CYP – Safeguarding: see Safeguarding section
General
- Parents to be alert to signs that children could be experiencing anxiety, distress or low mood as some pupils return to school
- Shielding advice for children and young people: “We know that the vast majority of children with conditions including asthma, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, epilepsy and kidney disease are not Clinically Extremely Vulnerable. “
- Guidance for households with possible or confirmed coronavirus
Febrile Children
- RCGP top tips for assessing febrile children (September 2020)
- FAQs from East London Health and Care Partnership on Assessing Febrile Children
- GP Paeds Tips Blog – a volunteer run blog of paediatric tips for GPs, run by a paediatrician at Sheffield Childrens’ Hospital
- Healthier Together – a website for GPs and Primary Care Staff with easy to use clinical pathways for common conditions in children using remote assessment (primarily Wessex based, therefore some of the clinical pathways may be more relevant to the Wessex area)
- Vital sign ranges for children and young people
- Important message for all clinicians caring for children and young people
- Poster ‘Advice for Parents during COVID 19’: When to seek help
- Template letter which GP practices may choose to send to families of younger children during COVID-19 and how to access care
- Template letter which GP practices may send to 13-19 yr old patients explaining COVID-19 pandemic and how to access care
- RCPCH – guidance for paeds services
PICS/Hyperinflammatory Syndrome
- RCPCH information on PICS / Hyperinflammatory Syndrome
- Hyperinflammatory syndrome: What is it and how do I recognise it?
- Paediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome temporally associated with COVID-19
- PICS Statement: Increased number of reported cases of novel presentation of multi-system inflammatory disease
Referrals to a school nursing covid-19 wellbeing clinic can now be made via a revised referral form (see referral criteria below)
- C&YP/parent has concerns related to COVID-19 that will impact on the child attending school.
- C&YP/parent has concerns related to COVID-19 that impact on undertaking activities of daily living.
- C&YP has expressed worries/anxieties related to COVID-19 impacting on emotional regulation.
Clinics are held every Wednesday afternoon. Clients will be sent a text with a time to expect a telephone call. If referrals exceed clinic capacity, the referrer will be informed by email, and a letter will be sent to the client with details of the School Nurse texting service for the client to make contact with the service by text
Important message from Paediatrics: Clinicians are urged to continue to discuss/ refer urgent paediatric cases as you would normally.
- Advice from Great Ormond Street – Advice from individual departments for specific conditions. Very few children develop severe infections with COVID-19 – whether they are immunocompromised or not. Continue any regular medication unless your doctor advises otherwise.
Childhood immunisations
Guidance on delivering childhood immunisations during COVID-19. NHSE/I (London Region) has provided a patient guidance leaflet (below) which can be sent to patients when you call them into practice. Also provided is the pack that Conecting4Health developed to support practices in delivering childhood immunisations. If you have any queries regarding this information please contact england.londonimms@nhs.net
- Public guidance – attending a vaccination appointment.
- Advice for parents about routine vaccinations during COVID-19.
- Healthcare provider leaflet, childhood vaccinations during COVID-19.
- Message to accompany the bundle.
Patient/ family information
- Patient advice – resources for parents and carers
- Talking to children and young people about Covid-19
- Helplines for children and young people
- Childrens guide to coronavirus
- Southwark film on the benefits of childhood immunisations during the pandemic
Asthma management during COVID – See Respiratory section. Also refer to CES Asthma Guide
Sepsis
Wellbeing
- Government Guidance for supporting children and young people’s mental health
- The Nest: Southwark service for mental health and wellbeing support for 13-25 years olds
- Kooth: Safe and anonymous on-line support – 7 days a week.
- Childline: 0800 1111
- The Calm Zone Webchat and Free phone helpline 0800 585858 , 5pm – midnight
Health visiting
- This standard operating procedure outlines the responsibilities of health visiting staff for the delivery of the services, including the 5 mandated contacts, and managing current caseloads which will include families with safeguarding concerns and those with vulnerabilities, during the COVID-19 pandemic.
School absence notes
Following joint work by the Department of Health and Social Care and the Department for Education (DfE), School Reopening Guidance issued by DfE on 22 February has reminded schools they should not encourage parents to request unnecessary medical evidence i.e. doctors’ notes from their GP when their child is absent from school due to illness (p33). If evidence is required, it can take the form of prescriptions, appointment cards, text/email appointment confirmations etc. Input from GPs should only be sought where there are complex health needs/persistent absence issues.
This guidance also confirms the procedure for clinically extremely vulnerable children, and for those absent from school due to COVID-19 and self-isolation.