Childrens Health

Patient UK (this website) has information leaflets on a wide range of child health topics and an extensive directory of patient support and self help groups. In addition, our extensive web directory lists many other sites which provide information and support on specific illnesses and issues. Below are links to large or general sites that cover many child health related topics.

 Children First for Health

The first national children's health and hospital website for children. Providing comprehensive health information along with information about hospital, it is aimed at children and young adults from three to 18.

 Contact a Family

Helping families who care for children with any disability or special need. "The CaF Directory" has information nearly 2000 conditions. CaF houses disorders, and sometimes contact families, for conditions where no support network presently exists. Contact the Parent Advisers and Information Officers at CaF.

 Your Child's Health

A portal of links to various health websites that have been chosen by an NHS paediatrician - aimed at parents patients and doctors who wish to find out more information about conditions. Each link is checked every six months. Hundreds of conditions covered.

 Welltown

Welltown is aimed at Key Stage 1 pupils, aged 5 - 7 years, and covers the main areas of personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship set out in the National Curriculum, the framework for PSHE and citizenship and the National Healthy School Standard. The site is designed to be used by children in schools but the activities can easily be used at home too. The site covers a range of health topics. Site maintained by the Health Development Agency

 Galaxy-H

Galaxy-H is aimed at Key Stage 2 pupils, aged 7-11 years, and covers the main areas of personal, social and health education (PSHE) and citizenship set out in the National Curriculum, the framework for PSHE and citizenship and the National Healthy School Standard. The site is designed to be used by children in schools but the activities can easily be used at home too. The site covers a range of health topics. Site maintained by the Health Development Agency

 LifeBytes

A website which gives young people aged 11 - 14 facts about health in a fun and interesting way. It includes sections on: different health topics, some health conditions and healthy schools. LifeBytes won't tell you what to do but will give you the information to help you make your own choices about health. It can also help with schoolwork and projects. The Health Development Agency is overseeing the development of the site.

 British Society of Paediatric Endocrinologists

A professional organisation but includes lots of factsheets on childhood hormone related conditions on their patient information section. Includes factsheets on:

• Achondroplasia
• Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
• Complete Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (CAIS)
• Congenital Hypothyroidism
• Coeliac Disease
• Delayed Puberty
• Diabetes Insipidus
• Grave's Disease (Thyrotoxicosis)
• Growing Pains
• Gynaecomastia Hypopituitarism
• Hypothyroidism
• Klinefelter's Syndrome
• Labial Adhesions
• Marfan's Syndrome
• Overweight
• Partial Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome (PAIS)
• Precocious Puberty
• Steroid Replacement Steroid Treatment
• Tall Stature
• Turner's Syndrome

 British Paediatric Surveillance Unit

Aimed at health care professionals, but may be of interest to the general public. The BPSU coordinates the surveillance of uncommon childhood disorders and writes reports on them.Current studies include:

• Cerebral vascular disease, stroke; like illness
• Congenital cytomegalovirus
• Congenital rubella
• Congenital toxoplasmosis
• HIV/AIDS infection in childhood
• Invasive fungal infections in low birthweight infants
• Internal abdominal injuries in children under 14 years
• Progressive intellectual and neurological deterioration in children (PIND)
• Suspected fatal adverse drug reaction
• Thrombosis in childhood
• Varicella (chickenpox) complications
• Vitamin K deficiency bleeding

Completed studies include

• Acute Flaccid Paralysis
• Acute Rheumatic Fever
• Adverse neonatal outcomes of delivery or labour in water
• Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome
• Biliary Atresia
• Cerebral oedema / death following DKA
• Chemistry set poisoning
• Congenital brachial palsy
• Congenital cataract
• Congenital dislocation of the hip
• Congenital syphilis
• Congenital toxoplasmosis
• Drowning and near drowning
• Encephalitis in early childhood
• Fatal severe allergic reactions
• Galactosaemia
• Group b streptococcal disease
• Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
• Haemorrhagic disease of the Newborn
• Haemorrhagic shock encephalopathy syndrome
• Haemolytic uraemic syndrome
• Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection
• Higher order births
• Insulin dependent diabetes melitus
• Inflammatory bowel disease in under 20-year olds
• Invasive Haemophilus influenzae infection
• Insulin dependent diabetes in under fifteens
• Juvenile dermatomyositis
• Kawasaki disease
• Long term parenteral nutrition
• Lowe syndrome
• Measles, mumps, rubella-meningococcal meningitis
• MCAD
• Neonatal Herpes
• Neonatal meningitis
• Neonatal necrotising enterocolitis
• Non-accidental poisoning/ Munchausen syndrome by proxy
• Pyrodoxine dependent seizures
• Rett syndrome
• Reye's syndrome
• Severe visual impairment / blindness
• Subacute sclerosing panecephalitis
• Subdural Haematoma / effusion
• Transient and permanent neonatal diabetes
• Vitamin K deficiency bleeding
• X-linked anhydrotic ectodermal dysplasia

 Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health provides extensive information for health professionals and the general public.

 Wired for Health

The Wired for Health site aims to provide accurate and engaging information relating to the health of children and young people for young people, parents, teachers, health and education professionals .

 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE)

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) is the single excellence-in-practice organisation responsible for providing national guidance on the promotion of good health and the prevention and treatment of ill health. Contains a section on Child Health

Further sources / more detailed information

Some non-UK sites

The following list popular non-UK health information sites with content aimed at the general public. They are mainly from the US. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included but these large sites are comprehensive.

• Non-UK disease / illness sites
• Non-UK self-help / support group sites

More detailed medical information

The following list online sources of more detailed medical information, mainly from the UK. These sites are mainly aimed at health professionals, but are of interest to all. They have not been checked to see if information about the above topic is included, but information about most medical topics can usually be found.

• PatientPlus - hundreds of medical reference articles provided by Patient UK.
• Evidence Based Medicine - such as from Clinical Evidence, The Cochrane Library, etc.
• Database of UK Clinical Guidelines - from NICE, SIGN, Clinical Knowledge Summaries, etc.
• Medline - abstracts available from thousands of journals.
• Sites listing free online medical textbooks and journals.
• Sites listing free medical images - pictures, atlases, anatomy, skin diseases, etc.