How to understand drowsiness and confusion in babies and children

Anyone - your child included - can seem to be somewhat drowsy and confused you should definitely getting enough sleep or after just waking up. However, sudden and unexpected sleepiness is an important symptom that you need to take seriously. Children commonly become sleepy or a little drowsy when they become unwell - perhaps due to a cold or minor viral infection - but sometimes excessive drowsiness or sleepiness could be caused by something more serious, for which your child may need medical treatment.

Infectious causes of drowsiness

Many viral along with other illnesses like the cold or an ear infection can make your child sleepy. These illnesses aren't usually serious, and giving paracetamol or ibuprofen often helps make your child more alert again.

Another possible cause of drowsiness is gastroenteritis (a tummy bug). You can know if your child has the infection by the runny stools, which may or might not be associated with vomiting. Drowsiness could also result from your child losing too much fluid. Unless your child responds quickly for you offering lots of fluids, seek medical advice.

Sometimes, a more serious illness may be causing your child's drowsiness, and so seek medical advice immediately if he's unusually drowsy or sleepy and you notice one or more of the following signs:

Fever over 38 degrees Celsius (100.4 degrees Fahrenheit).
Very unwell appearance. Your child looks unusually pale or dusky, doesn't react to you as normal or breathes much faster than usual.
Vomiting, but no diarrhoea.

Headache, not being able to tolerate the light, a rash that doesn't disappear on pressure or the wherewithal to bend the head forward. Each one of these symptoms might be signs of meningococcal disease.

Drowsiness due to medication

Certain drugs - particularly some antihistamines, which are commonly given for hay fever and other allergies - have the possibility to make your child slightly drowsy.

If you have given your child a new drug, as prescribed by a doctor or one that you get without prescription, check carefully the drug information on the bottle or the enclosed information leaflet to determine if drowsiness is really a potential side-effect. If your child is otherwise well, you always don't need to worry - he should get better quickly once the effect from the drug in question has worn out.

Seek medical health advice immediately if your child becomes drowsy and also you notice the following symptoms after your child takes any new medication, simply because they might point to a drug allergy:

A new unexplained rash.
A sudden and unexplained wheeze.
Your child appears unwell. For example, he takes on an unusual skin colour, doesn't respond as normal and breathes faster than normal.

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