The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) listed instructions for parents and caregivers who may be concerned about a neonate after discharge. These can help to detect a neonate with a problem such as sepsis.
Patient selection: neonate discharged from the hospital
The parents or caregivers should contact a healthcare provider if the neonate shows:
(1) an abnormal behavior such as inconsolable crying or listlessness
(2) floppiness
(3) feeding problems including feeding intolerance
(4) an abnormal temperature not explained by the environment (< 36°C or > 38°C)
(5) rapid breathing (tachypnea)
(6) change in skin color
Additional reasons to contact a provider (not mentioned in guidelines):
(1) other significant finding
(2) reason to call that was specified in the discharge instructions
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