Most Common Emergencies Of Babies
• Trouble Breathing - The baby is not breathing easily, and seems to work hard to breathe. (For example, the baby’s nostrils flare; or makes 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.
  If the baby does not wake up on his or her own to eat, the baby should be checked by a doctor immediately.
• Yellowish Cast to the Skin - 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 - 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.
• If Your Baby Has a Medical Condition - Get help when you see warning signs the baby’s doctor has said require immediate medical care.

When to Call 9-1-1
• Any situation that puts your life in danger and is more than you can handle on your own.
• For any serious medical problem for which emergency help is needed.
• Call 9-1-1 firs, then call parents and nearby help.
• For poisoning call the Poison Control Center at 1-800-222-1222.

Instructions for the Babysitter
• In an emergency call 9-1-1.
• In an emergency, paramedics may ask the babysitter for your address.
• Directions to nearest hospital Emergency Department (covered by insurance plan).
• The baby's doctor and phone number.
• 24-hour pharmacy phone number
• Call Poison Control inmediately if a child swallows, inhales or touches poison. Poison Control Center is 1-800-222-1222.

6 Ways You Can make A Difference in An Emergency
• Trust your instincts - If you think there is an emergency, there probably is. Doing nothing is the worst thing you can do. Act immediately!
  Even if a family member may want you to wait — insist on taking action.
• Call for emergency help first - Do not first call your doctor, or a friend, relative or neighbors for help – that will only delay getting professional help. The emergency department doctor will call your doctor for information.
• Ask questions in the emergency department. If you don’t understand a procedure or test, ask the doctor or nurse to explain it to you.
  Understand any consent form you are asked to sign.
• Learn warning signs of medical emergencies - If your baby has a medical condition, learn the warning signs that mean emergency care is needed. Ask your baby’s doctor the warning signs to watch out for.
• Familiarize yourself with the nearest emergency department to your home and day care center - Find out the exact location and layout, the entrance you would use, and where you can park if you were to drive there. You’ll feel a little more at home if you must later return under emergency circumstances.
  An emergency department should always provide treatment to stabilize a life - or limb-threatening emergency.
• Don’t set up a programmable phone to dial emergency help automatically. Although it sounds like a great idea, the number may be accidentally dialed instead of another pre-programmed number.
• What to Say
• What is happening (kind of help you need)
• Age of the baby
• Your address
• Your apartment number and floor
• Your phone number
• Your name
• Condition of the baby

Do Not Hang Up First! The dispatcher may give you instructions on what to do until help arrives. Listen carefully. If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask them.

What to Do After You Call 9-1-1
• Stay calm.
• Listen carefully to instructions from the 9-1-1 dispatcher.
• Focus on what you can do.
• Don't leave the baby alone.
• Make sure the baby is warm; keep the baby from becoming overheated or chilled.
• If you live in a single family house, turn on an outside light so that your house number can be seen by the ambulance crew.
• If you live in an apartment house, if there is more than one elevator, ask someone to hold one elevator in the downstairs lobby to save time.

5 Questions a Paramedic May Ask You About Your Baby
• Age, weight and sex
• Why you called for the ambulance today?
• Does the baby have any medical problems?
• Medications the baby takes on a regular basis
• Allergies (food, medications, environmental)
• About Your Home
• Location of security system, thermostats, circuit breakers and other equipment or appliances that may not be easy to use.
• Location of fire extinguishers and fire escape plan. If there is a household emergency, explain how you would like it to be handled.

Instructions You May Want to Leave
• Adjust home's hot water heater to below 120 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure that your child does not scald himself, but test the water before hand.
• Turn the hot water off first when filling the tub. That way, if your child accidentally turns the water on, cold water will come out first.
• Fill the tub with only two or three inches for newborns and infants up to six months and never more than waist-high (in sitting position) for older children.
• ever leave a child under six unattended for a moment, even in a shallow bath or in his bath ring.
• Put non-slip bath decals or use a rubberized bath mat or a towel in the bottom of your tub.
• Follow manufacturer's instructions when using a bath seat. Before placing your baby in one, tug on it to make sure it holds to your tub's surface. Mats, anti-slip decals or designs imprinted in the bottom of your tub can interfere with adhesion.
• Cover the spout and knobs in the tub during a bath in case your child hits his head and to prevent burns. If you bathe your baby in the kitchen sink, swing the faucet out of the way.
• Face your baby away from the faucet when he's in the tub.
• Make "no standing in the tub" a household rule.

Best not to allow a babysitter to bathe the baby in a tub.

6 Questions the Pediatrician May Ask
• What is the quickest way to reach your doctor in an emergency? Find out the steps your health plan requires in an emergency.
• Which is the best emergency department in your community? For children? Trauma Center? Burn Center?
• With which hospital(s) does the doctor have an affiliation?
• Is there specific information you should give to paramedics and emergency room doctors and nurses? For example, about the baby’s medical history? Medications? Treatment?
• Is there specific medical information about the baby you should carry at all times?
• Are there CPR and first-aid courses in your community that the doctor can recommend?