Frequently asked questions

The Health Visiting service will assess the needs of your child and family, dependant on your needs will help you access other services.

Other useful websites for further information are:

• ESCC – Special educational needs and disability (SEND)

• Why breastfeed? – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices
• Positioning and attachment – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices
• Common breastfeeding problems – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices
• Breast feeding advice and app – East Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
• Combining breast and bottle feeding – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

• Bottle feeding advice – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices
• Sterilising baby bottles – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices
• Making up infant formula – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices
• Infant formula: common questions – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

• Soothing a crying baby – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

• Sleep and tiredness after having a baby – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

Sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is the leading cause of death among infants between 1 month and 1 year of age. Find out what you can do to reduce your baby’s risk of SIDS and other sleep-related causes of infant death.

Reducing the risk of Cot death:

• Safer sleep for babies information
• Sleep advice – NHS choices
• Safe to Sleep® Public Education Campaign

Post Natal depression:

• Feeling depressed after birth – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

In general, your baby should be weighed no more than once a month when they’re up to six months old, once every two months from six to 12 months, and once every three months when they’re over the age of one.

What is the New born hearing screening programme? Your baby will be offered a hearing screening test in the first few weeks of life.  The ‘hearing screening section’ of the booklet ‘Screening tests for you and your baby’ aims to explain why your baby needs to have a newborn hearing screening test and gives you tips on what you can do to prepare your baby for their hearing screening test.  The booklet also explains what happens to your baby during the hearing screening test, what the hearing screening test results may mean and why your baby may need a second hearing screening test.  NHS New born Hearing Screening Programme Home Page

Home safety:

• Safety for babies – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

Weaning advice:

• Your baby’s first solid foods – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

• Fussy eaters – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

Minor illness and ailment advice:

• Spotting signs of serious illness – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices

Potty Training Information:

• Potty training tips – Pregnancy and baby guide – NHS Choices
• Guide to Potty Training leaflet – ERIC

Link to immunisation schedule for children Vaccination schedule – Vaccinations – NHS Choices  Get a personalised, printable planner of your child’s vaccinations, based on their date of birth. The planner includes all the dates their vaccinations are due Children vaccination schedule – Health tools – NHS Choices

The Health Visiting service is now using the Ages and Stages Questionnaires (ASQ) which will help you keep track of your child’s development. These questionnaires have been used for more than 20 years to make sure children are developing well. It can identify your child’s strengths as well as areas where your child may need support.

This is another tool used by professionals who need to establish the developmental levels of young children.

If you are concerned that a child or young person is at significant risk of harm, contact the Duty and Assessment team.

At the age of 4 to 5 the care for your child will pass on to the School Nursing Service.  For more information about the School Nursing service – School Nursing – Kent Community NHS Trust

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) provides confidential, on-the-spot advice and support, helping you to sort out any concerns you may have about the care we provide, guiding you through the different advice and support available.

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service aims to:

• Advise and support patients, their families and carers
• Provide information on NHS services
• Listen to your concerns, suggestions or queries
• Help sort out problems quickly on your behalf

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service acts independently when handling patient and family concerns, liaising with staff, managers and, where appropriate, relevant organisations, to negotiate immediate or prompt solutions. If necessary, the Patient Advice and Liaison Service can also refer patients and families to specific local or national-based support agencies.

Contact information

• Conquest Hospital – PALS
  Tel: 0300 131 5309
  Email: esh-tr.palsh@nhs.net
• Eastbourne DGH – PALS
  Tel: 0300 131 4784
  Email: esh-tr.palse@nhs.net
• Community Hospitals and Community Services
  Telephone – either Conquest or Eastbourne PALS
  Email – either Conquest or Eastbourne PALS email addresses