Children/Young People’s Health

Other Common Conditions (Children)

Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:

Quick Read
In-depth
Clinical level

The purpose of this section is to pick out common conditions and common symptoms which have not have been covered in the other sections on children and young peoples’ health (such as infections and skin conditions). In many cases your local pharmacist can support you and this is covered below.

LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

tongue-tie

From the NHS
Includes link which allows self- referral on the NHS or privately.
“The Association of Tongue-tie Practitioners (ATP) can help you find a tongue-tie practitioner.” You can search for NHS or private
Tongue-tie Tongue-tie – NHS

From the Association of Tongue-tie Practitioners
Find a Practitioner Find a Practitioner – Association of Tongue-tie Practitioners

  • This includes a Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust service for tongue tie, including details how to get a referral done.

REFERRAL DONE BY YOUR HEALTH VISITOR TEAM

Your health visitor can refer any child under 5 to a tongue-tie practitioner. Your surgery will have your health visitors contact details see on practice website under page “contact details and self referral” , see in section “Telephone numbers… “. Alternatively you can find their contact details in the links under

stammering (stuttering)

As the NHS suggests
“You should get advice if you have any concerns about your child’s speech or language development. Treatment for stammering is often successful in pre-school age children.” Stammering – NHS

speech and language therapy self referral

You are able to do a self-referral to speech and language therapy at any age. This is covered in detail under

From the NHS and Patient info
Stammering

SQUINT

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Squint

REFERRAL DONE BY YOUR HEALTH VISITOR TEAM

Your health visitor can refer any child under 5 to an eye specialist. Your surgery will have your health visitors contact details in “practice team” under the “about us” section, see tab “our local community health team”. Alternatively you can find their contact details in the links under

REFERRAL DONE BY YOUR OPTICIAN

An optician can refer anyone older if there is a concern about a squint.

National Support - Self Referral

HOW TO CONTACT NHS 111 IF YOU’RE DEAF OR HAVE HEARING LOSS

From Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
How to contact NHS 111 How to contact NHS 111 if you’re deaf or have hearing loss – RNID

SUPPORT FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE DEAF or HAVE HEARING LOSS

From Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)

How can you decide what to do with any condition?

THE FOUR OPTIONS FOR DEALING WITH common conditions

There are effectively 4 options to consider with any condition

  • Self-Care (without any support)
  • Self-Care (with the support of your pharmacist)
  • Assessment at your GP practice or contact 111
  • Attending an Accident and Emergency department (A&E)

The different options are based on what actions are required with different conditions. Many common conditions are covered on this page. The articles from the NHS website very helpfully suggest for each condition how you can provide self-care for your child with or without the support of your pharmacist, when you should attend your GP practice or contact 111, and when you should attend A&E (directly without going through your GP practice).

Always remember you can contact 111 if you are not sure what to do and they will be able to guide you. 

NHS 111

If you are not sure which service to attend then 111 can advise you

As the NHS suggests
NHS 111 can help if you think you need  medical help right now

WHEN SHOULD YOU SEE A PHARMACIST

The articles from the NHS website, including those on this page for some common conditions, very helpfully point out for each condition how you can provide self-care for your child with or without the support of your pharmacist. Your pharmacist can provide you with both advice and relevant over the counter medication. The range of what a pharmacist can offer is expanded on here

OTHER COMMON MEDICAL CONDITIONS

The NHS website provides clear guidance on what your options are

Some of these conditions can be supported with self-care or the support of your local pharmacist. Some may need a clinical assessment in a GP practice and occasionally you may need to attend the accident and emergency department (A&E). All of these options are particularly well explained in the the NHS articles. Patient info and NICE provide more detailed information.

Head and face

OVERVIEW

From Patient info
Brain and Nerves Brain and Nerves | Patient

Common dental causes of headaches/ facial pain/ facial swelling is included under

HEADACHE

Headache due to migraine and epilepsy are included in the long term conditions section under

From the NHS

From Patient info
A summary on Headache (including “When should I be worried about a headache?)- much of the information applies to conditions more common in adults but the overall information is helpful Headaches | Types, Warning Signs, Causes & Treatment | Patient
Further information on specific types headache
Tension Headache Tension Headache | Causes, Symptoms & Treatments | Patient

From NICE
Many of the conditions referred to mainly occur in adults but the overall information is helpful including reference to the more serious symptoms and signs.

Febrile seizure

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Febrile seizure

EYES

Common eye conditions and how they can be managed are covered under

This includes what conditions can normally be managed by your local pharmacist and optician. We have covered how you can arrange a self-referral if there is a concern about a possible squint in the local self-referral section above.

EARS

Hearing tests

From the NHS and Patient info
Hearing tests for children

SUPPORT FOR HEARING LOSS

From Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
This excellent website covers many aspects of support for hearing loss

NOSE

hay fever

For detailed information on hay fever and allergic conjunctivitis see under

NOSE BLEEDS

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
This includes information from patient info how to deal with a nose bleed
Nosebleed

Throat, mouth and lips

Common conditions relating to the mouth are included under

This includes some conditions which can be treated by your pharmacist.

mouth ulcers

If mouth ulcers are present less than 3 weeks they can be treated by your local pharmacist.

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Mouth ulcers

teething

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Teething

CHEST

Costochondritis (a muscular skeletal cause of chest pain)

From the NHS and Patient info
Costochondritis

back pain

From Patient info
Back Pain in Children Back Pain in Children | Symptoms, Causes and Treatment | Patient

Acute limp

From the NHS and NICE
Acute childhood limp

Osgood-Schlatter disease

From Patient info and NICE
Osgood-Schlatter disease (a cause of knee pain in adolescent children)

leg and foot problems

From the NHS
Helpful summary of common childhood leg and feet problems
Leg and foot problems in children Leg and foot problems in children – NHS
Includes
Knock knees  Leg and foot problems in children – NHS
Flat feet Flat feet – NHS

From Patient info
Knock knees Knock Knees (Genu Valgum) | Tests and Treatment | Patient

Growing pains

From the NHS and Patient info
Growing pains

Conditions not specific to a location on the body

Bedwetting

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Bedwetting (enuresis)

From Patient info
There is good evidence for bedwetting alarms
Bedwetting Alarms Bedwetting Alarms | Patient

Febrile seizure

From the NHS, Patient info and NICE
Febrile seizure

Underweight

From the NHS

From NICE
Faltering growth Faltering growth | Health topics A to Z | CKS | NICE

Food allergy and intolerance

For detailed information on food allergy and intolerance see under

As Allergy UK suggest
“We estimate that allergies affect the lives of up to 41 million people in the UK. Between 5 and 8 per cent of children in the UK live with a food allergy. There are many kinds of allergies, from food, which is probably the most widely recognised, to skin, respiratory, eyes, drugs and venom allergy. While in most people, allergy reactions will be mild to moderate they can be fatal in a condition called anaphylaxis, the most severe allergic reaction which requires an immediate emergency response.” About Allergy | Allergy UK | National Charity

Detailed information can be found on allergy and anaphylaxis under

NHS 111

If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next.

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