Getting medical advice for your child

You don'tusually need to see your GP if you think your child has gastroenteritis, as it should get better on its own, and taking them to a GP surgery can put others at risk.

Call NHS 111 or your GP if you're concerned about your child, or they:

• have symptoms of dehydration , such as passing less urine than normal, being unusually irritable or unresponsive, pale or mottled skin, or cold hands and feet
• have blood in their poo or green vomit
• are vomiting constantly and areunable to keep down any fluids or feeds
• have had diarrhoea for more than a week
• have been vomiting for three days or more
• have signs of a more serious illness , such as a high fever (over 38C or 100.4F), shortness of breath, rapid breathing, a stiff neck, a rash that doesn't fade when you roll a glass over it or a bulging fontanelle (the soft spot on a baby's head)
• have a serious underlying condition, such as inflammatory bowel disease or a weak immune system, and have diarrhoea and vomiting

Your GP may suggest sending off a sample of your child's poo to a laboratory to confirm what's causing their symptoms. Antibiotics may be prescribed if this shows they have a bacterial infection.