🏥 Children's Health
All ages
When to Take Your Child to Hospital
A clear guide for Nigerian parents — the signs that need immediate medical care.
Knowing when a sick child needs hospital care versus can be managed at home is one of the most important skills a parent can have. This page brings together the key warning signs across all childhood illnesses — a quick-reference guide for every Nigerian parent.
⚠️ Go to Hospital IMMEDIATELY if your child has:
🚨 The child is unresponsive, cannot be woken, or is extremely difficult to rouse
🚨 The child is having a seizure (convulsion)
🚨 The child cannot breathe properly — rapid breathing, blue lips, chest sucking in
🚨 Any fever in a baby UNDER 3 MONTHS — even mild fever is an emergency
🚨 Severe dehydration — sunken eyes, no tears, dry mouth, no urine for 8+ hours
🚨 Rash that does not fade when pressed firmly with a glass
🚨 Stiff neck and light sensitivity — possible meningitis
🚨 Severe abdominal pain that does not ease
🚨 Vomiting blood or blood in stool in large amounts
🚨 Severe head injury — loss of consciousness, vomiting, or confusion after head injury
🚨 Poisoning or suspected swallowing of a dangerous substance
🚨 Severe burn — especially if it involves the face, hands, feet, or genitals
Signs Parents Notice
• Fever lasting more than 3 days without explanation
• Persistent vomiting for more than 24 hours
• Severe ear pain
• A child who is increasingly unwell despite home management
• A baby under 6 months who is not feeding
• Any concern that your child is seriously ill — parental instinct is important
When to Seek Medical Help
NowAny emergency sign listed above — do not wait, do not call first, go immediately to the nearest emergency department.
SoonAny sick child whose condition is worsening rather than improving after 24–48 hours of home care.
SoonA child with a known chronic condition (sickle cell disease, asthma, diabetes, HIV) who develops any illness — lower threshold for seeking care.
RoutineWell-child visits for growth monitoring, developmental assessment, and immunisations — even when the child is well.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a febrile seizure life-threatening?
Febrile seizures are frightening but usually self-limiting and harmless. Most last less than 2 minutes and do not cause brain damage. Lay the child on their side, time the seizure, stay calm. If it lasts more than 5 minutes or does not stop — go to hospital immediately.
What is the "glass test" for meningitis rash?
Press a glass firmly against the rash. If it fades (blanches) under pressure — it is not the meningococcal rash. If it stays visible (does not fade) under the glass — go to hospital immediately. This test applies to a non-blanching purpuric (purple/dark red) rash.
My child fell and hit their head — when should I go to hospital?
Go immediately if: loss of consciousness (even brief), repeated vomiting (more than once), unusual sleepiness, severe headache, confusion, or unequal pupil size. A child who cried immediately after a fall and is now behaving normally can generally be monitored at home with close observation.
When is diarrhoea serious enough for hospital?
Signs of severe dehydration (sunken eyes, no tears, no urine for 8 hours, skin that stays pinched), blood in stool, inability to keep any fluid down, or a baby under 2 months with diarrhoea — all require hospital assessment.
How do I know if my child is dehydrated?
Early: dry mouth, reduced tears when crying, less active. Moderate: sunken eyes, sunken fontanelle in infants, skin less elastic, very reduced urine. Severe: extremely sleepy, skin stays pinched when released, no urine for 8+ hours, very dry mouth — hospital immediately.