If your baby becomes unwell - PDF preparation and contacts checklist
This checklist is for preparing for possible illness, not assessing or treating an unwell baby. Ticks do not confirm health or mean it is safe to stay at home. If you suspect illness, contact a healthcare professional without delay; for warning signs, call local emergency services immediately. Do not wait to fill in the card.
Arrange contacts in advance
Check local routes to advice, urgent assessment and emergency help ahead of time. Find out whether your chosen service sees babies and how it operates. Record an alternative if you cannot get through, and who can help with arrangements. In an immediate emergency, call emergency services instead of looking for an available appointment yourself. Review contacts when your location, healthcare team or caregiver changes.
A thermometer needs the right method
NHS and AAP guidance describes different preferred measurement methods for young children. Discuss with the healthcare team which thermometer and method suit your baby in your care setting. Follow the device instructions, including cleaning instructions. Give the original reading, unit, time and method. A reading does not replace assessment of symptoms; with warning signs, do not wait to take or repeat a measurement.
Describe the change rather than diagnose it
Tell the healthcare professional your baby’s age, what has changed and when. Describe feeding, wet nappies, usual activity, responsiveness and breathing; you can say that something is different even if you do not know the name of a symptom. Report fever, suspected fever or an unusually low temperature without delay. Do not treat the number of ticked boxes or a single normal reading as confirmation that your baby is well.
Keep responding to changes after advice
Write down the healthcare team’s advice and make sure you understand it. Ask where to report worsening symptoms, a lack of expected improvement or new symptoms. HSE advises seeking help again after an earlier assessment if a child is worse. Do not wait for a routine appointment or online reply when urgent help is needed. This checklist does not set a safe period for observation at home.
Preparation checklist
Agree contacts and a support plan
- Record contact details for your baby’s healthcare team and how to obtain urgent advice.
- Check out-of-hours help and make a backup plan if your main contact is unavailable.
- Record how to access local emergency services, your current address and the details needed to call for help.
- Agree who can support the conversation, look after other children or help arrange an appointment.
Prepare for measurement and brief notes
- Discuss a suitable thermometer and method for your baby with the healthcare team; read the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Check that the device works and how to clean it; store the thermometer and instructions out of your child’s reach.
- Leave space to record the reading, unit, method and time of measurement.
- Note changes in feeding, wet nappies, responsiveness and breathing if doing so does not delay help.
Practise seeking help without delay
- For warning signs, call local emergency services immediately; do not finish the checklist first.
- If you suspect illness or notice an unusual change, contact a healthcare professional without delay.
- If your baby is worse after advice or you are still worried, seek help again.
- Share the agreed plan with another caregiver; do not leave them with only a ticked checklist.
Questions to discuss with a professional
- Which symptoms in my baby require an immediate call for emergency help?
- How should I measure temperature, and what should I report when I make contact?
- Where can I get urgent help if my main contact is unavailable?
Frequently asked questions
Is this card for assessing an unwell child?
No. It is an organisational aid. It does not diagnose illness, assess urgency or give permission to stay at home. Contact a healthcare professional about symptoms; act immediately for warning signs.
Do I need to measure temperature first?
No. A reading may help the conversation, but it is not a condition for getting help. Do not wait for a thermometer, another reading or complete notes if your baby’s condition worries you.
Can I call again after receiving advice?
Yes. A change, deterioration or continuing concern calls for further contact. Say that you have already had advice and explain what has changed since then; call for help immediately for warning signs.
Private contacts and conversation notes
Print and fill in by hand when you have quiet time. Record contacts and agreed plans without unnecessary confidential details. This is not a diagnosis card or treatment schedule.
- Date, baby’s age and questions
- Healthcare team: contacts and availability
- Out-of-hours help and backup plan
- Local emergency help and current address
- Thermometer, instructions and agreed method
- Reading, unit, method and time
- Changes in feeding, nappies, responsiveness and breathing
- Agreed plans, next contact and support needed
Keep this card private and update the contacts. Do not post a photograph of it. Writing notes and ticking boxes must not delay help.
How to use this checklist
Tick matters you have discussed or prepared, and add your own agreed plans. A tick does not confirm safety, health or completion of a medical procedure. Revisit the checklist when your family’s needs change.
Sources and updates
- NHS - When to get urgent medical help for babies and children under 5
- NHS - How to take your baby's temperature
- Health Service Executive (HSE) - Get urgent medical help if your child is very unwell
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), HealthyChildren.org - Fever: When to Call the Pediatrician
- American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), HealthyChildren.org - How to Take Your Child's Temperature
- Nationwide Children's Hospital - Fever: Home Treatment and When to See a Doctor