However, worsening symptoms or significant swelling should be assessed by a healthcare provider.
Changes in Behaviour
Contact your baby's healthcare provider if your baby is:
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Noticeably sleepier than usual
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Much more irritable than usual
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Difficult to comfort
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Acting significantly differently from normal
Being very difficult to wake, unresponsive, or unusually floppy requires emergency medical attention.
Caring for Minor Illness at Home
Many mild illnesses can be monitored at home when your baby:
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Is alert and responsive
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Is breathing comfortably
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Is feeding or drinking reasonably well
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Continues to have regular wet diapers
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Does not appear significantly unwell
Offer feeds or fluids regularly, keep your baby comfortable, and continue to monitor their symptoms.
For babies 3 months and older, a fever can often be monitored at home when your baby otherwise appears well. Pay attention to how your baby looks, behaves, feeds, and breathes, rather than the temperature alone.
If your baby's symptoms worsen or you become concerned, seek medical advice.
Additional Resources
Sick Baby? When to Seek Medical Care
A comprehensive guide from Mayo Clinic covering common symptoms in babies, signs of illness, fever recommendations, and when to contact a healthcare provider or seek emergency care.
This interactive resource from the Montreal Children's Hospital helps parents determine whether their child requires emergency care and provides guidance on common symptoms and illnesses.
A quick-reference guide from CHEO outlining symptoms that require emergency medical attention and situations that can often be managed through your healthcare provider, Health811, or a walk-in clinic.
The information on this website is intended for educational purposes and should not replace medical advice from your healthcare provider. If you are concerned about your child's health, seek medical attention.
Wondering Where to Seek Care?
For emergencies:
1. CHEO: For children and youth in Eastern Ontario, the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) Emergency Department provides specialized pediatric emergency care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If your child's condition is life-threatening, call 911 immediately.
Alternatives to the ED:
1. Call your family doctor or pediatrician
Even if the office is closed, listen to the voice message for instructions and details about accessing care outside of office hours. Many family doctors have same-day, next day or walk-in hours during evenings and weekends. They may also offer 24/7 telephone advice to help you manage until they can see you.
2. Visit a pediatric clinic or walk-in clinic
East Ottawa Kids Care Clinic
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Website: www.eastottawakids.com
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Phone: 613-566-4470
Kids Come First Care Clinics
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Website: www.cheo.on.ca/KCFCareClinic
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Phone: 613-737-7600 ext. 4013
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Available for children and youth 2 months of age and older
If you are looking for a walk-in clinic near you, call 211 Ontario, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Many clinics in Eastern Ontario also accept Québec patients.
3. Access virtual care services
East Region Virtual Care Clinic
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Website: www.virtualcareontario.ca
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Phone: 1-888-684-1999
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Available for all ages
Renfrew County Virtual Triage and Assessment Centre
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Website: www.rcvtac.ca
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Phone: 1-844-727-6404
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Available in English only
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For children 2 years of age and older
3. Health811: Connect with a registered nurse 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for free, secure, and confidential health advice. Services are available in English and French, with interpretation offered in many other languages. Call 8-1-1 or visit Health811.ontario.ca for support with health concerns, symptoms, and questions about your child’s health.
Need more information? Cheo.on.ca is the best place to find information on CHEO's programs and services and learn about a variety of health topics for children and youth. Visit the online resource section to access CHEO-recommended websites, books, apps, videos and more!