What it is: an abnormal immune reaction to a substance, such as pollen, insect bites, dust mites, pet fur, moulds or certain foods, for example, such as peanuts or dairy.

Possible symptoms: sneezing, runny nose, itching, coughing, breathing difficulties, hives (rash), bloating and stomach upsets. Anaphylactic shock is a potentially deadly allergic reaction. Typical symptoms are difficulty breathing and a drop in blood pressure, which leads to unconsciousness.

What to do: avoid the allergen if possible. It’s not always easy to identify the cause, but timing of symptoms may provide clues. Your GP may recommend an antihistamine or other medication. If you think your child is in anaphylactic shock, call an ambulance immediately as urgent treatment with adrenaline is vital.

What it is: inflammation of over-sensitive airways in the lungs. Possible attack triggers include allergens like mould, dust and pet fur; pollution; infections like colds and flu; tobacco smoke; exercise; certain foods and anxiety.

Symptoms: coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, tight chest.

What to do: your GP will probably recommend a “reliever” inhaler containing a drug that widens airways. A spacer device makes it easier and more effective for a child. If your child is under three you will probably need to use a face mask as well. If your child needs more than one puff a day the doctor may also prescribe a ‘preventer’ inhaler containing an anti-inflammatory drug. Make sure your child has the reliever inhaler nearby at all times and try to avoid known triggers: keep pets out of bedrooms, vacuum regularly and avoid drying washing indoors to reduce mould. If your child is having severe difficulty breathing, call 999.

What it is: cavities in the top front teeth, caused by a baby or toddler falling asleep with a bottle of milk, juice or any sweet liquid in the mouth.

What to do: see the dentist. Help your child fall asleep without a bottle.

What they are: markings on your child’s skin that may last for life or fade away over time. The most common include raised pink patches (bluish on black or Asian babies) that eventually disappear. A strawberry mark or cavernous haemangioma is lumpy and bluish-red, appears in the first eight weeks and usually disappears by the age of five. Moles and brown marks vary in size and may be raised or hairy. A port wine stain or capillary haemangioma is flat, bruise-coloured, doesn’t fade, and may be treatable with laser therapy.

What to do: many are harmless, but see a doctor if a strawberry mark is troublesome, your child has a large mole or brown mark or your baby has a port wine stain.

Symptoms: red, itchy or painful bumps.

What to do: soothe a mosquito bite with calamine lotion. Scrape out a bee or wasp’s stinger with a blunt-edged knife or the edge of a credit card – though only if it comes out easily. Don’t use tweezers, as this can burst the poison sac. For a bee sting, dab with cotton wool soaked in a tablespoon of water containing a teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. For a wasp sting, apply diluted vinegar then soothe with a cold, wet hanky. Call an ambulance if your child is stung on or inside the mouth, or if he is having breathing difficulties. This could be due to potentially fatal anaphylactic shock, which can be caused by insect stings – urgent treatment is required.

Causes: possibilities include asthma; a chest infection such as bronchitis; croup (see Wheezing and Croup); an inhaled foreign body, such as a peanut or toy; or suffocation. Some children hold their breath when in distress, while others breathe rapidly.

Possible symptoms: difficulty breathing in, breathlessness, rapid breathing, noisy breathing, choking, breath-holding.

What to do: see a doctor. If your child stops breathing or his lips turn blue, call 999.

What to do: soothe the bump or bruise with a cold, wet compress or a clean flannel. Report unexplained or unusual bruising to the doctor. Visit A&E if you think a bone might be fractured or a joint dislocated (your child will be in pain and may not be able to move the limb – which may be swollen or misshapen), or you are worried about a head injury.

What to do: immerse the injured area in cold water for 10 minutes and remove tight clothes, as skin could swell. Cover a minor burn or scald with a clean, non-fluffy cloth or a clean plastic bag or clingfilm, to prevent infection. Do not burst a blister, or apply cream. Call an ambulance for serious or deep burns (even if there’s no pain) or take your child to hospital, as fluid loss could cause dehydration and shock.

What it is: a very common viral infection, usually mild in children. Most children feel unwell for only the first few days.

Symptoms: a mild fever plus crops of itchy blisters that appear two to three weeks after contact with the virus and form scabs.

What to do: soothe itching with calamine lotion and give liquid paracetamol to reduce a fever. Keep fingernails short to discourage scratching, which can lead to scarring. Your child is infectious from two days before the rash until all the blisters crust over.

What to do: encourage your child to cough and try to remove any foreign object from the mouth. If you’re alone, start following the instructions below BEFORE calling 999. If someone else is with you, get them to call 999 while you carry out the following steps.

Under one year
• Hold your baby face-down over your arm, then deliver back blows five times between the shoulder blades. Only try to remove a dislodged object if it’s obvious.
• If choking continues, do five ‘baby-sized’ chest thrusts – press gently but firmly with two fingers on the lower part of the breastbone, to a depth of 2cm. Repeat the cycles of back blows and chest thrusts up to three times. If the object is still not cleared, call 999, then continue with the cycles until the ambulance arrives.

Over one year
• Lie your child face-down over your knees, deliver back blows five times between the shoulder blades, remove any dislodged object.
• If choking continues, do five abdominal thrusts. Stand or kneel behind your child. Place arms under your child’s arms and circle her torso. Clench your fist and place it under the ribcage. Grasp this hand with the other one and pull sharply in and upwards. Repeat five times. Don’t apply pressure directly to the ribcage. Do five more back blows. If this doesn’t work, continue with the sequence of abdominal thrusts and back blows and call 999.
If your child stops breathing, do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if you know how. For information about first aid courses, see First aid.

What they are: very common viral infections.

Symptoms:
• Cold – runny or blocked nose, sneezing, cough, sore throat.
• Flu – fever, aching, headache, a cold; there may also be vomiting and complications, such as pneumonia.

What to do: liquid paracetamol can ease symptoms, while elderberry extract may speed recovery. Ask your pharmacist about decongestant nose drops if it’s difficult for your baby to feed. Smooth petroleum jelly around his nose to prevent soreness. Antibiotics won’t help simple colds and flu, but see your doctor if your child is very unwell or has unexpected symptoms, like a chest infection or rash. A yearly flu jab is wise for children with heart, lung or kidney disease, diabetes or poor immunity.

What it is: difficulty having bowel motions. Common causes include poor diet and dehydration; and for toddlers, not enough time to go to the loo or anxiety about using a toilet away from home.

Symptoms: tummy ache, pain and difficulty opening bowels.

What to do: offer your little one more fluids, fruit, vegetables, wholegrain food and prune juice. Check that your child always has plenty of time to use the loo. Discuss constipation with your pharmacist or GP if it continues.

What they are: seizures or fits due to abnormal bursts of electrical activity in the brain. Possible triggers include fever, infection, low blood sugar and sometimes, flashing lights. Recurrent fits may be epilepsy.

Symptoms: jerking, loss of consciousness, confusion.

What to do: move hard objects, such as furniture, out of the way to ensure your child can’t hurt himself. See your doctor without delay, but try not to worry, many convulsions are harmless.

Here’s how to reduce the risk to your baby
• Don’t smoke in pregnancy (dads, too). Make your home smoke-free.
• The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a cot in your bedroom for the first six months.
• Lie him on his back to sleep, feet at the foot of the cot.
• Don’t let baby get too hot: keep his head uncovered.
• Tuck sheets and blankets in.
• Never sleep on a sofa or in a chair with your baby.
• Do not share a bed with your baby if either you or your partner are smokers; are very tired; have been drinking alcohol or have taken medication.
• Don’t give him a pillow or duvet until he’s at least a year old.
• If your baby is unwell, seek medical advice promptly.

Causes: asthma, infections (such  as a cold, measles, bronchiolitis), smoky air, inhaling dust or a foreign body. A runny nose can also cause a cough, as fluid drips down the back of the throat.

What to do: ask your pharmacist for the most appropriate cough medicine. See your GP if a cough is severe, lasts over a week, produces coloured mucus, or if your child’s breathing is unusual.

What it is: common crusting on a baby or young child’s scalp.

Symptoms: greasy yellow scales; dry, red, itchy patches may appear elsewhere on the body.

What to do: gently massage the scalp with a shampoo specially formulated for cradle cap. Don’t pick at the scales. If patches are troublesome, see your GP.

Causes: usually hunger, thirst, a dirty nappy, a cold, tiredness, pain.

What to do: attend to anything obvious and have a cuddle. Ask your health visitor or GP about unexplained or persistent crying.

What to do: wipe gently with clean cotton wool soaked in warm water. Pat skin dry and cover with dressing. Get medical help if a wound is deep, bleeds a lot, or contains foreign bodies you can’t remove.

What it is: abnormally runny or frequent bowel motions, often due to infection or food sensitivity.

What to do: if you are breastfeeding, drink plenty of water and breastfeed more often, but remember that motions are often runny in breastfed babies. If bottle-feeding, give cooled boiled water as extra fluid. Give an older child plenty of water, diluted fruit juice or thin vegetable soup. Your pharmacist may recommend oral rehydration salts to provide energy and fluid and replace minerals. Get medical advice if your child is under a year old; can’t keep fluids down; has severe diarrhoea; has bloody motions; or if diarrhoea is persistent.

Causes: inflammation of the middle ear is a common cause, as is a sore throat, tooth decay and taking off or landing in a plane.

What to do: see the doctor if your child complains of earache, has a discharge from the ear, is unwell, seems slightly deaf or keeps touching his ear. Treatments for middle-ear problems include decongestants and antibiotics. If your child has a cold before flying, ask a doctor or pharmacist about decongestant medicine. Even if your child doesn’t have a cold, encourage him to chew or swallow during take-off and landing.

What it is: common condition causing inflamed skin.

Symptoms: red, irritated skin; small itchy blisters; possibly cracked or weeping skin.

Possible causes include:
• Irritants, like a dirty nappy or traces of detergent in clothing.
• Allergies (to certain foods, plants or animal skin or fur).
• Atopic eczema – runs in families. It usually appears before a child is 18 months old and often disappears
before a child turns four.
• Yeast overgrowth (eg with nappy rash).

What to do: ask your doctor or pharmacist to help find
the cause, and to recommend treatment. For atopic
eczema this would be a moisturiser or anti-inflammatory
cream. Cotton clothes and bedding let skin breathe – be sure to wash them in non-biological powder.

What it is: a high temperature, usually due to infection. 

Symptoms: hot skin, flushing, chills; convulsions in some children. A normal temperature in children is 36-36.8°C. Anything above 38°C is considered high and is classed as a fever.

What to do: give your child plenty of drinks to avoid dehydration. Cool him down by opening windows, removing clothing and giving liquid paracetamol. Get medical advice if your child has a temperature of 38.5°C or more. If he is unusually sleepy, won’t take fluids or has other worrying symptoms such as a rash, headache, neck stiffness or difficulty breathing, see your GP, or go to hospital, immediately.

• For urgent assistance call 999.
• Take a first aid course so you know what to do, for instance, if your child cuts herself, or she chokes. Contact British Red Cross on 0870 170 7000 or at www.redcross.org.uk; or St John’s Ambulance on 08700 10 49 50 or at www.sja.org.uk.

First-aid kit essentials
Label a box and, inside the lid, stick contact details for the doctor, pharmacy, friends and family, and a local taxi service. Find your nearest Tesco pharmacy and opening times at www.tesco.com. Replace used or time-expired items, and keep the box cool, dry and easily accessible to adults but out of reach of children. Fill your box with the following essentials:
• Antiseptic alcohol-free wipes (for dirty wounds)
• Sticking plasters
• Skin-closure strips
• Non-adhesive sterile dressings (eg Melolin, for burns and blisters)
• Sterile gauze (to clean, dry and cover wounds)
• Adhesive surgical tape (eg Micropore, to secure dressings)
• Crêpe bandages (for sprains, or securing dressings)
• Safety pins (to secure bandages etc)
• Large triangular cloth (for a sling)
• Scissors (for tape and bandages)
• Tweezers (to remove splinters)
• Digital thermometer
• Liquid paracetamol
• Calamine lotion (for use on sunburn, rashes, insect bites and stings)
• First-aid manual
• A-Z of Child Health
Alternatively, buy a ready-filled first-aid kit from Tesco online at www.tesco.com.

What to do: keep calm and see your health visitor or doctor.
If a breastfed baby won’t feed, call the National Childbirth Trust breastfeeding line on 0870 444 8708 or La Leche League helpline on 0845 120 2918.

Abnormal reactions to a food include the following low-onset immune reaction:
• Begins within three days.
• Often due to a common food (eg wheat or milk).
• Can cause a rash, mouth ulcers, tummy ache, vomiting, diarrhoea, cough, runny nose, headaches, fatigue, joint pain or convulsions.

Food allergy (rapid-onset immune reaction):
• Begins within two hours.
• Possible culprits include nuts, shellfish, citrus fruit, strawberries.
• Can cause hives (a rash), hayfever-type symptoms, swollen mouth, vomiting, diarrhoea, breathlessness, fainting, shock. See Allergy.

Lactose intolerance:
• Begins up to three hours after consuming milk.
• Can cause tummy ache, bloating, diarrhoea.

What to do: see your doctor. Get urgent help if your child has a very severe reaction.

What it is: something that shouldn’t be in a baby’s eye, nostril, ear or vagina.

Possible symptoms: painful watery red eye, nasal discharge, very inflamed cut, earache, abnormal vaginal discharge.

What to do: get to a doctor unless you can very easily remove it.

see Bumps and Bruises and Head injury

What it is: seasonal pollen allergy that often runs in families; becoming increasingly common in under-threes.

Symptoms: itchy, red watery eyes, blocked or runny nose, sneezing, sore throat.

What to do: discuss prevention and treatment (such as antihistamine medication) with your GP or pharmacist.

Causes: triggers include dehydration, fever or toothache. 

What to do: see your doctor if headaches are frequent or come with unexplained symptoms, such as vomiting or listlessness.

A child who is frustrated or bored may bang his head against a hard surface. Most children grow out of it by the age of four.

What to do: keep children stimulated. See your GP if severe.

What it is: ranges from a minor bump to a fractured skull.

What to do: call 999 if your child loses consciousness or suffers from convulsions, drowsiness, dizziness, vomiting, headache or a discharge from the ear or nose.

What it is: internal organ bulging through a weak area in tissues or muscles, often in the groin area.

What to do: some babies are born with an umbilical hernia, which usually goes without treatment. A groin (inguinal) hernia needs surgery – see your doctor without delay.

What it is: common skin infection.

Symptoms: blisters then yellow crusts, often around mouth or nose.

What to do: see your GP for antibiotics and avoid contact with other children until the scabs go.

What it is: minor jaundice is a common condition in newborns. It gives a yellow tinge to skin due to excess bilirubin, a bile pigment.

What to do: see your health visitor.

What it is: a very contagious viral infection, less common since immunisation was introduced.

Symptoms: cold, cough, fever and conjunctivitis one or two weeks after exposure to the virus, then a few days later a rash starts behind the ears, which spreads to the torso. Possible complications include ear and chest infections, and in rare cases convulsions and inflammation of the brain.

What to do: keep your child comfy, use liquid paracetamol or infant ibuprofen, offer frequent drinks and tell your doctor, who may prescribe antibiotics for any secondary bacterial infections.

Looking after your sick baby or child
• Babies often become very clingy, will want lots of cuddles for comfort and may cry more than normal. Your baby may also want smaller feeds more often.
• On the other hand, don’t worry if your little one goes off food when he’s ill. Fluids matter more. To prevent dehydration, encourage him to drink, especially if he’s feverish.
• When your child’s ill, relax your rules about sweet drinks, and tempt him with things that you don’t normally encourage. A straw or fun glass also helps reluctant toddlers to drink.
• If he’s very feverish (39ºC or more), lower his temperature by sponging him down with a flannel dipped in tepid water. Cold water doesn’t work as it shuts down blood vessels in the skin.
• Don’t worry if your child clings to you or to a favourite teddy, or your baby wants to go back to the recently-given-up bottle. Take it in your stride, as sick kids can regress.
• If feverish, offer your child fluids and sponge down with a tepid flannel.

What it is: a serious infection around the brain and spinal cord.

Possible symptoms:
• Early on – fever, headache, irritability, vomiting, feeling cold, sore throat.
• Several hours later – leg pain, cold hands and feet, mottled skin (pale or purple), thirst, drowsiness, diarrhoea, difficulty breathing.
• Later – rash (which remains when pressed with a tumbler), stiff neck, dislike of light, bulging soft spot in skull, confusion, seizures.

What to do: call 999 immediately. Urgent antibiotics may be life-saving.

What it is: a viral infection.

Symptoms: painful and swollen salivary glands in front of the ear, plus a fever, usually two to three weeks after contracting the infection. Mumps is normally mild but serious complications include meningitis and deafness in a minority of cases.

What to do: keep your child comfortable, give liquid paracetamol and tell your GP.

What it is: red spots in the nappy area, usually from being in wet and soiled nappies too long; other causes include fungal infections, such as thrush.

What to do: change your baby’s nappy more frequently and leave it off when convenient. At each change, clean and dry the skin, then apply barrier cream (eg zinc and castor oil cream). Wash cloth nappies in non-biological washing powder, rinse well and avoid waterproof pants. See your doctor or pharmacist if it persists.

What it is: head lice easily spread between children, and their small whitish eggs (nits) stick to hairs.

Possible symptoms: an itchy head.

What to do: itching is a late symptom, so if possible, check your child’s head every one to two weeks with a fine-toothed comb. There are several over the counter treatments, ranging from pesticides to herbal preparations – ask your Tesco pharmacist. Wet-combing hair with plenty of conditioner can also be effective. For maximum success, you must follow instructions and persevere, whichever method you choose.

What to do: with your child sitting and leaning forwards, pinch the soft part of his nose for five minutes to let a clot form. See a doctor if nosebleeds are frequent or if one lasts for half an hour or more.

If you’re worried about your child’s weight, see the nurse at your GP’s practice. Overweight children often become overweight adults, increasing the likelihood of heart disease and diabetes.
What to do: ensure your whole family eats healthy meals and snacks, avoids sugary drinks and gets lots of exercise. This should lead to a healthier weight.

What it is: possibilities include -
• redness and blisters (eg sunburn, eczema)
• red blotches (eg measles, rubella)
• red mottling (eg heat rash)
• purple mottling (eg meningitis)
• weals and red blotches, such as allergies and hives (urticaria)
• blisters that weep then crust (eg chickenpox)
• red spots that blister, weep, then crust (eg impetigo).

What it is: babies often bring up milk with a burp. If the amounts are large, or spurt out forcefully (projectile vomiting), his stomach outlet may be unusually narrow, but this usually gets better with age.

What to do: have a cloth ready to mop up milk. See the doctor if your baby isn’t growing at the expected rate.

What it is: a fungal skin infection caught from people or pets.

Symptoms: red, scaly, itchy patches on the skin, that may expand into a ring shape.

What to do: apply anti-fungal cream from your GP or pharmacist. Vacuum and wash clothes and bedding frequently; don’t share towels, flannels and hairbrushes; and see a vet if a pet scratches frequently.

What it is: a mild viral infection, with no relation to measles.

Symptoms: tiny pink or red spots, fever, swollen glands at the back of the neck, all two or three weeks after getting infected.

What to do: keep your child comfortable and hydrated. He’s infectious a few days before the rash until a day after symptoms go. Any pregnant woman in contact during this time should see a GP, as rubella could harm her unborn baby.

Pregnancy alert
• Chickenpox and shingles pose a risk to pregnant women and their babies throughout pregnancy. Unless you’re sure you’ve had chickenpox, talk to your doctor or midwife.
• Rubella (German measles) can cause serious problems for the baby if you’re in contact with it in the first six months (especially the first three). That’s why all pregnant women have a blood test to check for protective antibodies against rubella.
• Slapped Cheek Disease (also called Fifth Disease because it was the fifth fever and rash illness identified, along with measles, chickenpox etc ) can cause miscarriage in the first half of pregnancy. If you’re in contact with it, see your doctor or midwife for blood tests and further monitoring.
• Measles during pregnancy may put you at risk of miscarriage or premature delivery. Talk to your doctor or midwife if you have been exposed to it.

What it is: a mild viral infection, most common in school children.

Symptoms: red cheeks and blotchy rash; possibly a cold, sore throat, headache and diarrhoea. Symptoms appear around two weeks after catching the infection.

What to do: try applying calamine lotion to ease itching, and giving paracetamol to soothe a headache. Bear in mind that if a pregnant woman catches the virus in the first half of pregnancy, it can be harmful to an unborn baby, so contact your doctor or midwife.

• Frequent waking. It’s recommended that your baby sleeps in your room for the first six months. When your baby wakes and cries, check all is well by feeding him and changing his nappy if necessary. Keep quiet and keep the light dim, so it’s easier for your baby to sleep again. A sleeping routine with set hours for sleep isn’t vital but could make things easier for you. If you decide on one, try to stick with it.
• Nightmares could be the explanation if a young child wakes crying at night. If you think some sort of disturbance in your child’s life is triggering bad dreams, try using toys to “act out” a problem and find a solution. Make sure that your child doesn’t watch any violent TV programmes.
• Sleepwalking is most common in school-age children, and may be due to stress. Gently guide your child back to bed, and check there are no obvious hazards to trip over, in case it happens again.

What it is: usually caused by an infection, often viral.

Symptoms: as well as a sore throat, your child may have difficulty swallowing and sometimes a fever, tummy ache, poor appetite, swollen lymph glands, and/or cold or cough.

What to do: deal with any fever. Offer toddlers (over one) warm lemon and honey – pour a pint of just-boiled water over the juice of two lemons; add honey to taste; then leave to cool. See your doctor if your child is very feverish or unwell, starts wheezing or doesn’t improve.

What it is: a thorn or other sharp object in the skin.

Symptoms: pain, inflammation.

What to do: ease it out with tweezers. Alternatively, put some softened soap onto the lining of a plaster, add a little sugar, and put the plaster over the splinter overnight. It’ll probably be out by next morning. If not, see a doctor or practice nurse.

What it is: inflammation of the eye’s surface and the eyelid lining, usually due to infection, allergy or a foreign body. Eye infection is common in newborn babies, but is rarely serious.

Symptoms: pink or red “whites” of the eyes; possibly swelling and itching; a discharge.

What to do: see your pharmacist or doctor. Antibiotic drops or cream help heal bacterial infection, anti-inflammatory drops help an allergic reaction. Clean the eye twice a day with wet cotton wool, using a separate piece for each eye.

What it is: a tiny boil on the eyelid, at the base of an eyelash.

Symptoms: discomfort when opening and closing the eyes.

What to do: a stye usually heals in a few days, but see your pharmacist or doctor, as antibiotic eye drops or cream may be advisable.

What it is: inflammation of skin over-exposed to sunlight.

Symptoms: red skin, tenderness, possibly blisters.

What to do: apply cool water, calamine lotion or aloe vera gel to soothe discomfort. Alternatively, soothe skin with calendula cream, a clean cloth wetted with cool chamomile tea or aftersun lotion containing vitamins. For severe sunburn, offer your child plenty to drink and see a doctor.

What they are: lymph nodes produce antibodies and are a vital part of your child’s immune system. The usual cause of swelling is infection – a sore throat or tonisillitis often make neck nodes swell.

Symptoms: firm, possibly tender, lumps under the skin in the neck, armpits or groin.

What to do: see your doctor who may take a throat swab and prescribe antibiotics. If your child’s throat is sore, follow the self-help measures detailed within the “Sore throat” section.

The first tooth usually appears at around six months, but there is a wide variation.

Symptoms: irritability (from an inflamed and itchy gum); extra dribbling.

What to do: rub the gum with a clean finger, let your baby suck his fingers, or offer a teething ring or a chilled carrot stick. Don’t blame teething for a fever, diarrhoea, cough or convulsions.

What it is: an infestation of the lower bowel with white thread-like worms, 1 cm long, that lay their eggs around the back passage (anus).

Symptoms: Possibly an itchy bottom.

What to do: see your doctor if you see threadworms on your child’s bottom, in the stools or on the bedclothes, or suspect this is the problem. If necessary, your doctor will recommend a medicine to get rid of the worms. Wash nightclothes and bedding thoroughly, and vacuum well around your child’s bed.

What it is: infection with the yeast-like fungus Candida albicans. The mouth and bottom are the commonest sites of infection in babies. Your baby may cry when breastfeeding, sucking on a dummy, or a bottle.

Symptoms: white patches on the tongue and inside the mouth that feel sore; nappy rash. Milk residue on the tongue can be gently wiped off; thrush can’t.

What to do: see the doctor if you suspect thrush. Anti-fungal drops clear a mouth infection, anti-fungal cream clears a nappy rash.

• Clean teeth twice daily with a pea-sized blob of toothpaste formulated for children.
• Avoid sugary foods and drinks between meals.
• Don’t give fruit juice in a bottle.
• See the dentist regularly.

What it is: it’s rarely serious, and common causes include wind, colic (in young babies), vomiting, diarrhoea or constipation. Colds and sore throats can cause tummy ache because lymph nodes (glands) in the abdomen enlarge to help fight the infection. Anxiety is another possibility, although this isn’t common in very young children. Other possible causes include urine infection or appendicitis.

What to do: treat the cause if you know what it is. Give your child a cuddle and try soothing the pain with a covered hot water bottle. See a doctor for tummy ache that’s unexplained, persistent, severe or accompanied by unexplained symptoms.

Causes: stomach infection, travel sickness, food sensitivity, regurgitation, anxiety, certain antibiotics, appendicitis, blocked bowel, head injury, accidental poisoning.

What to do: see a doctor if vomiting is severe or persistent, or there are other worrying symptoms. To help prevent travel sickness, give your little one a small, non-fatty meal an hour before travelling. Treat it by:
• Giving suitable antihistamine medicine – ask your pharmacist
• Opening the car window a little, and encouraging your child to look forwards at the horizon
• Pressing for two minutes on a point two little finger widths up his arm, from the centre of the crease on the inside of the wrist.

What it is: a viral skin infection (called a verruca on the foot).

Symptoms: small, rough swelling, sometimes painful.

What to do: use a wart- or verruca-removing product from the pharmacy, following the instructions carefully. Consult your GP for other options. 

What it is: noisy breathing. Wheezing is often due to asthma or a lung infection, whereas croup is caused by a viral infection of the voicebox.

Symptoms: wheezing is often worse on breathing in; a sign of croup is a “barking” cough and possibly a fever. The symptoms can come on quickly.

What to do: moist air helps. Take your child to the bathroom and turn on the hot taps to create steam. See your doctor, unless your child has asthma and his regular inhaler helps.

Tesco has a range of Pharmacy services in store, as well as Pharmacists on hand to give you professional advice. You can find out more about our Pharmacy services here.