Kid's Health

A survey has shown that using computers, mobiles and TVs at night affects children's sleep and, therefore, their health, mood and performance at school.Studies show that many children are severely sleep deprived. One in three children aged 12 to 16 s...

A survey has shown that using computers, mobiles a...

In November 2006, at the age of 14, Charlotte Esler was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma. She is now in remission. "For at least nine months before I was diagnosed, I started getting really bad breathing problems. We'd just been on a hiking holiday,...

In November 2006, at the age of 14, Charlotte Esle...

If you have cancer, discussing it with your children may be difficult. But listening and talking to them can be reassuring and can help them come to terms with it. Keep it simple Children may have heard things about cancer that frighten them, so spea...

If you have cancer, discussing it with your childr...

It can be difficult to talk about drugs with your kids, but a few key pointers can make it a whole lot easier. Use these tips to help you talk openly about drugs with your child. 1. Do your homework Make sure you understand enough about drugs, includ...

It can be difficult to talk about drugs with your ...

Your child will be offered a number of NHS health checks to help monitor their development. Childhood screening Screening for children continues up to the age of 16 and is designed to make sure that any health problems they may have are spotted and c...

Your child will be offered a number of NHS health ...

Coughs, colds, stomach bugs and scraped knees are all a part of growing up. They're easier to deal with if you have a few essentials to hand.Pharmacist Brendan Nyss has seen all the typical childhood complaints at his busy pharmacy in Jersey. He give...

Coughs, colds, stomach bugs and scraped knees are ...

Most girls start their periods when they’re about 12, but they can start as early as age 8, so it’s important to talk to girls from an early age to make sure they’re prepared before the big day.Many parents feel awkward talking about periods, especia...

Most girls start their periods when they’re about ...

Deborah Packenham, from Barnet, has three children. Her youngest son, Johnny, 11, has autism. She describes her experience of caring for him.“Johnny is my third child and he wasn’t like the other two. He was much more aggressive. He never pointed the...

Deborah Packenham, from Barnet, has three children...

Diagnosing a learning disability can be difficult, and in some cases it isn't clear what the learning disability is or why it happened. However, your child’s abilities and needs can be assessed to make sure they get the support they need. Diagnosis S...

Diagnosing a learning disability can be difficult,...

If you've learned that your child is overweight, there are simple steps you can take, with support if you want it, to help your child move towards a healthy weight.Your child’s weight matters, because it can affect their health now and in the future....

If you've learned that your child is overweight, t...

Dr Anne MacGregor of the National Migraine Centre gives tips for parents on how to recognise and treat headaches in children. Most children and teenagers get at least one headache a year. They’re often different from the headaches adults get, so par...

Dr Anne MacGregor of the National Migraine Centre ...

Many people think that depression affects only adults. In fact, children and teenagers can be affected, too. According to figures from the Office of National Statistics, 10% of children in Great Britain aged between five and 16 have a recognisable m...

Many people think that depression affects only adu...

Having head lice, also called nits, doesn’t mean you’re dirty. Children are most commonly affected, but anyone with hair can catch them. Head lice are tiny insects that live in human hair. They’re very small (about the size of a sesame seed) and are...

Having head lice, also called nits, doesn’t mean y...

How much physical activity do children and young people aged 5-18 need to do to keep healthy? To stay healthy or to improve health, young people need to do three types of physical activity each week: aerobic, muscle-strengthening and bone-strengtheni...

How much physical activity do children and young p...

Evidence shows that overweight children are more likely to become overweight adults, who are at increased risk of serious health problems. If you make sure your children stay at a healthy weight you help them to get the best start in life. In adult...

Evidence shows that overweight children are more l...

There's nothing you or your child could have done to prevent type 1 diabetes; there is currently no known way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Tests can be done in children who have a high risk of developing type 1 diabetes to see if they have any of the...

There's nothing you or your child could have done ...

There is no treatment that can replace insulin for anyone with type 1 diabetes. People who have type 1 diabetes must use injected insulin (exogenous insulin) every day to survive. It's been suggested that some substances may help with blood sugar con...

There is no treatment that can replace insulin for...

Type 1 diabetes is a serious disease. Helping your child follow his or her diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment and will initially require some significant lifestyle changes. But your efforts are worthwhile. Careful management of ...

Type 1 diabetes is a serious disease. Helping your...

Investigational treatments Pancreas transplant. With a successful pancreas transplant, your child would no longer need injected insulin. But pancreas transplants aren't always successful — and the procedure poses serious risks. Your child would nee...

Investigational treatments Pancreas transplant. ...

Treatment for type 1 diabetes is a lifelong commitment of blood sugar monitoring, insulin, healthy eating and regular exercise — even for kids. And as your child grows and changes, so will his or her diabetes treatment plan. Over the years, your chil...

Treatment for type 1 diabetes is a lifelong commit...

If your child's doctor suspects diabetes, he or she will recommend a screening test. The primary test used to diagnose type 1 diabetes in children is the: Random blood sugar test. A blood sample will be taken at a random time. Blood sugar values ar...

If your child's doctor suspects diabetes, he or sh...