What to do when your child is ill

HEALTH chiefs at Warrington have issued advice on how to treat children who become ill with colds and flu.
It can be hard to figure out the best way to treat a sick child, but Dr Ipsita Chatterjee, local GP and NHS Warrington CCG’s clinical lead for children and young people has ready advice.
She said: “Children tend to get lots of colds because the body takes time to build up immunity.
“Your body learns to fight off a particular kind of virus every time you get an infection, which is why you get fewer colds as you get older.
“Children can be treated using some over-the-counter painkillers, to ease discomfort and help bring down a fever.
“Your local pharmacy can offer advice about which medicines are safe for your child to use. Both paracetamol and ibuprofen are available as a liquid for children, and can be given from the age of about three months old. Always check with your doctor if you’re unsure which treatments you can give your child.”
While most illnesses will run their course, there are certain times when a child should see a GP.
These include:
*If the child has a chronic condition – such as asthma, diabetes or heart disease
*When a child has a very high temperature and feels ill – for example, if they also have an unusually severe headache or abdominal pain.
*If a child is vomiting but does not have diarrhoea, or has a rash in addition to the fever
*If a child stops drinking and is unusually lethargic; or
*When a child’s fever doesn’t respond to paracetamol or ibuprofen.