Children all develop at different rates depending on their genetics, their personality and how they're parented.
If there's something worrying you, talk to your health visitor, GP or a member of staff at your local Family Centre.
Health and development
There are five health checks that all babies and children should have from birth to two and a half years. Your Health Visiting team will carry out these checks.
Your red book
Shortly before or after your baby is born, you’ll get a personal child health record (PCHR). This usually has a red cover and is known as the “red book”.
You should bring your child's red book every time you visit a baby clinic or your GP. They will use this book to record your child's five key checks, and other information that you may find helpful.
The five key checks
From 28 weeks of pregnancy, health visitors will offer an antenatal health-promoting visit. They can provide advice on:
- Emotional health and wellbeing of both parents
- Supporting the transition into parenthood
- Information and advice on the Healthy Child Programme
- Immunisations
- Local child health clinics and how to access services
- Infant feeding and nutrition
- Safe sleeping
- Dental health
- Home and car safety
- Vitamins (Healthy Start)
- Signposting to Stop Smoking Services
- Signposting to Family Centres and other local support networks
In the first week after your baby is born your GP or specialist midwife will:
- do a physical examination,
- weigh your baby,
- do a hearing test,
- and “heel prick” blood spot test
The midwife will also provide support on feeding and caring for your baby.
Your health visitor will also contact you soon after your baby is born. They will arrange to see you at home for a review within 10 to 14 days of your baby being born. Health visitors can provide advice on:
- Accessing health services
- Infant feeding support and vitamin supplementation
- Supporting the relationship between you and your baby
- Your emotional health and well-being
- Baby’s health and development
- Safe sleeping
- Smoke-free homes and smoking cessation
- Keeping you and your baby safe
- Immunisation advice
- Dental Health
- Postnatal weight management
- Any concerns you have relating to you or your baby
A health visitor, or member of the health visiting team, will do a review again between 6 to 8 weeks postnatal. They can provide advice on:
- Infant feeding support and an introduction of solid foods
- Emotional health and wellbeing
- Supporting the relationship between you and your baby
- Immunisations
- The health and development of your baby
- Dental health advice
- Postnatal weight management
- Smoke-free homes and smoking cessation
- How to access health services
- Any concerns you have relating to you or your baby
Your GP has responsibility for ensuring the 6 to 8-week Newborn Infant Physical Examination screen is completed for all registered babies.
A health visitor/member of the health visiting team will offer a health and developmental review between 9 to 12 months. They will assess your child at this contact and can provide advice and health promotion on:
- Dental health advice
- Healthy sleep patterns
- Immunisations
- Managing minor ailments
- Prevention of accidents and socialisation
- Assessment of growth
- Advice for healthy diet and weight
- Assessment of your child’s physical, emotional, and social development
- Parental emotional health and wellbeing
- Parenting advice and information
- A reminder of how to access the service
- Any concerns you have relating to you or your baby
A health visitor/member of the health visiting team, will offer a health and developmental review between 2 to 2.5 years of age. They will assess your child at this contact and can provide advice and health promotion on:
- School readiness
- Dental health advice
- Healthy sleep patterns
- Immunisations
- Managing minor ailments
- Prevention of accidents and socialisation
- Assessment of growth including calculation of BMI
- Healthy diet and weight
- Assessment of your child’s physical, emotional, and social development
- Parenting advice and information,
- Toilet training
- Language development
- A reminder of how to access the service
- Any concerns you have relating to you or your baby
For more information visit the NHS website to find out about these 5 key checks.
Child development support 0 to 3 years
If you think that your child’s development may be delayed, you can contact the Portage Service. Portage is an Early Intervention programme that supports children within their own home. They work in partnership with parents and carers.
