Child health information for parents

Regular antenatal check-ups, the iron, folic acid and calcium your obstetrician advises, and the recommended antenatal vaccines help the baby. Plan to deliver where a newborn-care team and resuscitation equipment are available, and consider meeting your paediatrician before the due date to discuss feeding, vaccines and the first week.

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Most babies need only drying, warmth and skin-to-skin contact on the mother’s chest, with the first breastfeed soon after birth if both are well. A trained person checks breathing and tone, and babies who need help are given it quickly, which is why a newborn-trained team should be present at every delivery.

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Keep the baby warm and close, feed on demand (about 8 to 12 times a day), and put the baby to sleep on the back. The first urine is expected within a day and the first stool within two days; birth-dose vaccines, newborn screening and a jaundice check are done before discharge.

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Seek medical care at once for a baby who is not feeding, is unusually sleepy or floppy, has fever or a cold body, fast or noisy breathing, blue or pale colour, vomiting green fluid, a fit, or very few wet nappies. Yellow skin in the first 24 hours, or yellow palms and soles, also needs the same-day review.

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Mild jaundice is common in newborns, but it is judged by the baby’s age and bilirubin level, not by colour alone. Bilirubin is measured with a skin meter or a blood test and, when high, treated with phototherapy; frequent feeding helps and sunlight is not a reliable treatment.

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A good latch means a wide-open mouth, chin touching the breast, and no pain beyond the first few seconds. Painful nipples, a baby who feeds very long or seems always hungry, or few wet nappies are reasons to ask for lactation help early, before supply and weight are affected.

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Extra feeds are given only on medical advice, for example with excessive weight loss, dehydration, low blood sugar or jaundice with poor intake. Expressed breast milk is the first choice, and feeds are given by cup, spoon or syringe; water, honey, sugar water or gripe water should not be given to a newborn.

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Colic means long spells of crying in an otherwise healthy baby, usually peaking around six weeks and settling by three to four months. Holding, a calm dark room, gentle movement and burping help; never shake a baby, and seek review for fever, vomiting, poor feeding, blood in stool or a cry that sounds different.

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Gripe water and most home remedies have no proven benefit for colic, and products vary in ingredients and quality. Honey must never be given to children under one year; probiotics are used selectively, so please ask the doctor before giving any remedy to a baby.

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Government programme vaccines are free and important. The IAP schedule recommends additional vaccines and combinations that are available privately, so many families follow it to give broader protection; your doctor can prepare a schedule suited to your child.

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A late vaccine does not mean starting again: the series continues from where it stopped, with the catch-up intervals the doctor will work out. Bring the vaccination record, and book a visit as soon as you notice a gap.

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A mild cold, a low fever or mild diarrhoea is usually not a reason to delay vaccines. Moderate or severe illness is, and the doctor decides on the day.

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Protection does not end in childhood: boosters such as Tdap or Td, HPV, hepatitis B, typhoid, varicella and MMR catch-up, and yearly influenza vaccine may be advised, and adults have their own schedule. Our Information page has the adult schedule and record cards.

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Fussy eating is very common between one and five years. Offer small portions of family foods repeatedly without pressure, keep fixed meal times without screens, eat together, and ask for review if growth falters or the child accepts very few foods.

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A balanced plate includes dal or pulses, eggs or other protein, milk products, vegetables and fruit, and whole grains. Iron comes from foods such as ragi, green leafy vegetables and meat, helped by vitamin C; limit sugary drinks and packaged snacks.

Watch on YouTubeOur article: nutrition in childrenOur article: starting solidsIAP: guidelines for parentsAAP: infant feeding resources

Healthy children rarely need appetite syrups, and a poor appetite is better investigated, for example for anaemia, constipation or worms. Give vitamins or iron only as prescribed, and keep gummy supplements out of reach because they look like sweets.

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Weight, length or height and head size are plotted on growth charts, and the pattern over time matters more than one reading. Milestones such as smiling, sitting, walking and first words have age ranges, and delays are best picked up early at regular check-ups.

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Ask for an assessment if a child is not babbling by about a year, has no words by 16 months or no two-word phrases by two years, does not respond to their name, avoids eye contact, is not walking by 18 months, or loses a skill. A hearing check is part of the evaluation, and early help gives the best results.

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Screens are best avoided below 18 to 24 months apart from video calls, and kept to about an hour of good-quality content for ages two to five. Fixed sleep routines, no screens at meals or before bed, daily outdoor play and calm consistent limits support behaviour.

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For a choking infant, give back blows and chest thrusts; for a child over one year, use abdominal thrusts, and start CPR if the child becomes unresponsive. Call emergency services (112 in India), avoid whole nuts, grapes and popcorn for young children, and do a hands-on first-aid course.

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For burns, run cool tap water for about 20 minutes and cover loosely; do not use ice, butter or toothpaste. After a head injury, seek care for repeated vomiting, drowsiness, a fit, severe headache or fluid from the nose or ears; for cuts, press with a clean cloth and ask about tetanus protection.

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Fever is the body’s response to infection, and how the child looks and behaves matters more than the number. Paracetamol is given by weight; seek prompt care for any fever under three months, fever beyond three days, breathing difficulty, a fit, a rash that does not fade, unusual drowsiness or signs of dehydration.

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Young children, especially those in nursery or school, may get many colds a year, and most are viral and need fluids, rest and saline drops, not antibiotics. Seek review for fast breathing, ribs pulling in, wheeze, fever beyond three days or a cough lasting more than three to four weeks.

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Repeated tummy pain in children is often due to constipation or other functional causes, but warning signs need prompt review: pain that wakes the child at night, persistent vomiting, blood in stool, weight loss, fever or pain away from the navel. A pain and stool diary, fibre, fluids and a toilet routine help.

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Antibiotics treat bacterial infections only; most coughs, colds and many cases of diarrhoea are viral and do not need them. Give them exactly as prescribed, finish the course the doctor advises, and never use leftover antibiotics, because misuse causes resistance.

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Teenagers need iron and calcium-rich foods, regular breakfast, 8 to 10 hours of sleep, daily activity and limited screens. Persistent sadness, withdrawal, falling grades, changes in sleep or appetite, or any talk of self-harm needs early help; Tele-MANAS (14416) is India’s free mental-health helpline.

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Teenagers are often seen alone for part of the visit so they can speak openly, and parents are encouraged to stay involved. Confidentiality has limits when a young person’s safety is at risk, and trust built this way helps them seek help early.

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A yearly check covers growth, BMI, blood pressure, vision, anaemia, puberty, mood and sleep. It is also the time to review vaccines such as Tdap, HPV, typhoid, hepatitis and influenza and to give catch-up doses.

Watch on YouTubeVaccination schedules and growth charts on this siteAAP: well-child visitsIAP-ACVIP recommended schedule (2025, updated 2026)