A new study has shown that rapid breathing along with a bluish tinge to the skin and a rash which does not fade when pressed, are all signs which may indicate serious infections in children.

As per the research, parents and doctors are also justified in relying on their instincts because parental concern or a doctor’s hunch is a reliable source which indicates a more serious problem.

Meningitis and other serious illnesses can’t be easily distinguished from common, milder illnesses. An average child in the UK visits a doctor four times before the age of one with an infection, but most of the time no serious problem is diagnosed.

Researchers have made a list of ‘red flag’ symptoms which are warning signs of a severe infection. Researchers say that if the doctor suspects a serious illness and the parents are worried then they should trust their instincts.

Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Leuven in Belgium conducted this study and it was published in The Lancet medical journal.