Having an ill child can be a very worrying experience for parents.
If you understand about the illness it can help you to feel more in control.
There’s a useful guide on the NHS website which describes various conditions affecting children, advice on how to diagnose them, how to treat them and if further advice should be consulted. If your child is unwell and self-care isn’t an option ring your GP surgery, or use the out of hours service NHS 111 as appropriate. Our GPs offer regular checks of your child’s development from birth until starting at school. This provides an ideal opportunity to discuss any worries or queries you might have. We offer a range of services including:
Vaccinations
We would expect all children to receive their childhood immunisations, unless there is a specific medical reason not to do so.
More information about vaccinations for babies and toddlers and children and teens is available on the NHS website.
If you think that any immunisations have been missed please contact your surgery and we will be check this for you.
Child health clinic
We offer a mother and baby check at 6-8 weeks which is carried out by one of the doctors at the surgery. This check is to make sure that your feel well and that you are recovering properly. Your baby’s weight and length will also be checked at this appointment.
Please make sure that you bring your baby and the red child health record book to this appointment.
Maternity care
Our doctors provide antenatal and postnatal care in conjunction with the midwives.
Self-care
It’s vital to have a well stocked medicine cabinet in your home so you can deal with minor accidents and injuries. Medicines should be checked regularly to ensure they are within their use-by dates. Check medicines and doses with your pharmacist and read the instructions carefully before giving them to your child.
Also have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home. This should be locked and kept in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children.
A basic first aid kit may contain:
- plasters
- sterile gauze dressings
- sterile eye dressings
- bandages
- safety pins
- disposable sterile gloves
- tweezers
- scissors
- alcohol-free cleansing wipes
- sticky tape
- thermometer
- skin rash cream
- cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
- antiseptic cream
- painkillers
- cough medicine
- antihistamine tablets
- distilled water for cleaning wounds
- eye wash and eye bath.
Depending on your child’s needs, you may wish to consider accessing support from one of our local partners.
Plymouth City Council’s Children’s Services strive to improve the health and wellbeing of children and young people in Plymouth. Their website includes information on a range of issues including advice and support with parenting, advice about children in care and safeguarding.