3.7.1  Urgent pre-referral treatment

Urgent pre-referral treatments for a young infant are set out below (You will learn more about these in your practical skills training sessions.) You should:

• Give the first dose of intramuscular antibiotics.
• Give an appropriate oral antibiotic. If the infant needs an oral antibiotic for a local bacterial infection, give a first dose before referring the infant to the hospital.
• Advise the mother how to keep the infant warm on the way to the hospital. If the mother is familiar with wrapping her infant next to her body, this is a good way to keep him warm on the way to the hospital. Keeping a sick young infant warm is very important.
• Treat the young infant to prevent low blood sugar.
• Refer the young infant urgently to hospital, with the mother giving frequent sips of ORS on the way. For an infant with diarrhoea, advise the mother to continue breastfeeding.