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ICU and You · Mnemonic Series · Number 54

Spotting the sick infant

Seven things, in the order that finds them: FEEDING.

F
FeedingFeeding is the first thing to go and the last thing anyone asks about. How much, how long, how hard?
E
Effort of breathingEvery sign is visible from the end of the cot: rate, recession, flaring, head bobbing, grunting
E
EngagementEyes that will not fix, a cry you cannot console, or a baby who has simply gone quiet
D
Dry nappiesDrying up — fewer than four wet nappies in a day is dehydration until proven otherwise
I
Is the parent worried?If the person who has watched this child for months says something is different, that is an observation
N
Numbers lastNumbers confirm; they rarely reveal. A normal blood pressure in a shocked infant is a countdown, not a comfort
G
Get help earlyGo early rather than late — nobody has ever been criticised for ringing too soon about a baby

Challenge for you

Which of these seven does your observation chart actually capture?

Tick as many as apply. Then tell me what happens to the others — where feeding, engagement, wet nappies and a parent's concern get written down in your unit, if they get written down at all. I suspect the answer is going to be uncomfortable, and I would like to publish it.

none selected

The button lists both what your chart records and what it does not, so replying is a two-line job.