Children's health

You and your baby - moving beyond the early days

Development milestones month by month

How your child plays, learns, speaks, acts, and moves offers important clues about your child’s development. Developmental milestones are things most children can do by a certain age. However, all children develop individually. If you have concerns about your child's development, please speak to your health professional.

6 to 8 week check

The 6 to 8 week review will give you a chance to talk again about some of the things discussed at the New Birth visit. You will really have begun to see the changes in your baby as they start to smile and coo. They will be able to support their own head for a few seconds and are getting more interested in the world around them. You can talk to us about activities you can do with your baby, like tummy time. As your baby becomes more active, and begins to roll and move more, we can give you information about baby safety too.

You may notice your baby is beginning to tell the difference between day and night. You might want to talk about how you can begin to have a pattern for settling baby down to sleep. We know around this time mental health issues can impact the family and we will talk about how you and your partner are feeling during the visit.

8 to 12 month check

When your child is around one years old we will want to see you and your child to discuss how they are developing. Remember that all children develop at their own pace and if you have any concerns about your child’s progress, or if your child has any specific health or development needs, you can contact our SPA to arrange to speak to a member of the team for support and advice at any time.

Starting solids

You can find out about starting solids on the healthy start website.

3 to 4 month top tips groups

We offer advice on how and when to introduce solid foods to your baby, how to care for your child's oral health, healthy behaviours and changes to relationships, accident prevention and minor illnesses. We will contact you to invite you to book a place around the time that your baby is 3-4 months old.

Children's centre services and timetable

Your local children’s centre offers free activities and sessions that you may be interested in for you and your child, from newborn babies up to 5 years old.

Find out more about early years education.

Teething

Every baby goes through it! The time when babies get their first primary teeth (milk teeth) varies. A few are born with a tooth already, whilst others have no teeth at one year. Teeth generally start to show when a child is four to nine months old, although every baby develops at their own pace. This is known as 'teething'. Some babies show few signs while others find it more uncomfortable. Some teeth grow with no pain or discomfort at all. At other times you may notice that the gum is sore and red where the tooth is coming through, or that one cheek is flushed. Your baby may dribble, gnaw and chew a lot, or just be fretful. Some people attribute a wide range of symptoms to teething, such as diarrhoea and fever. However, there is no research to prove that these other symptoms are linked. You know your baby best. If their behaviour seems unusual, or their symptoms are severe or causing you concern, talk to your Health Visitor.

When brushing your child's teeth toothpaste needs to contain a minimum of 1,000 ppm of fluoride to be effective (most family toothpaste contains more, check tube). Under 3s should have a smear of family toothpaste, over 3s should be using a pea sized amount. Novelty electric toothbrushes often have large heads that can cause damage in a child's mouth.

Your baby – one year to two and a half years

Development milestones

Two and a half years check

When your child is around two and a half years old we will want to see you and your child to discuss how they are developing. We will ask you to complete a questionnaire about your child's development. This will help you to think about the stage your child is at and what you can do to help their development. If you have any concerns about your child’s progress, or if your child has any specific health or development needs, a member of our team can offer further assessment and advice.

Toilet training

Toilet training can be a difficult time, both for children and parents. Making the transition from nappy to the toilet can be challenging, however it's important to remember it’s a developmental skill, not a war. Becoming toilet trained is an interaction of the bladder and bowel becoming physically mature and the child becoming socially aware and motivated. Maturation of the bladder and bowel should be the trigger point for formal toilet training as some children may not show what are considered typical 'readiness signs' and skills for toileting can be worked on from a young age. There is no set age for children becoming toilet trained, most children will develop a mature bladder from around two years of age however this can be different for all children.

Toilet skills can be started from as young as babies being able to sit and can be slowly introduced so it becomes a normal part of the day. Using a structured toilet skills development tool such as 'One Step At A Time' may be useful for all families, but particularly for families who have a child with an additional need. Remember all children are different in learning this new skill, so be patient. It is important  that your child is using the toilet by the time they start their reception year at school. Your 0-19 team are happy to support you with toilet training.

Find out more about toilet training.

Speech and language development

Have fun! Playing and experimenting with speech and language lays the foundations of your child's communication skills for life.

Find out more about speech development.

Getting older and school readiness

  • behaviour
  • communication
  • pre-school eye test

Health and wellbeing

It is important for all the family to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well, staying active and reducing stress. This section signposts you to helpful information on how to keep your body and mind healthy.

Vaccination programme

Vaccinations are the most effective way to prevent infectious diseases and have been saving babies, children's and adults lives for many years.  They help to protect people against harmful diseases before they come into contact with them. It is advisable to discuss the different vaccinations offered to you and your child, and their possible side effects, with a health professional such as a health visitor, midwife, practice nurse or GP. Remember that anti-vaccine stories are spread online through social media and are often not based on scientific evidence. Always take advice from your health professional.

Mental health

We all need to take care of our mental health and that of our loved ones. Any person of any age and background may suffer at some point in their life with depression, anxiety, mood disorders and many others. If you are concerned about your own or a loved one's mental health you can speak to a health professional, such as a health visitor, midwife or GP, who can signpost you to specialist services.  

Find out more about mental health as a new parent with healthwatch.

Maternal mental health

Paternal mental health

Infant mental health

Child and teen mental health

Healthy lifestyles

It is important for all the family to maintain a healthy lifestyle by eating well, staying active and reducing stress. This section signposts you to helpful information on how to keep your body and mind healthy. During pregnancy you should eat a balanced diet that supports the healthy growth and development of your baby therefore it is not advised to adopt extreme diets that significantly reduce intake of certain food groups.

Physical activity and healthy eating

Reducing stress

Smoking cessation

Safety

There are lots of things to think about regarding safety when you have a baby or young children. Click on the links to see how to prevent accidents in the home, keep safe in the sun and around pets. There is also important safety information about car seats and how to recognise and treat minor illnesses.

  • accident prevention
  • sun safety
  • keeping your baby safe around your pets
  • minor illnesses
  • car seat safety

Dental hygiene and oral health

You can start looking after your babies teeth as soon as they emerge from the gums. It is a a good idea to get them used to having their teeth cleaned from a young age and also good for them to have it in their morning and bedtime routines to encourage this as they get older. You can buy toothpaste and toothbrushes specific to children's ages although when baby first gets their teeth it may be gentler to use your finger with a small amount of toothpaste on.

Babies and children should not routinely be given fruit juice, squash or any fizzy drinks as this can cause tooth decay from an early age due to the high levels of sugar and acid that can damage tooth enamel. They should drink only breast milk or formula until 6 months old and then water may be introduced. In order to protect babies teeth, you can use either an open cup or a lidded cup without a valve so that baby learns to sip. They should also continue to drink their usual milk.

Find out more about dental hygiene.

Relationships

Parent infant relationship

Research suggests that sensitive, responsive parenting by both the mother and the father promotes early brain development in your child. It encourages baby’s self-regulation of their emotions and enhances their need for you, what we call 'attachment'.

Sensitive and loving interactions with your baby can also help to develop your love for your baby, what we call your 'bond'. Remember, this can take time to develop. Also, remember that your interactions with your baby only need to be effective a third of the time. And if you feel your baby is not 'in-tune' with you, you can help by recognising which of the six baby states your child is in, and respond appropriately. If you sense that the baby has had too much interaction, allow her to 'reset' her emotional state. If she comes back to the 'alert or awake' state you can try again! We call this 'repairing' an interaction.

Find out more about getting to know your baby.

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