Baby Safety Answers!

 

Q: "What are the most common emergencies of babies, a new dad asks."

A: Some of the most common emergencies for babies are....

Trouble Breathing
• The baby is not breathing easily, and seems to work hard to breathe. (For example, the baby’s nostrils flare; or make a crowing sound or grunts when trying to breathe.)
• Lips and skin remain blue in color. (This may mean that the baby is not getting enough oxygen.)

Not alert
• All newborn babies sleep most of the time. Still, when the baby is awake, he or she should be alert and looking around.
• If the baby does not seem responsive and is not alert over time, the baby should be checked by a doctor immediately.

Yellowish cast to the skin
• This may indicate the condition known as jaundice.
• Pus, red skin or pain around the navel might signal infection where the umbilical cord was severed and must be treated at once.

Continues to cough or choke whenever the baby is fed
• This could indicate a problem with the lungs or digestive tract.

Hard, swollen stomach area
• This may appear with vomiting. The baby may not have had a bowel movement for a day or two.
• The problem is probably constipation, but it could also be an intestinal problem.

Fever
• A fever that does not come down with medication the baby’s doctor has prescribed.

Febrile Convulsions, also called seizures
• Fever can trigger febrile convulsions. The baby may look "peculiar," become stiff, twitch, and be unresponsive.
• Usually the entire convulsion will last no more than three to four minutes, or may be over in seconds.

If your baby has a medical condition. Learn the warning signs that require immediate medical care.

Rely on the information contained in
Dad's Diaper Bag.