Website Helps Families to Grow Together
Parents in Sunderland are discovering a helpful online service which not only offers vital health advice, but also brings families together. The national NHS Baby LifeCheck website provides information and advice to parents of babies aged five to eight months old. However, as many parents across Sunderland are finding, it’s also an invaluable tool for helping parents to bond with their young children. The site suggests games and activities to do together as a family, which can stimulate a baby’s development and encourage family bonding. Paul Noble, from Castletown, was introduced to the service by a friend after daughter Charlotte, now nine months old, was born. He said: “Charlotte is a very healthy little girl and luckily we never had any real concerns, so I didn’t think we needed to use the Baby LifeCheck site, but I’m really glad we did – it’s been great. A friend told me it had some great ideas for getting babies to engage more. Charlotte loves playing games and it suggested some really fun games to play with her. “While I was on the site, I ended up finding out some very useful information as well. Charlotte still wakes through the night and we were beginning to wonder if this was something she should be growing out of. However I found out that up to half of children under the age of five go through periods of waking throughout the night. It really reassured me that we’re not alone. “My relationship with Charlotte is constantly getting stronger, and now thanks to this site we know lots of new games to play with her and we understand her needs that little bit better.” Raj Singh, Extended Services Manager within Sunderland City Council’s Children’s Services, added: “The Baby LifeCheck site is specifically designed for parents to dip in and out of when they need to. It’s great if you have a question about your child’s behaviour or are concerned about health issues, like weaning or immunisations, and it can give you excellent advice on how to deal with new situations as your baby grows. “However, it’s also a brilliant resource for those lucky parents who don’t have any concerns about their child’s health and are just enjoying seeing their baby develop. The site has lots of good ideas for activities to do as a family which can encourage positive behaviours in children. Often parents also pick up useful information that reassures them and confirms that their child is moving in the right direction.” The NHS Baby LifeCheck service can be accessed 24 hours a day online. It is free of charge and fully confidential. Parents should visit the website at www.babylifecheck.co.uk If parents still have concerns or questions about their baby’s health after visiting the site, they should contact the health coordinator at their nearest Sunderland Children’s Centre, or alternatively their own GP or health visitor. Sunderland’s 17 Children’s Centres are designed for children aged from birth to five years, and bring together health services, early education, childcare, parenting support, and help for parents looking to find work or training – helping to ensure that every child has the best start in life.
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