Children’s health – articles and advice
General childhood health
Practical features for parents and carers on children’s health, growth and common conditions. For detailed reference, see our Patient Information Leaflets on children’s health.
General childhood health
Not all childhood conditions are easy to categorise. Explore a range of less common illnesses and when to seek advice if you’re concerned.
- How to keep kids active over the summer
- Why too much sugar is bad for children
- How to brush and care for your child's teeth
- Crohn's disease in children: How to support your child
- Appendicitis in children: what are the signs?
- Fever treatment for children: a doctor's advice
- How to keep your child eating healthily at secondary school
- How to keep your kids sun safe this summer
- What should you do if your child is wheezing?
- How to help your kids eat healthily over Christmas
- Keeping kids active over Christmas
- How to help children develop healthy habits
- Signs of type 2 diabetes found in children as young as eight
- Can we trust BMI charts for kids?
- Should you give painkillers to children?
- What works best for treating hay fever in children?
- The best solutions for bedwetting
- Is your child eating too much sugar?
- What to do when your child can't sleep
- What is a genetic disorder?
- How to look after your child's asthma this summer
- How to protect your child's teeth
- How to choose healthy snacks for you and your kids
- Signs of tinnitus to look out for in children
- Do teenagers really need more sleep?
- Bedwetting treatment options
Baby and toddler
Caring for babies and toddlers comes with many questions. From feeding to sleep and common illnesses, discover trusted advice for this vital stage of life.
In this topic:Baby and toddlerFeeding your baby
- How to look after your baby's first teeth
- How to help your baby sleep safely in hot weather
- How to protect your baby against allergies
- Can babies get hay fever?
- What are the benefits of baby probiotics?
- Toddler bedtime routine: how to get your child to sleep
- How to relieve your baby's teething pain
- When should your baby's bedtime be?
- When should you worry about a fussy eater?
- When to worry about your baby's development
- Many 'healthy' baby food brands contain too much sugar
- How to keep your baby safe and warm in winter
- Putting together a budget for your baby
Feeding your baby
- A guide to comfortable breastfeeding in public
- Is breastfeeding for me? The pros and cons of breastmilk and formula
- How to manage breastfeeding when you return to work
- Breastfeeding: What is colostrum and what are the benefits?
- What are the benefits of baby-led weaning?
- Thrush with breastfeeding: what to do
- How to introduce your baby to allergen foods
- What is tongue-tie in babies?
- Cow's milk allergy: Which dairy-free milks are suitable for children?
- How to wean a baby with a cow's milk allergy
- How the pressure to breastfeed can impact mental health
- Babies with tongue-ties most likely don't require surgery
- How to deal with public breastfeeding stigma
- What to eat when breastfeeding
- Does breastfeeding prevent postnatal depression?
Child development
Every child grows at their own pace. Learn what milestones to expect in physical, emotional and social development, and when to discuss delays with a professional.
- First period - supporting your child when they start menstruation
- How can dogs help support families with autistic children?
- How to explain autism to your child
- How to help your autistic child cope with Bonfire Night
- How to support your child with a learning disability
- Why is dyspraxia so commonly misdiagnosed?
- Does your child have dyslexia?
- How should we support children with autism?
- How to tackle eating problems in children with autism
Infections
Coughs, colds, chickenpox and more—childhood infections are common. Learn how to care for a sick child and when an infection needs medical attention.
- Is it whooping cough or just a cold?
- Why measles is on the rise
- Back to school: how to check your child for head lice and nits
- Why has there been an increase of hepatitis in children?
- How to manage tonsillitis in children
- How to tell the differences between winter viruses in kids
- Childhood illnesses that can strike adults
- How to avoid back-to-school head lice
- Video: How do head lice spread?
- How to stop your child catching a verruca
- The best ways to get rid of head lice
- Should schools or parents be fighting nits?
Mental health and behaviour
Children can experience anxiety, mood swings, and behavioural challenges. Discover what’s normal, when to seek help, and how to support your child’s mental health.
- Student mental health: how to tell if your child is depressed at university
- How to help your child with back-to-school anxiety
- How to help your child cope with exam stress
- How to spot the signs of gaming addiction in children
- How to spot the signs that your child is depressed
- Grief and young people: how to cope with loss
- PANDAS: what we know and what we don’t
- What to expect when your child starts talking therapy
- Signs your child is struggling with their mental health
- How to help your child build self-esteem
- How to cope if your teen is self-harming
- What happens when you transfer from child to adult mental health services?
- How to spot the signs of anxiety in kids
- Does taking paracetamol in pregnancy lead to behavioural problems in kids?
- Winter babies at greater risk of mental health problems
- More evidence that social media is associated with teenage depression
- Should all children be screened for mental health problems?
- How to help if your child has an eating disorder
- Could my toddler be depressed?
Parenting
Parenting is the process of raising a child, which involves supporting their physical, emotional, cognitive, social, and educational development from infancy to adulthood.
- Parental burnout: your guide to understanding and overcoming it
- How to talk to your child about social media
- How to cope with the stress of being a new parent
- How to be a calm parent when you're stressed
- How to deal with empty nest syndrome at Christmas
- How to support your child if they are being cyberbullied
- How to get your child the right support at school
- How to ask kids about their health
- Can counselling help you decide when or whether to have children?
- What you need to know about parenting with a mental health issue
- What parents need to know about school entry health checks
- When is your child too sick for school?
- How to talk to children about death
- How to talk to your kids about sex, porn and healthy relationships
- Should parents worry about 'dry drowning'?
- What to do if your teen has a drug problem
- How to support your transgender child
- How to talk to your child about their weight
- How many children should you have?
Skin rashes
Rashes are common in children, but they can be alarming. Discover what’s behind different types of skin rashes and when they need medical attention.
Vaccinations
Vaccines help protect children from serious diseases. Learn which jabs are recommended, when they’re given, and why vaccination is so important for lifelong health.
- 1 in 5 children starting primary school are not fully protected against serious illnesses
- Free chickenpox vaccine to be offered to children in England for the first time
- Measles is back: why vaccines matter
- Should your child get the chickenpox vaccine?
- Why do kids need the flu jab?
- Parents urged to vaccinate children as UK loses measles-free status
- Offering HPV jab to boys will help prevent over 100,000 cancers
- Why isn't the chickenpox vaccine available on the NHS?
- Should all children have the flu vaccine?