CALL
111
when it’s less
urgent than 999
Feeling
poorly?
A quick guide for
parents and carers of
children under five years old
Almost all babies, toddlers and children will get
common childhood illnesses like coughs and colds,
fevers, diarrhoea and vomiting. Most of the time
you can treat your child at home with advice from
your pharmacist, GP or health visitor.
It is a good idea to keep a small supply of useful
medicines in a locked cabinet or somewhere up high
where a child cannot reach them. Make sure you’ve
got the right strength of medicine for the age of
your child and always follow instructions carefully
and check use by dates. Read the label carefully and
use sugar-free options where you can.
In your medicine cabinet you could keep a
thermometer, plasters, liquid painkillers such as
baby paracetamol or ibuprofen and barrier creams.
In Leeds, there is a scheme which means that
medicines to help treat some minor illnesses
are available free of charge to patients who are
exempt from prescription charges. Ask at your
local pharmacy for more information.
This guide has been put together with help from
health care professionals but you know your child
better than anyone else. If you are still worried
after you have looked at the advice in this leaflet
turn to the back page for details of where you can
get more help.
Fever
On average, a child will have eight mild infections
before they are 18 months old. It is very
common for young children to develop a fever (a
temperature over 37.50C / 99.50F is a fever) when
they have an infection. This is your child’s normal
way to help fight infection. Most children with a
fever can be safely looked
after at home.
While your child
has a fever it is
important to keep
offering them drinks
(where a baby or child is breastfed the most
appropriate fluid is breast milk).
You should look out for signs that they are
becoming dehydrated, these include:
• Sunken fontanelle (the soft spot on a baby’s
head is more dipped than usual)
• Less wet nappies (they wee less) or darker urine
• More sleepy than usual
• Dry mouth
• No tears
What medicines can I give my
child to reduce their temperature?
It’s not necessary to use medicines (paracetamol
or ibuprofen) to treat your child’s temperature.
But if your child has a fever and is distressed or
very unwell, you can help to make them feel more
comfortable by giving them either paracetamol
or ibuprofen (please read the instructions on the
bottle first). Don’t give these medicines at the same
time. You can ask your local community pharmacist
for more advice about medicines.
Should I keep checking my child
during the night?
It is a good idea to check your child during the night
for rashes and to see if they are getting better. If a
rash does appear, press a glass tumbler firmly against
the skin. The rash is harder to see on dark skin so
check paler areas, such as palms of the hands, soles
of the feet, tummy and inside the eyelids. If you can
see the spots through the glass and they do not fade
seek medical advice immediately.
For more information about the symptoms of
meningitis visit www.meningitisnow.org/
meningitis-info/signs-and-symptoms/
babies-and-toddlers/
Coughs and colds
You will probably find when your child goes to
playgroup or nursery that they get a lot of coughs,
colds and sniffles. There are some good things
about this though as it helps the body build up a
natural immune system.
Most bugs will run
their course without
doing any real harm.
Your child should get
better on their own but
you can help them at home by:
• Offering lots to drink.
• Trying infant paracetamol (not aspirin).
• Keeping them away from smoke.
• Keeping calm - a cuddle goes a long way.
• Talking to your pharmacist but remember
that coughing is the body’s way of keeping
the lungs clear.
The early symptoms of a chest infection are similar
to those of a common cold and include a runny nose
and cough. As it develops, symptoms can include a
slight fever, a dry and persistent cough and difficulty
feeding. Symptoms usually improve after three days
and in most cases the illness isn’t serious. If you are
worried or your child is struggling to breathe please
talk to your GP. If your GP is closed you can visit the
Shakespeare Medical Centre or call NHS 111.
Don’t pass it on
It is really important to do what you can to
prevent passing germs on, here are some
top tips:
Catch it - Germs spread easily, always carry tissues
and use them to catch coughs or sneezes.
Bin it - Germs can live for several hours on tissues.
Dispose of your tissue as soon as possible.
Kill it - Hands can pass on germs to everything
you touch. Clean your hands as soon as you can.
Upset tummy
Sickness and diarrhoea bugs are caught easily and
are often passed on in places where there are lots
of children - like playgroups or nurseries. Feeling
sick and suddenly being sick are normally the first
signs and diarrhoea often follows afterwards.
Sickness and
diarrhoea can cause
dehydration so
increasing what
your child drinks
is important. If you’re
breastfeeding, keep on doing so. Offer older
children plenty of water, or an ice-lolly for them to
suck. If they want to eat, give them plain foods like
pasta or boiled rice (nothing too rich or salty).
Keep them away from others, especially children
and regularly wash your hands with warm water
and soap to fight off the infection.
You should look out for signs that they are
becoming dehydrated, these include:
• Sunken fontanelle (the soft spot on a baby’s
head is more dipped than usual)
• Less wet nappies (they wee less) or darker urine
• More sleepy than usual
• Dry mouth
• No tears
If you think your child is starting to become
dehydrated talk to your local pharmacist about
giving them a rehydrating solution or call NHS 111
if you are worried.
Constipation
Constipation is a very common problem in
children. Many children normally pass stools as far
apart as every few days. Regardless, you should
treat hard stools that are difficult to pass and those
that happen only every three days as constipation.
Many things contribute to constipation but babies
and children who get well balanced meals typically
are not constipated.
To avoid constipation
and help stop it
coming back make
sure your child
has a balanced diet
including plenty of fibre such as
fruit, vegetables, baked beans and wholegrain
breakfast cereals.
Encourage your child to drink plenty of fluids. If a
bottle fed baby becomes constipated you can try
offering water between feeds (never dilute baby milk).
In rare cases, constipation can be due to an
underlying illness, so if the problem doesn’t go
away in a few days, it’s important to talk to your
GP or health visitor.
Choosing the right place
to go for NHS treatment
will make sure your child
gets the right care, as soon
as possible. Remember
A&E and 999 are for
life-threatening and
emergency conditions only.
For more information about whether
A&E is the right place to go visit
www.leeds.nhs.uk/isitforme
Pharmacist
Visit a pharmacy if your child is ill, but does not
need to see a GP. Pharmacists are highly trained
healthcare professional and can suggest medicines
for your child.
NHS 111
For accidents and unexpected health problems you
can call 111. This service can help you to choose
the correct health service and provide you with an
out-of-hours doctor’s appointment if necessary.
GP
Contact your GP surgery if you feel that your
child’s illness cannot be treated at home and needs
to see a doctor.
Minor injuries units (MIU)
These units can treat less serious injuries and
illnesses and can also do x-rays.
Wharfedale
Hospital MIU
Newall Carr Road
Otley
Leeds
LS21 2LY
St George’s
Centre MIU
St George’s Road
Middleton
Leeds
LS10 4UZ
Tel: 0113 392 1647
Tel: 0113 392 9801
Open: 8am-11pm
every day including
bank holidays, closed
Christmas Day.
Open: 8am-10.30pm
every day including
bank holidays, closed
Christmas Day.
Walk-in centre
Shakespeare Medical Centre
1 Cromwell Mount
Burmantofts
Leeds
LS9 7TA
Tel: 0113 295 1132
The Shakespeare Medical Centre can provide
health advice and treatments for a range of
conditions. It also provides traditional GP services
for registered patients, and people not registered
with the GP practice.
Open: from 8am-8pm everyday
including all bank holidays.
Accident and Emergency
Leeds General Infirmary
Calverley Street
Leeds
LS1 3EX
The Leeds Children’s Emergency Department is
now at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI). There are no
accident and emergency services for children under
16 at St James’s University Hospital.
To find your nearest GP or other local health
services, enter your postcode at www.nhs.uk
The site includes a tool to check your child’s
symptoms and get advice on what to do next.
CALL
111
when it’s less
urgent than 999
You should contact NHS 111 if your child:
• is getting worse and you are worried;
• has a fever that lasts longer than five days;
• is finding breathing hard work and they are
sucking in their ribs and tummy; or
• is struggling to complete a full sentence without
stopping to take a breath.
You should call 999 or take your child
to A&E if:
• your child has a fit;
• your child develops a rash that does not
disappear with pressure using the tumbler test;
• their chest looks like it is ‘caving in’; or
• they appear pale or even slightly blue-ish.