Mental health affects everyone. If you find yourself or your child are struggling, have a look at some of these fantastic resources.
And remember, if you need help urgently and feel you are crisis.
You can call Childline free on 0800 1111, or start a live chat with a counsellor.
For useful resources for young people and families on a huge range of topics including anxiety, depression, eating disorders and self harm.
Many children go through phases of refusing to eat certain foods or even at times refusing to eat anything at all. This is common in young children when they are trying to show their independence. Although it may be worrying, it will not be harmful if your child doesn’t eat for a short period.
As a parent you should decide on:
It is up to your child to decide:
Febrile seizures are seizures that occur in children in the context of a fever. They are relatively common in children between the ages of 6 months and 5 years and can sometimes run in families. While febrile convulsions can be frightening, they are usually brief and do not cause any long-term harm to the child. Very rarely, seizures that are prolonged or atypical require further investigations or monitoring.
During a seizure, your child may go stiff, jerky, shaky, twitchy or go floppy. Their eyes may roll or flicker. They may change colour going red, pale or blue. They may wet themselves. When someone has a seizure they may be unconscious and unaware of what is happening. After the seizure, your child may be drowsy or confused but will usually recover fully without any lasting effects.
Febrile convulsions are usually diagnosed based on the child’s symptoms and a description of the seizure provided by the parent or caregiver. Your healthcare provider may also conduct a physical examination to rule out other possible causes of the seizure. In some cases, additional tests such as blood tests may be done to investigate the underlying cause of the fever. It’s important to seek medical advice if your child has a febrile convulsion, especially if it is their first seizure or if they have other concerning symptoms.
In most cases, febrile convulsions do not require specific treatment beyond managing the fever and ensuring the child’s safety during the seizure.
If your child experiences a further febrile convulsion at home:
Remember, while febrile convulsions can be frightening to witness, they usually do not indicate a serious underlying medical condition. However, it’s essential to seek medical advice if your child experiences a febrile convulsion, especially if it is their first seizure or if they have other concerning symptoms.
Support for children with night-time wetting:
Find advice and guidance for managing night-time wetting.
Understanding the causes and solutions:
Learn why night-time wetting happens and how to help stop it.
Preschool viral wheeze is common. A virus causes swelling, and mucus clogs the airways. It causes difficulty breathing and cough. It looks like asthma, however only happens once or twice in most children before they reach school age. About 1 in every 3 children with preschool wheeze will develop asthma later in life.
Wheeze is a high-pitched whistling sound that occurs when your child breathes out. Other symptoms may include coughing, chest tightness, and difficulty breathing.
Preschool viral wheeze is typically diagnosed based on your child’s symptoms and a physical examination by a healthcare professional. Sometimes other tests are done if the wheeze is very severe.
The main treatment is inhaled Salbutamol. This medicine is breathed in through an inhaler regularly until the symptoms get better. Salbutamol works quickly, for a short time. Often another medicine is given by mouth which is a steroid called Prednisolone. Prednisolone works slowly, but lasts a long time. If your child is very unwell other treatments are given and your child may be kept in hospital until things improve. When it’s time to go home, you will be given a wheeze plan to follow at home.
Click on the image above to watch how to use an aerochamber spacer with a mask.
Remember, preschool viral wheeze should get better after a few days. If you are worried about your child you should get help quickly.
