Common Infant and Newborn Problems

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Summary

It is hard when your baby is sick. Common health problems in babies include colds, coughs, fevers, and vomiting. Babies also commonly have skin problems, like diaper rash or cradle cap.

Many of these problems are not serious. It is important to know how to help your sick baby, and to know the warning signs for more serious problems. Trust your intuition - if you are worried about your baby, call your health care provider right away.

Start Here

Common Conditions in Newborns (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
What Are Some of the Basics of Infant Health? (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish

Treatments and Therapies

Do Not Give Infants Cough and Cold Products Designed for Older Children (Food and Drug Administration)
How to Give Your Child Medicine (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
How to Treat Diaper Rash (American Academy of Dermatology)
Should You Give Kids Medicine for Coughs and Colds? (Food and Drug Administration) Also in Spanish
Treating Tear-Duct Blockage (Tear Duct Massage) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
Treating Tear-Duct Blockage (Tear Duct Probe) (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation)
Treating Vomiting (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish

Related Issues

Finding a Doctor for Your New Baby (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Getting the Most From a Doctor's Visit (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Sick Baby? When to Seek Medical Attention (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish

Specifics

Baby Acne (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Colic (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Colic in Babies (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Colic Symptoms and Causes (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Common Cold in Babies: Symptoms and Causes (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) Also in Spanish
Coughing (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Diaper Rash (Nemours Foundation)
Diaper Rash (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
Ear Infection (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Fever (High Temperature) In Kids (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Flat Head Syndrome (Positional Plagiocephaly) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Jaundice and Breastfeeding (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
Jaundice in Newborns (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Oral Thrush (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Plagiocephaly (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Surgery for Tear Duct Blockage (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Vomiting (For Parents) (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish
Your Child's Vision (Nemours Foundation) Also in Spanish

Images

Congenital Dermal Melanocytosis (Blue-Gray Spot) (VisualDX)
Diaper Dermatitis (VisualDX)
Diaper Rash (Irritant Diaper Dermatitis) (VisualDX)
Heat Rash or Prickly Heat (Miliaria Rubra) (VisualDX)
Milia (VisualDX)

Health Check Tools

Elimination Problems or Constipation in Infants and Children (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Feeding Problems in Infants and Children (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Fever in Infants and Children (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Mouth Problems in Infants and Children (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish
Nausea and Vomiting in Infants and Children (American Academy of Family Physicians) Also in Spanish

Clinical Trials

ClinicalTrials.gov: Infant, Newborn, Diseases (National Institutes of Health)
ClinicalTrials.gov: Infantile Colic (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

Find an Expert

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development Also in Spanish
Find a Pediatrician or Pediatric Specialist (American Academy of Pediatrics) Also in Spanish
KidsHealth (Nemours Foundation)

Patient Handouts

Colic and crying - self-care (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Diaper rash (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Diarrhea in infants (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Excessive crying in infants (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Newborn jaundice - discharge (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
Rash - child under 2 years (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
When your baby or infant has a fever (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish

Common Infant and Newborn Problems

Basics

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