Children’s Health
For emergencies, call 999. For urgent medical advice when it is not life-threatening, use NHS 111 online or call 111. NHS 111 can advise on children’s symptoms and direct families to the right service.
Baby health
Babies should have regular health checks, feeding support, immunisations, and monitoring for growth, development, hearing, vision, sleep, and safety. Parents can ask for help from:
- GP
- health visitor
- midwife after birth
- NHS 111
- community children’s services
- paediatrician, if referred
Seek urgent help for a baby with breathing difficulty, blue lips, poor feeding, floppy or unusually sleepy behaviour, dehydration, a non-blanching rash, seizures, persistent high temperature, or if you feel something is seriously wrong.
Child development
Children develop at different rates, but parents should ask for advice if there are concerns about:
- speech or language delay
- hearing or vision
- walking, movement or coordination
- feeding or swallowing
- sleep
- behaviour
- learning
- social communication
- autism or ADHD signs
- toileting
- regression or loss of skills
Useful routes include GP, health visitor, nursery, school nurse, SENCO, paediatrician, speech and language therapy, occupational therapy, physiotherapy and CAMHS where mental health is involved.
Vaccinations
NHS vaccinations protect children against serious illnesses. The UK routine schedule includes vaccines from babyhood through teenage years, and NHS guidance should be checked because the schedule can change.
Parents should keep a record of vaccines and ask their GP practice if a child has missed any doses. Children can usually catch up.
Official links:
- NHS vaccinations: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/
- NHS vaccination schedule: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/
- GOV.UK routine immunisation schedule: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-complete-routine-immunisation-schedule
Childhood illnesses
Common childhood illnesses include coughs, colds, fever, ear infections, chickenpox, tonsillitis, stomach bugs, rashes, asthma symptoms, allergies and minor injuries.
Get urgent help if a child has:
- difficulty breathing
- blue, grey or very pale skin
- severe pain
- stiff neck
- seizure
- confusion or drowsiness
- dehydration
- rash that does not fade under pressure
- persistent vomiting
- signs of sepsis
- serious injury
- symptoms getting worse despite treatment
Use NHS 111 if unsure.
SEND health support
Children with special educational needs and disabilities may need support across health, education and social care. An Education, Health and Care Plan is for children and young people up to age 25 who need more support than ordinary SEN support can provide. It identifies education, health and social care needs and sets out support.
Health evidence for SEND may include:
- GP letters
- paediatric reports
- CAMHS reports
- speech and language reports
- occupational therapy reports
- physiotherapy reports
- diagnosis letters
- medication plans
- school attendance records
- behaviour logs
- care plans
- hospital letters
Parents can challenge local authority decisions about EHC needs assessments, EHC plans, the support named in a plan, or the school named.
Child mental health
Children and young people may need support for anxiety, depression, trauma, self-harm, eating difficulties, OCD, bullying, grief, anger, low confidence, school refusal, autism, ADHD, or family stress.
NHS children and young people’s mental health services vary locally and may include CAMHS, community mental health teams, crisis teams, eating disorder services, neurodevelopmental assessment, school-based mental health support and counselling.
If a child is at immediate risk of harm, call 999. For urgent mental health crisis support in England, call 111 and choose the mental health option.
Speech and language
Speech and language therapy can help with:
- delayed speech
- unclear speech
- understanding language
- social communication
- stammering
- voice difficulties
- swallowing or feeding problems
- communication linked to autism, learning disability or neurological conditions
Ask your GP, health visitor, nursery, school or SENCO about referral. Keep examples of words used, understanding, communication difficulties, nursery/school concerns and impact on learning or friendships.
Healthy eating
Healthy eating support may include GP advice, health visitor support, school nursing, dietitian referral, allergy advice, diabetes support, eating disorder services, oral health advice and weight management support.
Ask for help if there is:
- poor growth
- rapid weight loss or gain
- restricted eating
- choking or swallowing problems
- suspected allergy
- vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation
- fear of food
- body image distress
- diabetes or other medical needs
School health
School health support may involve:
- school nurse
- SENCO
- health visitor for younger children
- mental health support teams
- immunisation teams
- safeguarding lead
- attendance officer
- educational psychologist
- local authority SEND team
Schools should work with parents where health affects attendance, learning, behaviour, safety, medication, toileting, eating, mobility or mental health.
Legal rights
Children and parents may rely on:
- NHS Constitution: dignity, respect, access to NHS services, involvement in decisions, confidentiality, complaints and access to records.
- Children Act 1989/2004: child welfare and safeguarding duties.
- Equality Act 2010: disability discrimination protection and reasonable adjustments.
- SEND law: SEN support and EHC plans.
- Mental Capacity Act 2005 and consent rules: older children may be involved in decisions depending on maturity and understanding.
- Data protection law: access to health records, subject to safeguarding and confidentiality rules.
Accessible support
Ask NHS services for:
- Easy Read information
- large print, Braille or audio
- BSL interpreter
- language interpreter
- longer appointments
- quiet waiting area
- sensory adjustments
- hospital passport
- reasonable adjustment flag
- carer or parent involvement
- written care plan
- child-friendly explanations
Evidence standards and accountability
Keep records of:
- symptoms and dates
- photos of rashes or injuries where useful
- temperature, feeding, sleep or seizure logs
- missed school days
- behaviour changes
- appointment letters
- referrals
- test results
- medication and side effects
- hospital discharge summaries
- SEN plans and school reports
- names of professionals spoken to
Ask professionals for:
- diagnosis or working diagnosis
- written safety-netting advice
- care plan
- referral confirmation
- waiting time estimate
- crisis plan if mental health risk exists
- reasonable adjustments in writing
Complaints and escalation
If care is delayed, unsafe or inaccessible:
- Speak to the GP practice, clinic, school nurse, consultant secretary or service manager.
- Contact PALS for hospital or NHS trust concerns.
- Make a formal NHS complaint.
- Escalate unresolved NHS complaints to the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman.
- For SEND disputes, use the local authority complaints process, mediation where required, and SEND Tribunal routes.
Official links
- NHS children’s mental health support: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/mental-health-support/
- Children and young people’s mental health services: https://www.nhs.uk/mental-health/children-and-young-adults/mental-health-support/mental-health-services/
- NHS vaccinations: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/
- NHS vaccination schedule: https://www.nhs.uk/vaccinations/nhs-vaccinations-and-when-to-have-them/
- GOV.UK SEND support: https://www.gov.uk/children-with-special-educational-needs
- NHS 111: https://111.nhs.uk/
- NHS complaints: https://www.nhs.uk/contact-us/how-to-complain-to-the-nhs/
- NHS Constitution: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-nhs-constitution-for-england
Best rule: trust parental concern, seek help early, keep clear evidence, ask for written plans, request reasonable adjustments, and escalate quickly if a child’s safety, development or education is affected.