Every parent or carer wants to know what to do when a child is ill. The Guide for Parents and Carers of children from 0 – 5 - common childhood illnesses is a useful guide to help parents and carers of children aged 0 – 5 years old to care for their child at home, to know when to call the GP and when to contact the emergency services.

Being poorly is an everyday part of growing up, which can be helped with a chat with your health visitor or midwife. Almost all babies, toddlers and children aged up to five will also get the most common childhood illnesses like chickenpox, colds, sore throats and ear infections. While these are not very nice at the time, they are easy to treat with a visit to the doctor and then cared for at home.

This handbook has been put together with help from doctors. If you are worried you must get further advice. Trust your instincts - you know your child better than anybody else.

More often than not something that can cause worry, like a high temperature, can be caused by a cold, which can often be sorted out with a quick trip to your local pharmacy. It is so easy to panic and rush your child to Accident & Emergency (A&E) when they might just have a simple cough or cold which can be treated at home.

If you are worried, you must of course go and see your doctor – but finding out a little more about the common, everyday illnesses will help you learn more about what to do and where to go to get help.