As your baby's on-call nurse, you'll want to know when it is time to call for the doctor.

Illness can quickly turn worse in babies. Call your doctor if you see any of the following signs in your baby. If your child shows more than one of these signs, seek urgent medical attention.

- Drowsiness (your baby is less alert than usual)
- Decreased movement or lethargy (she is less active and just wants to lie around)
- Breathing difficulty
- Poor circulation (she looks paler than usual or even blue, maybe cold hands and feet)
- Poor feeding
- Poor urine output (less than four wet nappies in 24 hours)

Seek urgent medical attention if your baby:

- vomits green fluid
- has a convulsion (a fit). Try not to panic. Gently place your baby on her side, allowing her to move freely
stops breathing for more than 15 seconds
- has a lump in the groin area (a hernia)
- has a rash on her legs
- has a high fever (a temperature of more than 38° C).

Common health problems

Babies are prone to a variety of health issues such as colds and sniffles, diarrhoea, constipation, asthma and ear infections. Some conditions require no treatment while others may need prescription medications. See your doctor for advice and look up the A-Z Health Reference for information about other common conditions.

Daily health
1. Keep up immunisations
Immunisation protects us against bacteria and viral nasties, such as measles and diphtheria, that once killed thousands of people. Immunisation is considered essential protection for your baby. Babies can be immunised by a GP or at a baby health centre at:

- four months
- six months
- 12 months

The Maternity Immunisation Allowance is only payable once you have followed the immunisation recommendations.

2. Protect against germs
Up to six months old, a close encounter with germs can mean a trip to the hospital for your baby if she gets sick and develops a fever. You can try to limit her exposure to germs by washing your hands before touching her, especially if you've been out shopping, handling raw food or changing her nappy. If someone around her has a cold or flu, you may want to ask them to stay out of range until they are better.

3. Don't give unprescribed medications
Normal household medicine can be deadly to a baby. That's why it is important not to give any medication to your baby unless it is prescribed for her by your doctor. Some herbal remedies can also be dangerous, so it's best to check with a doctor to be safe.

4. Keep her air clean
"Secondhand smoke" can cause serious health risks to non-smokers. If someone in your house smokes, they can protect your baby by always smoking outside. Avoid using chemical household sprays, like insect repellent or cleaning products, when your baby is in the room.

5. Protect her ears
Your baby's ears are delicate, so protect her from loud sounds very close to her ears. An excited older child yelling in her ear, a barking dog or blasting music can all do damage.

6. Prevent tooth decay
The best way to care for your baby's new teeth is to watch what she eats and drinks. When she starts on solids and drinks other than breastmilk, avoid giving her fruit juice and sweets, which can promote tooth decay. When offering her a drink of water, use tap water - the fluoride added to it helps build up tooth enamel (even in her permanent teeth that are developing under the surface) so it is a very important part of preventing expensive dental repair later.

This article authored and brought to you by Raising Children Network the Australian parenting website.