Children's illnesses and allergies

After babies are born they have to breathe, suck, feed, wee, poo and stay warm.

This NHS site Is your baby or toddler seriously ill provides advice on how to spot the signs of serious illness in your baby or toddler. 

Do not delay seeking help if you have any concerns.

Visit Institute of Health Visiting: Top tips for parents

These include

• Wheeze and Breathing difficulties
• Fever/High temperature
• Rashes: when should you worry
• Diarrhoea and Vomiting (D&V)
• Head injury
• Coping with chicken pox
• Coping with Scarlet Fever
• Childhood immunisations 1: An introduction to childhood immunisations
• Childhood immunisations 2: Frequently Asked Questions

Your Health Visitor is a nurse who can offer you advice on your child’s health, working in partnership with your General Practitioner (GP).

If you are concerned about your child's health, contact your GP to discuss the symptoms, or contact 111 for further advice.

It can be difficult to tell when a baby, toddler or child is seriously ill, but the main thing is to trust your instincts. You know better than anyone else what your child is usually like, so you'll know when something is seriously wrong. If your child requires urgent attention, call 999.

Useful websites with information about illnesses and symptoms:

• NHS: Is your baby or toddler seriously ill?
• NHS: Infectious illnesses in children
• NHS: Spotting signs of a serious illness
• NHS: Sepsis symptoms
• NHS: Meningitis symptoms
• Healthier Together - Parent Information sheets
• Lullaby Trust: spotting infections in babies

An allergy is where your body reacts to something that's normally harmless like pollen, dust or animal fur. The symptoms can be mild, but for some people they can be very serious. For more information, including advice and when to seek help visit Allergies - NHS (www.nhs.uk).

Since January 2022 there has been an increase in the number of children with acute hepatitis (liver inflammation). For further information about this click on the link below:

This video from the UK Health Security Agency provides advice about symptoms of hepatitis in children. 

Find out about scarlet fever, including the symptoms, what to do if you or your child has it, how it's treated. how long it lasts and how it spreads, by clicking on this link for the NHS webpage: Scarlet Fever

Further guidance about Scarlet Fever can also be found on this GOV.UK webpage: Scarlet Fever: symptoms, diagnosis and treatment

This NHS webpage regarding Strep A provides useful information and advice including what the symptoms are, when to get medical help and how mild and severe Step A infections are treated.

Babies and young children can become ill in hot weather which can be caused by dehydration, heat exhaustion or sunburn. This NHS website provides tips and advice to Keep your baby safe in the sun

You can also find additional advice around your child's health below:

Healthier Together - Safety Netting and Parent information Sheets

The Lullaby Trust - Baby Check: Is Your Baby Really Ill