Children’s (0-5 Years) Health

There is a good guide on the NHS website which describes various conditions affecting children. There is advice on how to diagnose them, how to treat them and if further advice should be consulted.

Please view the NHS childhood illness slideshow.
Having an ill child can be a very scary experience for parents. If you understand more about the illness it can help you to feel more in control.

This booklet is for parents (and older children) and deals with common infections in children who are normally healthy.

Download the booklet

Children’s Immunisation Schedule

Here’s a checklist of the vaccines that are routinely offered to everyone in the UK for free on the NHS, and the age at which you should ideally have them.

Routine childhood immunisations

When to immuniseDiseases protected againstVaccine givenSite**
Two months oldDiphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Haemophilus influenza type b (Hib) and Hepatitis B 6 in 1  (Infanrix Hexa)Thigh
Pneumococcal diseasePCV (Prevenar 13)Thigh
RotavirusRotavirus (Rotarix)By mouth
Meningococcal group B (Men B)Men BLeft thigh
Three months old Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and Hepatitis B6 in 1  (Infanrix Hexa)Thigh
RotavirusRotavirus (Rotarix)By mouth
Four months old  Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, polio, Hib and Hepatitis B6 in 1  (Infanrix Hexa)Thigh
Pneumococcal diseasePCV (Prevenar 13)Thigh
Meningococcal group B (Men B)Men BLeft thigh
One year old  Hib/Men CHib/Men C (Menitorix)Upper arm/thigh
Pneumococcal diseasePCV (Prevenar 13)Upper arm/thigh
Measles, mumps and rubella (German measles)MMR (Priorix or MMR VaxPRO)Upper arm/thigh
Men BMen B boosterLeft thigh
Two to six years old
(including children in
school years 1 and 2)
Influenza (each year from September)Live attenuated influenza
vaccine LAIV4
Both nostrils
    
Three years four months old or soon after Diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis and poliodTaP/IPV (Repevax) or DTaP/IPV (Infanrix-IPV)Upper arm
Measles, mumps and rubellaMMR (Priorix or MMR VaxPRO)(check first dose has been given)Upper arm
  • Please Note: Where two or more injections are required at once, these should ideally be given in different limbs. Where this is not possible, injections in the same limb should be given 2.5cm apart.

Immunisations for at-risk children

Target GroupAge & ScheduleDiseaseVaccines required
Babies born to hepatitis B infected
mothers
At birth, four weeks, eight weeks
and Boost at one year1
Hepatitis BHepatitis B vaccine
(Engerix B / HBvaxPRO)
Infants in areas of the country with
TB incidence >= 40/100,000
At birthTuberculosisBCG
Infants with a parent or grandparent
born in a high incidence country
At birthTuberculosisBCG
See the NHS Choices Conditions and Treatments browser for an in-depth description of many common health issues.