Health & medical information

Who to talk to about concerns

You can talk about any worries you have about your child with your family doctor (GP), health visitor or nurse.

Behaviour that challenges

Behaviour can become challenging when it happens often or it is harmful to the child, the parent or other people.

Helping you and your child sleep

Disabled children and those with certain medical conditions are more likely to experience problems with sleeping.

Feeding and eating

Learn about the reasons your child might be having difficulty eating and find out what you can do to address common issues.

Potty and toilet training

On this page we explain how to start toilet training and what you can do to deal with common issues.

Speech, learning and movement

Is your child slow to understand simple words, do they use few words, or have difficulty making certain sounds?

Sensory processing differences

On this page we help you understand and identify sensory processing differences and provide strategies and techniques to support your child.

Dental care

Identifying dental problems and treating them early enables children to continue to lead fulfilling lives.

Eye care

On this page we explain how to make sure your child is getting good eye care.

Hearing care

Learn how to spot the signs of hearing problems and what you can do to look after your child's hearing.

Annual health checks

Young people aged 14 or over with a learning disability are entitled to a free NHS health check every year.

Getting a diagnosis

Once you realise your child may have a learning difficulty or health problem, getting a diagnosis might be the next step.

Support when your child does not have a diagnosis

Your child and your family are entitled to support whether they have a diagnosis or not.

Developmental delay

A child with developmental delay is much slower in reaching one or more developmental milestones than expected.

Advice from other parents

We gathered tips from parents who have 'been there' – hopefully these will help you to manage your diagnosis journey.

A-Z medical conditions

Rare conditions

There is plenty of advice out there if your child has a rare condition, including support from other parents.

All about genetics

This page explains two forms of inheritance, the single abnormal gene and chromosomal abnormalities.

Finding medical information

If you’re using the internet to find information about medical conditions, you will need to carefully evaluate what you find.

About Contact’s medical information

We have an A-Z directory of medical conditions, including information about symptoms, treatment and support. Here's how we keep it accurate.

Introduction to health services

Find out how healthcare is structured in the four UK nations, how to access services, and where to find more support.

GPs & primary care

Primary care is the local healthcare that we receive from General Practitioner (GP) practices, NHS walk-in centres, dentists, pharmacists and opticians.

Hospitals, mental health & community services (secondary care)

Hospital and community services are often referred to as ‘secondary care’ as you are usually referred to the service by another professional.

CAMHS mental health services

CAMHS stands for child and adolescent mental health services, which support children and young people with their emotional or behavioural wellbeing.

Mental health, autistic and learning disabled children

If your child is experiencing a mental health crisis, it’s helpful to know what extra support is available and how to get…

Continuing care

Continuing care is a package for children and young people aged under 18 with complex health needs arising from illness or disability.

Specialist services (tertiary care)

If your child has a very complex or very rare condition, they might be referred onto what are called specialised services.

Appointment tips

There are simple things you can do to make it easier for your child to see their GP.

Putting things right

If you're unhappy with the service you've received from a healthcare service, there are different options to put things right.

Moving to adult health services

Paediatric care can continue for a short time after your child turns 18, but at some point they will need to transfer…

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)

RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) is one of the most common viral causes of coughs and colds in winter.

Strep A

Read about the signs and symptoms of Strep A, how to protect your child and when to get help.

The flu vaccine

Questions and answers about getting a flu vaccination to address concerns parents have raised with us.

The Covid-19 vaccine

The coronavirus (Covid-19) vaccine is as an injection into the upper arm that protects against the Covid-19 virus.