Keeping your child healthy this winter
We know how worrying it can be when your child gets ill – especially during winter.
That’s why the winter wellness hub is here, to help guide you through the simple steps you can take to keep your child healthy and to know where to go if they do become unwell.
Many children don’t need treatment in A&E. There are places you can turn to first, often faster and closer to home.
Have you booked your child’s flu vaccine or nasal spray?
Flu spreads quickly among children and it can make them unwell. The flu vaccine or nasal spray is free, safe and effective. Protecting your child also helps protect the whole family.
- For children aged 2 and 3, you can get a flu nasal spray at your GP practice or in participating pharmacies
- School-aged children (reception to year 11) will be offered a flu vaccine through their school. Please sign their consent form when asked
Book your child’s flu vaccine
- Book your child’s free vaccine or nasal spray at your local pharmacy here
- Book your child’s free flu vaccine or nasal spray at your GP practice
The flu jab in pregnancy
It’s recommended that all pregnant women and people have a flu vaccine, whatever stage of pregnancy they are at. The flu vaccine is free if you’re pregnant.
The flu vaccine will help protect you and your baby. It is safe from any stage of pregnancy. Women who have had a flu vaccine while pregnant also pass on some protection to their baby.
If you are pregnant, you can get a flu vaccine by contacting your GP or booking a free NHS flu vaccine here.
We’ve answered some common worries people have about getting the flu vaccine here.
Have you heard about evening and weekend GP appointments?
If your child isn’t feeling well and you need medical advice, you can contact your local GP. GP practices often prioritise babies and unwell children, so you can often receive advice the same day.
GP practices across north London offer appointments at evenings and weekends. You can see a GP, nurse or other health professional at a time that works for you and your family.
To book an evening or weekend appointment
Ask your GP or search online for ‘GP Hubs’ and the borough where you live. For example, GP Hubs Haringey.
Your pharmacy is here to help
If your child has a minor illness such as a cough, sore throat or earache, your local pharmacist can help.
Pharmacists can offer advice on a range of illnesses – often without the need for an appointment.
This winter, many pharmacies now supply medicines for common conditions without the need for a GP prescription, including:
- earache (for those aged between 1 and 17)
-
impetigo – a skin infection with red sores or blisters which is very contagious, but not usually serious. It’s more common in young children.
- infected insect bites
- shingles
- sinusitis – a swelling of the sinuses usually caused by an infection.
- sore throat
- urinary tract infections for women aged 16-64 years.
Pharmacies can now also provide:
-
emergency and prescription contraception
- free blood pressure checks for people aged 40 and over
Is your child feeling unwell? Get advice on their symptoms and when to seek medical help
Winter illnesses such as flu, colds, coughs and fever are common in children, and most don’t need emergency care.
If you need advice on your child’s symptoms, you can use the Healthier Together website.
Healthier Together helps you understand your child’s symptoms, what to look out for and where to seek medical help. A simple red, amber, green rating can help you understand how to care for your child at home, know when to contact your GP practice or call NHS 111, or in an emergency call 999 or go to your local emergency department.
Do you know about the Self-Care Medicines Scheme?
By treating minor illnesses early – like coughs, sore throats or earache – you can get better quickly and avoid extra visits to your GP. Some pharmacies across north London provide free over-the-counter medicines through this scheme, if you’re on a low income.
