Burns in babies are emergencies due to thin skin. Types: thermal (hot liquids, stove), chemical (cleaning products), electrical (outlets), sunburn. 1st degree: red, painful (like mild sunburn). 2nd degree: blisters, very painful, red/white. 3rd degree: white/black, may not hurt (nerve damage). Babies can get severe burns from bath water >120°F or hot liquids spilled on them.

Choking is when airway is blocked - baby can't breathe, cry, or cough. Signs: silent (no sound), can't cough, blue/purple color, panicked look, losing consciousness. Different from gagging (normal when learning to eat) - gagging baby makes sounds, coughs, and clears it themselves. All parents should take infant CPR class. Heimlich maneuver is DIFFERENT for infants than adults.

Signs of breathing difficulty: rapid breathing (>60 breaths/min for newborn, >40 for older baby), flaring nostrils, retractions (skin pulling in between ribs/above collarbone), grunting with each breath, blue/purple lips or face, wheezing. Causes: RSV, pneumonia, severe allergic reaction, asthma, choking, croup. Normal newborn breathing is irregular and can be noisy - but baby should not struggle to breathe.

Babies fall frequently as they learn to roll, sit, crawl. Most head bumps are minor. Watch for signs of serious injury: loss of consciousness, vomiting repeatedly, severe crying (won't calm), large swelling, clear fluid from nose/ears, seizure, unequal pupils. Babies have soft spots (fontanelles) that provide some protection, but serious head injuries can still occur. NEVER shake a baby - can cause severe brain damage.

Fever >104°F (40°C) in any child requires medical attention. In infants under 3 months, ANY fever ≥100.4°F is an emergency (call doctor immediately or go to ER). Very high fever can indicate serious infection: meningitis, sepsis, pneumonia, urinary tract infection. Fever with other symptoms (stiff neck, rash, difficulty breathing, seizure, extreme lethargy) is always urgent.

Seizure is uncontrolled electrical activity in brain. Can look like: rhythmic jerking of limbs, stiffening of body, staring spell, lip smacking, eye rolling, loss of consciousness. Febrile seizures (caused by high fever) are most common in babies 6 months-5 years. Usually harmless but scary. Other seizures may indicate epilepsy or serious condition. Seizures lasting >5 minutes or multiple seizures without waking between are medical emergencies.

Anaphylaxis is severe, life-threatening allergic reaction. Can happen to foods (peanuts, eggs, shellfish), insect stings, or medications. Symptoms appear within minutes to 2 hours: difficulty breathing, swelling of lips/tongue/throat, hives all over body, vomiting, diarrhea, pale/blue color, fainting, rapid pulse. Mild reactions (few hives, mild stomach upset) can progress to anaphylaxis - always watch closely.

Dehydration happens when baby loses more fluids than taking in (from vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or not eating). Mild: dry lips, slightly fewer wet diapers. Moderate: very few wet diapers (<4/day), dark urine, dry mouth, sunken eyes. Severe: no tears when crying, no wet diapers for 8+ hours, sunken soft spot, extremely lethargic, pale/mottled skin. Severe dehydration can lead to organ damage and is life-threatening.