If your baby was born in the UK you would have been given a baby red book (parents held health record) after your baby’s birth. The vaccinations schedule is available for you to look at in the immunisations section of the red book. There are occasions when new vaccines are made available, and these may not be listed in the red book at the time you were given it. Please check with your doctor regarding what the up to date recommendations are.

The UK childhood vaccination schedule starts at 8 weeks of age and the following is a copy of this schedule for you to look at:

Please follow this link for the UK childhood vaccination schedule:

http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/vaccinations/Pages/childhood-vaccination-schedule.aspx

If your child is following the USA vaccinations programme the following link will take you to the most up to date USA vaccination schedule:

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/easy-to-read/child.html

If your child is following any other vaccinations schedule and you would like us to administer vaccines according to that schedule, please bring the vaccinations card to your child’s appointment.

It is important to recognise when your baby is unwell, and what the signs are which should lead you to consult your child’s doctor. When a child is unwell, you may notice that their feeding is reduced or more difficult. They may develop a fever or feel cold to touch. You may see a change in their colour to pale or blue, and they may develop a rash. They may be irritable and crying too much or may become quiet and listless. All these are important signs which should not be ignored and you need to consult with your doctor or the accident and emergencies department as soon as possible

Isotonic Normal Saline drops (Salt/Sea water) can be purchased over the counter from your chemist to use as nose drops if your baby is snuffly. This can be used before feeding to relieve your baby’s congested nose. It is not appropriate to use any other types of nose drops for your newborn baby at this stage.

On the whole a newborn baby does not require any medication unless advised by your doctor. It may be necessary sometimes to give Paracetamol or antibiotics and your doctor will advise on the most suitable medication to give and at what dose depending on your baby’s age and weight.

The best milk for the baby is Breast Milk. It is very important to give breast feeding a good attempt as it is the most appropriate milk for your baby, filled with all the necessary nutrients, and comes readily warmed up and sterile for the baby to have any time. It is well known that Breast feeding enhances bonding with your baby, and protects him/her from infections and later allergies. Formula milk can be used while trying to establish breast feeding, or as an addition to your milk, or if you were unable to breast feed for any reason. Please check with your doctor for advice on feeding your baby.

During a healthy newborn visit, the pregnancy and birth history is reviewed as well as the feeding history. The baby will be examined fully including measuring the weight, length and head circumference, and all body systems such as the chest, heart, pulse, abdomen, umbilicus, hips, eyes, ears, mouth, and genitalia are checked for any congenital abnormalities, or problems such as jaundice or infection.

A chest infection is a broad term used by doctors to describe various chest conditions, the majority of which are caused by a virus. The symptoms are of a fever, cough, chest pain, and crackles heard when your child is breathing. They may also complain of difficulty in breathing. This infection may also be caused by a bacteria and if so will need antibiotics to treat it. Your doctor will know if your child has this type of infection by listening to their chest and advising on what the best treatment is. If you think your child might have a chest infection, it is important that you check this out with your doctor.

You may notice that your child is in pain and pulling on their ear, or you may notice that there is a discharge from their ear. As you will not be able to tell yourself if your child needs any specific treatment for this, it is best to check with your doctor. The doctor will be able to have a look inside your child’s ear and decide if they need any treatment such as antibiotics or ear drops.

Most viruses that cause cold/flu-like symptoms can cause a sore throat and a cough. There is another condition called glandular fever, which is also caused by a virus, which and can give your child a sore throat and enlarged glands in the neck. Your doctor can decide if this is the case or if your child needs any tests to confirm this diagnosis.

Your child is most likely suffering from a viral throat infection, and you can simply treat them with paracetamol for pain relief and with lots of liquids to drink.