Childhood Health & Immunisation

Health Visitor

Our linked Health Visitor looks after our patients at Charlotte Road Health Centre, 45 Charlotte Road, Stirchley, Birmingham B30 B30 2BT. They are available for well baby clinics, please contact them for clinic times 0121 466 4520. They will weigh baby and give advice and support, this is a walk-in service. Please take your red book to every appointment.

All babies are required to have a check up at 6 weeks. There are 2 parts to the check up; the Health Visitor is responsible for the first part (at 6weeks) and the GP for the second (at 7-8 weeks). Parents should arrange for baby to see the Health Visitor at 6 weeks. We will contact you to book the GP part and also to book for a post natal check for mom at the same time so you only have to attend the GP practice once.

Postnatal Check & Immunisations

We provide a full range of childhood immunisations. Your baby's first immunisations will take place at their postnatal check up after seeing the GP. The Nurse will administer the first set of vaccinations and the book the appointment for the next set of immunisations.

Baby immunisations take place at:

8 weeks (1st Imms)

12 weeks (2nd Imms)

16 weeks (3rd Imms)

1 year (12-13 month Imms)

3 year 4 months (Preschool Boosters)

You will receive a text message or letter when your child's 1 year and pre-school boosters are due. Please do keep your contact details up to date so you do not miss these appoinments.

If you have any reservations about your baby being vaccinated the nurse, doctor or health visitor will be only too pleased to discuss these with you. The practice is monitored by the Department of Health on vaccine uptake and we request that if you do not wish your child to have a vaccination that you refuse in writing. The practice will send a reminder letter if your child is overdue.

It is recommended to give a dose of Calpol before your child receives the Meningitis B vaccination. This will be provided by the surgery for their first vaccine at the time of the appointment. Details of the use of Calpol following the Meningitis B vaccine will be given to you by the nurse during the appointment.

For further information on the current Childhood Immunisation Schedule please go to the NHS Choices website.

We do expect parents to communicate any concerns they have about immunisations so that you can discuss and make an informed decision about getting your child immunised.

What to do when your child has an illness which causes a fever (temperature)

When children have an illness their body is working hard to fight the infection.

This causes it to produce more heat which we know as a temperature.

FLUIDS - It is important to offer your child regular cool drinks. For babies who are breast fed this should be breast milk. For bottle fed babies this could be Formula or water. For older children offer water or dilute juice.

WHEN TO USE PARACETAMOL OR IBUPROFEN - Using these medicines does not prevent your child from having a Febrile Convulsion ( fit caused by a high temperature)

You should give EITHER Paracetamol ( Calpol) OR Ibuprofen (Nurofen) NOT both, when:

1) your child is distressed or miserable

2) your child is complaining of aches or pains.

If the one medicine doesn’t work then try the other but do not use both together UNLESS the symptoms return before the next dose of the first medicine is due. REMEMBER YOU ARE TREATING YOUR CHILD NOT THE TEMPERATURE.

Other methods to cool your child down such as tepid sponging or under dressing your child are NOT recommended - you should dress your child appropriately for the weather.

WHEN TO SEEK FURTHER HELP

1) If you are worried your child is not drinking enough and may be becoming dehydrated - such as a dry mouth, dry nappies, poor overall appearance

2) your child is less well than when you last sought advice

3) you or your partner are worried your child is worse or you cannot look after them

4) your child is becoming quieter, more lethargic, not playing or interacting as they would normally with you.

When to seek urgent help for your child

1) They have a fit ( unless they have had a similar fit before)

2) They develop a Non-Blanching rash ( Rash doesn’t fade when you press it)

3) Their breathing becomes much more rapid

4) Their skin becomes pale, colder, clammy to touch

5) Their heart is racing

6) They become more lethargic, drowsy, irritable or confused

If you are worried your child has any of these symptoms, contact your doctor or 111 for advice immediately.

If you are unable to get advice and your child continues to worsen contact 999

Vitamin D Results : Deficient Levels - Children

Vitamin D Deficiency

Your child’s recent blood tests show they have a low Vitamin D level.

The recommended treatment for them is:

1) To take a course of high dose Vitamin D to correct their levels back to normal. *A PRESCRIPTION IS WAITING FOR YOU ON RECEPTION IF YOU HAVE RECEIVED A TEXT MESSAGE NOTIFYING YOU OF A DEFICIENCY - PLEASE COLLECT AS SOON AS POSSIBLE

2) Once they have finished the course they will need to take a recommended supplement of 10mcg (400IU (International Units)) daily until they are 18 years old and 20mcg (800IU) after that for the rest of their lives. We do not absorb vitamin D well from our diets.

You can buy:
Birth onwards
• Wellbaby Vitamin D3 Drops from Vitabiotics (online), Holland & Barrett or Boots
• Holland & Barrett Healthy Kids Vitamin D3 Drops
Age 3-7years
• Boots Blackcurrant Gummies (10mcg)
• Wellkid Peppa Pig Vitamin D Jellies from Vitabiotics (online), Holland & Barrett or Boots
Older Children
• Holland & Barrett Vitamin D3 10mcg (400IU) tablet
• Boots Vitamin D3 10mcg (400IU) tablet
Over 18 years
• Holland & Barrett Vitamin D3 25mcg (1000IU) tablet
• Boots Vitamin D3 25mcg (1000IU) tablet
• Sunvit D3 20mcg (800IU) tablet from your local pharmacy
• Tesco Vitamin D3 25mcg (1000IU)

3) You must also make sure the amount of Calcium they take in from their diet is enough to allow them to use the Vitamin D correctly. We have enclosed a fact sheet so you can work out how much they eat/drink at the moment and increase it if you need to.

4) Your child needs to have a blood test to check their Calcium levels 4 weeks after starting their medication. Please book an appointment for this.

5) Our main source of Vitamin D is sunlight. In the UK you can improve your Vitamin D levels by exposure to the sun between March and October. However people with darker skins will have more problems absorbing enough compared to those with lighter skins due to the strength of the suns rays. We have enclosed a fact sheet about boosting their Vitamin D levels using the sun in a safe way.

6) Please book for them to have a blood test 12 months after starting their medication to check their Vitamin D and Calcium levels are being maintained.

We hope this information is useful, however, if you feel you need to discuss this further please contact the surgery and book a telephone consultation or a face to face appointment with any of our GPs.

Vitamin-D-Lifestyle-Advice.docx

https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/calcium.html

Vitamin D Results : Insufficient Levels - Children

If your child’s recent blood tests show they have a slightly low Vitamin D level please follow the advice below;

The recommended treatment for this is:

1) To take a recommended supplement of 10mcg (400IU (International Units)) daily until they are 18 years old and 20mcg (800IU) after that for the rest of their lives. We do not absorb vitamin D well from our diets.

2) You must also make sure the amount of Calcium they take in from their diet is enough to allow them to use the Vitamin D correctly. We have enclosed a fact sheet so you can work out how much they eat/drink at the moment and increase it if you need to.

3) Please book for them to have a blood test to check their Calcium level 4 weeks after starting your medication.

4) Our main source of Vitamin D is sunlight. In the UK you can improve your Vitamin D levels by exposure to the sun between March and October. However people with darker skins will have more problems absorbing enough compared to those with lighter skins due to the strength of the suns rays. We have enclosed a fact sheet about boosting their Vitamin D levels using the sun in a safe way.

5) Please book for them to have a further blood test 12 months after starting their medication to check their Vitamin D and Calcium levels are being maintained.

Vitamin-D-Lifestyle-Advice.docx

https://www.bda.uk.com/resource/calcium.html