Check for general danger signs

General danger signs are:

1.    the child is not able to drink or breastfeed
2.    the child vomits everything
3.    the child has had convulsions during the present illness or has convulsions now
4.    the child is lethargic or unconscious

 A child with a general danger sign has a serious problem need urgent referral to hospital.

General danger signs

Watch this video to see why it is important to check EVERY sick child for general danger signs

 A sick child may have signs that clearly point to a disease.General danger signs suggest that a child is severely ill and needs urgent attention.

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Is the child able to drink or breastfeed? 

A child who is not able to suck or swallow when offered a drink or breast milk because he or she is too weak or cannot swallow has the danger sign not able to drink or breastfeed.

 

 

 

 Does the child vomit everything?

 A child who is not able to hold anything down at all has the danger sign "vomits everything." What goes down comes back up.

A child who vomits several times but can hold down some fluids does not have this general danger sign. 

Has the child had convulsions during the present illness?

Convulsions considered a life threatening danger sign are:
1)Any convulsions in children aged less than 6 months.
2)More than one episode of convulsions during the present illness or convulsions lasting for more than 15 minutes in children aged 6 months or more.

One episode of generalized convulsions during the current febrile illness in a child aged 6 months or more lasting for less than 15 minutes are considered simple febrile convulsions, NOT a general danger sign.

Is the child is unconscious or lethargic?

An unconscious or lethargic child is likely to be seriously ill.A lethargic child is not awake and alert when he or she should be. The child is drowsy and does not take any notice of his or her surroundings or does not respond normally to sounds or movement and appear not to notice what is going on around him or her. An unconscious child cannot be wakened. The child does not respond when he or she is touched, shaken or spoken to.