What to do: Emergency and Advice Numbers
When you need advice on a specific area such as meningitis, asthma, cot death, eating disorders or perhaps allergies, there is a large number of resources, many with websites, available to help you. We have put together this page containing many of our favourites, as is the case with our site, you can find high quality information and in-depth advice on some complex issues.
Find a Local Service by Texting 61121
NHS Direct provides a handy text messaging service which will help you find the closest GP, dentist, pharmacy, optician, walk-in centre, A&E or hospital in England. All you have to do is to text the name of the service required, followed by a postcode, to 61121 and you will receive a text message in reply, with the service name, address and telephone number (where available) plus the distance from the postcode you supplied.As an example, to find a local GP you would text the word GP and your full postcode to 61121 – e.g. GP SG4 9SY. If callers would like an extra three results, reply ‘more’ to the first message. The seven key words to access the seven local health services are: GP; dentist; pharmacy; optician; walk; casualty; hospital.
First Aid
Emergency NumbersAs you know 999, or a trip to the local A&E department is always an option but if you're simply concerned at something like your child's temperature, then NHS Direct on 0845 4647, www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk provides a great service. It's staffed by trained personnel with access to extensive databases and for kids, you can jump the queue if it seems it might be serious.
First Aid Skills
It's always useful to know what to do if your child (or a friend's) has an accident. Good quality first aid tips are available on the web, or you might want to consider a first aid or life saving course.
St John's Ambulance, 0870 235 5231,
www.sja.org.uk, offers training courses to both adults and children and their website contains a handy first aid advice section.
The Red Cross, 0870 170 7000, www.redcross.org.uk, provides similar services to St. John's Ambulance.
The BBC, www.bbc.co.uk/health gives first aid advice and locations of training courses in its 'Health' section.
Royal Life Saving Society , 01789 773994, www.lifesavers.org.uk, offers courses which could help you save a child from drowning and increase your own confidence in the water.
Specific Health Issues
Some illnesses can be extremely frightening for both parents and children. It is useful to familiarise yourself with symptoms of some of the more serious ones:
Meningitis
The Meningitis Foundation - 080 8800 3344 (24 hour), www.meningitis.org
Asthma
National Asthma Campaign - 08457 01 02 03 (M-F 9am-5pm)www.asthma.org.uk
Cot Death
Foundation for the Study of Sudden Infant death syndrome 020 7233 2090 www.sids.org.uk
Eating Disorders
Eating Disorders Association 01603 621414 www.edauk.com
Allergies
Anaphylaxis Campaign - 01252 542029 www.anaphylaxis.org.uk
British Allergy Foundation - 0208 303 8583www.allergyuk.org
Immunisation - NHS Direct 0845 4647 www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk
Keeping Children Safe
Two million children are taken to hospital every year as a result of accidents. The SafeKids website aims to offer advice and features to help parents and carers to help keep children safe. The following organisations may also be useful:
Home Safety
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, RoSPA - 0121 248 2000 www.rospa.com
Child Accident Prevention Society, CAPT - 020 7608 3828 www.capt.org.uk
Road Safety
Government children's road safety site - www.hedgehogs.gov.uk
Site for children - cycling safety www.cyclesmart.org
Think Road Safety - www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk
Brake - road safety charity -01484 559909 www.brake.org.uk
Childcare
Childcare link - 0800 096 0296 www.childcarelink.gov.uk
DFES Parents - www.dfes.gov.uk and
www.parentscentre.gov.uk
Daycare Trust - www.daycaretrust.org.uk
4 Children Charity - www.4children.org.uk
National Childminding Association 0800 169 4486 www.ncma.org.uk
Bullying
Anti bullying Campaign 0207 378 1446(Mon-fri,9.30am-5.00pm)
Childline (see Abuse below)
Antibullying.net - www.antibullying.net
DFES - www.dfes.gov.uk/bullying
Kidscape - www.kidscape.org.uk
Abuse
Childline - 0800 1111 www.childline.org.uk
Kidscape - See above
NSPCC - 0808 800 5000 www.nspcc.org.uk
Internet Safety
Kidsmart - 020 7639 6967 www.kidsmart.org.uk
Be Safe Online www.besafeonline.org
Product Safety
Department of Trade and Industry - www.dti.gov.uk
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, RoSPA - 0121 248 2000 www.rospa.com
Trading Standards - www.tradingstandards.gov.uk
Drugs
Home office - www.drugs.gov.uk
Families Anonymous - 0207 498 4680 www.childline.org.uk
Every Child Matters - www.everychildmatters.gov.uk
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