The return to school in autumn can often see an increase in the common cold, with symptoms including cough, sore throat, a runny nose or fever. Children and young people are most likely to suffer from and spread the cold virus, with the highest risk being in nurseries and schools.
An innovative tool developed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health is set to improve communication between healthcare professionals, and keep children and young people with epilepsy out of hospital.
The 2015-16 edition of the British National Formulary for Children (BNFC) will, for the first time, feature links to Medicines for Children information leaflets.
Researchers in the US this week have found that consuming fewer sugary drinks in childhood has the potential to lower the risk of heart disease in later life. The findings show that a lower intake of sugar-sweetened beverages by children is linked to increases in the body of good cholesterol (high density lipoprotein cholesterol).
Meningitis is a potentially life threatening bacterial infection causing inflammation of the lining around the brain and spinal cord – the meninges. The disease is particularly prevalent in children under five years old and can have a very rapid onset; therefore, prevention is the key to saving lives.
Our website might look the same, but we've been busy upgrading it and making it better.
There are still some bits that we are working on, so bear with us over the next few days if anything doesn't work or look like you are used to. If you've found something that doesn't seem right, let us know.
We have updated our leaflet that explains what we mean by the unlicensed use of a medicine, why the use of many medicines in children is unlicensed, and when it is considered safe and acceptable to use unlicensed medicines.
We have been busy reviewing some of our early leaflets to ensure that they are up-to-date. In the last few months the Medicines for Children team and many health care professionals across the UK have helped review over 20 Medicines for Children leaflets, including:
The Department of Education has recently published some guidance on ways to support children with medical conditions including anaphylaxis, asthma, epilepsy and heart conditions so they have the best possible chance at participating fully in school.
