RHCG - Coronavirus advice (Babies aged under 3 months)

It can be confusing to know what to do when your baby is unwell during the coronavirus pandemic. Remember that the NHS is still providing safe care.

GP practices and hospitals have made changes to help reduce the risk of infection. Only one parent/carer will be able to attend the Emergency Department with their child.

Please use the hand sanitisers provided, wear a face covering in enclosed spaces and maintain social distancing.

Remember: if your baby is unwell, seek advice and medical attention. Here is some advice to help:

If your baby has any of the following:

Pale, mottled (blotchy) skin which feels unusually cold
Is stiff or rigid for a long time or makes repeated, jerky movement of arms or legs that doesn’t stop when you hold them (a fit or seizure)
Is difficult to wake
Has a rash that does not disappear when a glass is gently pressed against the skin
Has a hot chest, face or back and is sweaty or clammy (a temperature of 38°C / 100.4°F or higher) unless this is within two days of vaccinations and there are no other signs from this box or the AMBER box below
Is too breathless to feed, has pauses in their breathing lasting more than 10 seconds and is grunting or going blue
Green vomit (like the colour of spinach or green washing up liquid)

Please seek urgent help if you are frightened because your baby looks very unwell.

You need urgent help.

Go to the nearest Hospital Emergency Department or phone 999

If your baby has any of the following:

Difficulty breathing, including: breathing fast all the time; widening their nostrils or pulling in the muscles below the ribs when breathing
Not interested in feeding and/or looks dehydrated (dry mouth, sunken eyes, no tears, or no wet nappies in the last 8 hours)
Is increasingly sleepy or irritable (crying continuously and won’t calm down)
Has yellow skin or whites of their eyes, which is quickly becoming worse
Blood in the poo
Very pale (white or grey) poo - keep a sample to show the doctor
Shivering
Keeps being sick

Please seek advice if your baby is getting worse or if you are worried.

Immediately contact your GP and make an appointment for your baby to be seen that day or call NHS 24 - dial 111.

During the current pandemic, it may be more difficult to get advice. If symptoms persist for 4 hours or more and you have not been able to speak to either a member of staff from your GP practice or to NHS 24, then consider taking them to your nearest A&E.

If your baby DOESN’T have any signs from the RED or AMBER boxes, the following are normal:

Your baby is less than two weeks old (or three weeks old and breastfed) and looks slightly yellow, mainly on the face. (This may slowly increase over a day or two but will then start to fade).

Has four to six wet nappies a day
Has green, brown, orange, yellow or black poo. (The poo of breastfed babies is usually yellow and can often look ‘seedy’ – it’s a sign your baby is healthy)
Continues to feed well with breast or formula milk
Baby wakes up often and cries to be fed

Self care

If you are still concerned about your baby contact your Health Visitor, pharmacist or NHS 24 - visit nhsinform.scot or dial 111