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'Ask Us, Hear Us, Include Us - Young Ambassadors for Inclusion'

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Resources and support

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Welcome The Autism Toolbox is a free online resource developed to support the inclusion of autistic learners in Scottish Early Learning and Childcare ...

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Scottish Charity - Activities for children with ASNs and their families.

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Activities for Children with Special Needs & their Siblings up to age 18 in Lanarkshire.

To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key.

Latest News

PALS is a charity based in North Lanarkshire and currently has 75 member families. PALS provides assistance to a range of families with children who have Additional Support Needs.

PALS runs activity sessions each week. These sessions include Sensations, Swim and Play, Dance and Soft Play. We also continue to run activities and events during school holidays and some weekends. These include canal trips, Flip Out, soft play, Safari Park, Heads of Ayr Farm Park, Science Centre and seasonal parties.

We operate a small number of weekly activities and offer interested new members the opportunity to try one of our weekly activities free of charge for the first session before you decide to join.

Our yearly membership fee is £40, this entitles members to attendance at our events at a subsidised cost, some fully subsidised events, free Christmas lunch and seasonal parties. There is also access to our private members Face Book page. Parent/carers must remain with the child/children at all activities.

For the families that attend PALS we provide an environment where the children can relax and be themselves as it can be difficult for those children and their parents and carers to attend and fit in at mainstream events.

For our membership form please email info@playandlearningsupport.co.uk

marked as Membership

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Children/North Lanarkshire/PALS (Play and Learning Support)

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PALS provides fun activities, trips and support to children and young people with additional support needs, aged 0-18 years of age. PALS also provides support for parents, carers and siblings. We are based in North Lanarkshire but welcome any family from any area.

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Scottish Charity - Resource for children and their families (North Lanarkshire)

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Support for the whole family.

RASCALS is a specialist service for children that promotes play, adventure and friendship in a safe environment.

Based in North Lanarkshire, we offer support for children from 4 to 18 years old.

Our specialist staff are experts in working with children who have a range of complex needs, including learning disability.

Families are at the heart of the work we do at RASCALS.

Our support gives parents the peace of mind to take a break, or simply the flexibility to work safe in the knowledge that their children are being properly supported and cared for.

Meet Lisa and her daughter Niamh, and find out how support from RASCALS has helped them - both as individuals and as a family:

Contact us today and find out how ENABLE Scotland can support you and your family.

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RASCALS after school service | ENABLE Scotland

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Support for the whole family. RASCALS is a specialist service for children that promotes play, adventure and friendship in a safe environment. Based in North Lanarkshire, we offer support for children from 4 to 18 years old. Our specialist staff are experts in working with children who have a range of complex needs, including learning disability.

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Additional Support for Learning and Disability Rights

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This report by Mencap in 2015 has some really interesting, but shocking information on attitudes  

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This report by Mencap in 2015 has some really interesting, but shocking information on attitudes  

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the medical and social model of disability

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the medical and social model of disability

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the medical model and the social model of disability 

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the medical model and the social model of disability 

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Film transcript

Transcript of film: 'What is the social model of disability?'

Ossie Stuart (Disability consultant): I always felt being a disabled person was a problem. After learning about the social model, it challenged me to look at disability completely differently. I myself was able to gain some confidence and... self-esteem.

Ian Macrae (Editor, Disability Now): The social model basically says, we are people with impairments and those impairments clearly have an impact on how we live our lives. But the impairments are not the things which disable us.

Mik Scarlet (Broadcaster and journalist): I'm disabled by the world around me and if the world was more accessible, I would be less disabled and then I would just be left with my "impairment" i.e. what doesn't work.

It's not that my legs don't work that disabling me. It's the fact that if I'm on a flat surface, I can wheel around fine, I'm wonderfully happy. It's only when I come up to a flight of stairs.

Alice Maynard (Chair 2008-2014, Scope): As a wheelchair user, you have a slightly easier job of explaining the social model. Whereas if you're trying to explain the less physical barriers, it's much harder.

Laurence Clark (Comedian and writer): There's barriers everywhere in life. It's to do with how communicate, to do with people's attitudes...

Kiruna Stamell (Actress): Discovering the social model was a massive liberation on another level. Yeah I was being treated differently and no it wasn't me being deficient. It was everybody else's social anxieties being projected onto me.

Laurence: The blame for you not fitting in is no longer on your shoulders.

Ian: Suddenly my disability was out there and not in here. It was what made me realise that I was something beyond the thing that other people thought I was

Mik: It's a really liberating thing, but it also means you can change it. We can say to the world, "Look, you must put a lift in this building. You must make sure that the signage is readable for people with visual impairments."

Kiruna: If you want that equality to be real, you've really got to tackle the inequality people are experiencing in schools, workplaces, transport.

Ian: The main reason that the social model, I think, is important to disabled people is that it allows us to be a community. You achieve a whole lot more as a group.

Mik: As long as we, as disabled people, make sure that our voices are heard and that all those people that support us also have their voices heard, then I think we will get there.

Alice: I hope that Scope is doing work that will help disabled people to become prouder of who we are. Pushing boundaries around who can be included and where.

Laurence: Come the glorious day if it ever came where all the barriers went, y'know. We'd just be people with impairments. We wouldn't be disabled people any more.

Find out more about Scope's work and how to get involved, subscribe to Scope on YouTube.

The social model of disability is a way of viewing the world, developed by disabled people. Scope's Everyday Equality strategy is based on this model of disability.

The model says that people are disabled by barriers in society, not by their impairment or difference. Barriers can be physical, like buildings not having accessible toilets. Or they can be caused by people's attitudes to difference, like assuming disabled people can't do certain things.

The social model helps us recognise barriers that make life harder for disabled people. Removing these barriers creates equality and offers disabled people more independence, choice and control.

Not everyone uses the social model and that's ok. How anyone chooses to talk about their impairment is up to them.

Explaining the social model of disability to kids.

Changing attitudes towards disabled people

Negative attitudes based on prejudice or stereotype can stop disabled people from having equal opportunities. This is sometimes referred to as disablism.

Examples of negative attitudes include assuming that disabled people can't:

work

live independently

have sex

have children

Medical model of disability

The medical model of disability says people are disabled by their impairments or differences.

The medical model looks at what is 'wrong' with the person, not what the person needs. We believe it creates low expectations and leads to people losing independence, choice and control in their lives.

Examples of the social model in action

You are a disabled person who can't use stairs and wants to get into a building with a step at the entrance. The social model recognises that this is a problem with the building, not the person, and would suggest adding a ramp to the entrance.

Your child with a visual impairment wants to read the latest best-selling book, so they can chat about it with their friends. The social model solution makes full-text recordings available when the book is published.

You are a teenager with a learning difficulty who wants to live independently in your own home, but you don't know how to pay the rent. The social model recognises that with the right support on how to pay your rent, you can live the life you choose. The medical model might assume that the barriers to independent living are insurmountable, and you might be expected to live in a care home.

Talk with disabled people about the social model and more in Scope's online community.

Related content

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Social model of disability | Disability charity Scope UK

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This website uses cookies to make things simpler. You can read more about our cookie policy and change your browser settings at any time. Accept and close Play Film transcript Transcript of film: 'What is the social model of disability?' Ossie Stuart (Disability consultant): I always felt being a disabled person was a problem.

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Accommodations and Modifications for Students with Disabilities

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​Different levels of planning may be required to make sure that your child gets the right support.

These include personal learning planning, individualised educational programmes and co-ordinated support plans.

Personal Learning Planning

Personal learning planning (PLP) is for all children and young people, regardless of whether or not they have any additional support needs. Different schools will have their own approaches and formats.

Personal learning planning involves you, your child and their teacher in discussing:

what your child is going to be learning

what evidence of achievements and progress will look like

planning for the next steps.

This can help to identify any additional support needs that your child may have.

Read the Scottish Government's practical advice for parents on personal learning planning (available in a range of languages).

Staged intervention

This is a structured process used to identify the level of support required to meet the learning needs of an individual child or young person.

Staged intervention models may vary from one local authority to another but generally there are three, four or five stages. A child's progress is regularly reviewed and they may move between stages.

Individualised Educational Programmes

An individualised educational programme (IEP) is a written document that outlines the steps to be taken to help a child or young person with additional support needs to achieve specified learning outcomes.

Find out more about individualised educational programmes (PDF file).

Co-ordinated Support Plans

This statutory plan is used to identify, and ensure provision of, services for children and young people with complex or multiple additional support needs. Your child may be eligible for a co-ordinated support plan if:

Their needs have a significant negative effect on their school education and are likely to last at least a year, and

They need support from a local authority and at least one other non-education service or agency.

The Scottish Government has provided guidance on co-ordinated support plans.

Getting it right for every child

Schools will also be aware of, and will use, the Getting it right for every child (GIRFEC) approach to make sure that all the people who support your child work together to give you and your child the right help at the right time.

More information on planning to meet additional support needs

This Enquire factsheet provides a good introduction to the following plans, including how they fit together:

personal learning planning

individualised educational programmes

co-ordinated support plans.

Enquire factsheet 1: Planning children's and young people's learning

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​Different levels of planning may be required to make sure that your child gets the right support. These include personal learning planning, individualised educational programmes and co-ordinated support plans. Personal learning planning (PLP) is for all children and young people, regardless of whether or not they have any additional support needs.

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The Sensory Room: Helping Students With Autism Focus and Learn

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continuum of engagement Education Scotland 

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continuum of engagement Education Scotland 

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Continuum of Engagement and Types of Support

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A Fairer Scotland for Disabled People: delivery plan

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Outlines the Scottish Government's ambitions to help change the lives of disabled people in Scotland and ensure their rights are realised.

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The Social Model versus The Medical Model of Disability

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Chapter 6 Children & Young People with Additional Support Needs

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Chapter 6 Children & Young People with Additional Support Needs

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Milestones to support learners with complex additional support needs

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Milestones to support learners with complex additional support needs

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​Education is provided at pre-school, primary and secondary levels in both mainstream and special schools. In accordance with the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the provision of education is the responsibility of local authorities who perform the function of education authority. Education has to be flexible to fit individual needs, be tailored to 'age, ability and aptitude' (Education (Scotland) Act 1980) and aims to develop the 'personality, talents and mental and physical abilities of children and young persons to their fullest potential' (Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000).

Explore the most important legislation that underpins Scottish education.

The Education (Scotland) Act (1980)

An Act with specific reference to the provision of education by Education Authorities and the rights and duties of parents and functions of Education Authorities in relation to individual learners.

United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child

The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) is an international statement of the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights of children. It came into UK law in 1992.

Standards in Scotland's Schools etc. Act 2000

This Act is about the provision of school education specifically relating to children's rights and the duty of the education authority.

Children and Young People (Scotland) Act 2014

This Act concerns the provision of services and support for children and young people; it covers adoption, children's hearings, detention in secure accommodation and consultation on certain proposals in relation to schools.

The Equality Act 2010

This Act places a duty on schools and education authorities not to discriminate against pupils with protected characteristics including disabilities, sexual orientation and ethnicity. This includes admission to school, the way education is provided, access to a benefit, facility or service, and exclusion. They must not treat pupils with disabilities less favourably and must take reasonable steps to avoid putting these pupils at a substantial disadvantage. The duty related to aids and services means that, since September 2012, schools (including independent schools) have to make reasonable adjustments.

Education (Scotland) Act 2016

This Act includes provisions for strategic planning to consider socio-economic barriers to learning. It includes provisions which extend the rights of children aged 12 and over with capacity under the Additional Support for Learning Act. Children who are able to can use rights on their own behalf to affect decision making about them.

Legislation for Gaelic Education

The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 contains provisions on Gaelic Education. These include placing a duty on education authorities to promote and support Gaelic Medium Education (GME) and Gaelic Learner Education (GLE). The Education (Scotland) Act 2016 establishes a process by which parents can request Gaelic Medium Primary Education (GMPE) from their education authority.

Statutory Guidance has been issued under Section 9 of the Gaelic Language (Scotland) Act 2005. It consists of two parts. Part 1 provides Guidance specifically relating to the Education (Scotland) Act 2016. Part 2 provides Guidance on GME and GLE in schools.

The Requirements for Community Learning and Development (Scotland) Regulations 2013

This legislation places requirements on every local authority in Scotland to secure and co-ordinate the provision of community learning and development (CLD) in their area.

Documents relating to the CLD Regulations and CLD provision in Scotland:

PDF file: CLD Regulations 2013 - Minister's letter (151 KB)

PDF file: CLD Regulations - Guidance for local authorities (499 KB)

PDF file: CLD Regulations 2013 - Frequently asked questions (104 KB)

PDF file: What are the barriers to efficient and adequate community learning and development provision in our area? (51 KB)

PDF file: Advice note: Local area networks and the CLD Regulations 2013 (106 KB)

PowerPoint file: The Requirements for CLD (Scotland) Regulations 2013 (558 KB)

PDF file: Community Learning and Development Plans 2015-18: Planning for change in Scotland's communities (2.6 MB)

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​Education is provided at pre-school, primary and secondary levels in both mainstream and special schools. In accordance with the Education (Scotland) Act 1980, the provision of education is the responsibility of local authorities who perform the function of education authority.

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Learning on Screen - The British Universities and Colleges Film and Video Council

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Unstoppable Tracy - this has a very important message about inclusion for all of us - hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

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Unstoppable Tracy - this has a very important message about inclusion for all of us - hope you enjoy this as much as I did!

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Born Without Limbs and Overcoming Challenges | Unstoppable Tracy | Speaker Slam

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Kian Hollow was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a seven-year-old and received an autism diagnosis a month before his ninth birthday.

Diagnostic manuals define the conditions as separate disorders though, as in 16-year-old Kian's case, they can commonly co-occur.

"But this simply means science is now relying on artificially pure research samples that lack the nuance and inconvenient detail of reality. What can this lead to other than flawed conclusions?"

His mum Alicia McColl says she no longer thinks about her son's challenges in terms of these separate labels but the symptoms they give rise to. The 46-year-old mum from Farnham, in Surrey, said: "His difficulties are speech and language and sensory. Those are his primary difficulties and those are the things that cause him all the problems".

A 2018 study of young autistic children showed almost 63% had ADHD while estimates suggest around 66% of people with ADHD show autistic features.

McColl added: "If the school phone me and say, 'Today, he's had a really difficult day. He really struggled in class', I know that's usually down to sensory [difficulties]".

She believes diagnostic labels can hide the complexity and nuance in anyone facing neurodevelopmental challenges. "It's literally like a scatter diagram or a dartboard and throwing darts at it and they might have that, they might have that.

"Because there's a whole list of symptoms, but not every child has it. There are lots of children who don't have an autism diagnosis, but do have sensory processing [issues], do have speech and language disorder".

McColl questions whether children would be better served by describing their difficulties or listing symptoms rather than applying labels like autism and ADHD.
Artificial distinctions
Both autism and ADHD are defined in behavioural terms - medics make a diagnosis after observing symptoms like poor interaction and communication or inattentiveness.

As yet there is no blood or genetic test for either ADHD or autism, though Fragile X syndrome is identified as the leading genetic cause of autism.

But what if the distinctions psychiatrists make between the two conditions are entirely artificial? Hard and fast labels that allow people to be put in one box or another without reflecting the complexity of their conditions.

In a keynote presentation at the ADHD Foundation Conference in November 2018 psychology lecturer Dr Simon Bignell asked whether autism and ADHD are "one overarching disorder with a range of subtypes, each having a distinct time of onset, mix of traits and progression".

University of Derby academic Bignell added: "In the individual there may well be a shared genetic susceptibility that arrives at different clinical presentations, but is derived from the same origins - that's for geneticists rather than psychologists to answer".

And though the world's two major diagnostic manuals - the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD‑11) - may define the conditions separately, these documents are continuously evolving. For example, Asperger syndrome no longer exists in DSM-5 or ICD-11 and is now simply classed as autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
Clusters of symptoms arising out of a single disorder
ADHD is not the only condition that commonly co-occurs in people with autism and vice versa. A whole range of other psychiatric difficulties are also far more common in both conditions, including obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), anxiety, and depression etc.

Bignell acknowledges that where several different conditions occur in the same person it may be a cluster of psychiatric symptoms arising out of a single genetic or neurological disorder. In other words, the labels that force us to divide these symptoms into several different categories, whether it be ASD, ADHD, or OCD, could reflect our limited and still evolving understanding.

Bignell said: "The big misunderstanding that is absolutely prevalent across practitioners, professionals, people giving support and people with these conditions, is that these are things as in the sense of diseases.

"The DSM doesn't do that. It was never intended to do that for psychiatric conditions because it's a psychiatric manual. It doesn't say anything whatsoever about the causes of these conditions and that's the big misunderstanding."
"The same thing" vs elements "which are the same"
Daniel Johnson, the Labour MSP for Edinburgh Southern who has ADHD, said it's important to look at how neurodevelopmental conditions relate and overlap. Johnson, 42, who was diagnosed with ADHD around seven years ago, said the only way to explore the conditions thoroughly is to look at whether they are the "same thing", or have elements "which are the same".

He added: "When you look at both how these conditions can present and also the experiences of people with these conditions there are clear parallels and similarities".

Johnson said the problems that occur in people with ASD in adjusting to change and how those with ADHD will seek out new experiences can be viewed as "different faces of the same coin". Over-stimulation, sensory overload, and emotional response and regulation have broad similarities in ADHD and autism, said Johnson.

Bignell believes the preoccupation amongst clinicians with putting people into one box or another is affecting the quality of neurodevelopmental research. Studies on autism will exclude people with other diagnoses so researchers can be sure their findings relate to autism and nothing else.

But this simply means science is now relying on artificially pure research samples that lack the nuance and inconvenient detail of reality. What can this lead to other than flawed conclusions?

"They're no longer talking about what you and I would perhaps describe as autism. They're talking about a different construct entirely".

Caption: Alicia McColl with son Kian Hollow, who has ADHD and autism. McColl no longer thinks about her son's diagnoses, but simply the symptoms they give rise to.

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Are autism and ADHD symptoms of the same condition? | LDT

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Kian Hollow was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as a seven-year-old and received an autism diagnosis a month before his ninth birthday. Diagnostic manuals define the conditions as separate disorders though, as in 16-year-old Kian's case, they can commonly co-occur.

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Find out which screening tests your newborn will be offered, including the blood spot (heel prick) test and hearing test.

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istock.com / Lisa Eastman

In the hours, days and weeks after he is born, your baby will have several routine tests and examinations to check that he is healthy and that all is well. Here's an outline of what to expect and what your midwife and doctor will be looking for when they carry out the tests.

The number of tests and examinations may seem alarming, but don't worry. All babies, born in hospital, at a birth centre, or at home, will be having the same checks.

What are the first tests my baby will have?

Your baby will have a few checks and examinations in the first hours of his life. The first is the Apgar score, which your midwife will record at one minute, then again at five minutes, after your baby's born (NICE 2014).

Your midwife can do this test by watching your baby's colour, breathing, behaviour, activity and posture. This will tell her whether your baby has any immediate problems that need medical support (NICE 2014).

Most babies are fine, or may just need to be watched for a while. If your baby does need some help, your midwife may give him some air or clear out his airways to help him breathe (NICE 2014).

About an hour after the birth, after you've had a cuddle with your baby and, ideally, some skin-to-skin contact, your midwife will also:

weigh your baby

check his temperature

measure the circumference of his head (NICE 2014)

These measurements will later be added to his developmental charts in his red book (personal child health record). Your health visitor will give you your baby's red book shortly before or after your baby is born.
During this time a doctor or midwife will also offer to give your baby a dose of vitamin K to protect him from vitamin K deficiency bleeding (VKDB) (NHS 2018a).

What is the newborn examination?

The newborn examination is a full physical check of your baby for any problems or conditions. A health professional will offer to examine your baby within 72 hours of his birth (NHS 2018c, NICE 2015). This gives your baby time to adjust to the outside world and means he can get treatment quickly in the unlikely event that any problems are found.

If your baby was born in a hospital or birth centre, a midwife or paediatrician will usually examine your baby before you both go home. If you had a home birth, your midwife or GP may carry out the newborn examination.

The examination will be done while you, and ideally your partner, are present, so you'll be able to ask questions as it happens (NHS 2018c, NICE 2015). The health professional doing the exam may ask you questions about your family's medical history. So now's the time to mention any childhood medical conditions in your or your partner's family, such as eczema or asthma.

Your midwife or doctor will check your baby from head to toe, so your baby will need to be undressed for part of the examination (NHS 2018c).

Head

The doctor or midwife will look at the shape and size of your baby's head (NHS 2018c, NICE 2015). A squashed or moulded head is a common feature in newborns. If you had a vaginal birth, the gentle pressure that happens when your baby is squeezed through the birth canal may have resulted in your baby's head becoming misshapen.

Your baby's head can mould in this way because there are soft spots, called fontanelles, between the bones in his skull. This will even out as the soft spots close, and the bones in his head meet and fuse. Your doctor or midwife will check these soft spots.

If your baby needed help to be born with ventouse or forceps, there's a small risk of bruises appearing on his head or skull bone (cephalhaematoma). These will soon disappear, but ask your midwife if you're worried about them (NHS 2018a).

Ears and eyes

Your midwife will have already looked at your baby's eyes to check for any obvious problems at birth. During the newborn physical examination, your doctor or midwife will shine a light from an ophthalmoscope in your baby's eyes to check they have something called a red reflex (NHS 2018f). This looks similar to the red eye effect from a camera flash. Checking that your baby has this reflex helps your doctor or midwife to rule out certain eye conditions, such as cataracts (NHS 2018f).

Your GP will also examine your baby's eyes when he is between six weeks and eight weeks old. This may be combined with your postnatal check (NHS 2016b).

If you are worried about your baby's sight at any time, mention it to your doctor or health visitor.

Get tips on how to monitor your baby's eyesight as he grows.

Mouth

Your doctor or midwife will put a finger in your baby's mouth to check that the roof of his mouth (palate) is complete and his sucking reflex is working (Tidy 2016a). A gap in the palate, called cleft palate, will need surgery and may make feeding difficult.

Learn more about what support you will receive if your baby is diagnosed with a cleft palate.

Your doctor or midwife may also check your baby's tongue for tongue-tie. This happens when his tongue remains more anchored to the bottom of his mouth than it should be, restricting movement. It may only be checked for if your baby has persistent problems latching on to breastfeed (NICE 2015).

Read how tongue-tie can affect your baby's feeding and how it can be treated.

Heart

Your doctor or midwife will listen to your baby's heart with a stethoscope. This will help her to identify any potential heart problems, and to check if your baby has a heart murmur (an extra or unusual sound made by the heart) (PHE 2017, Tidy 2016a).

Try not to worry if your midwife or doctor detects a heart murmur. These are common in newborns, and may be caused by how your baby's heart adapts to the world outside your womb (PHE 2014). The vast majority of babies with heart murmurs have no heart problems (Archer 2015). But your doctor or midwife may arrange for a follow-up check to be carried out in six weeks to eight weeks' time (Roy et al 2017).

Your midwife or doctor will also feel for a pulse in your baby's groin (the femoral pulse) to check for any heart defects. Some hospitals also offer to test how much oxygen is in your baby's blood (oxygen saturation levels). Your doctor or midwife will carry out this test by placing a probe on your baby's fingers and toes.

Lungs

Your doctor or midwife will listen to your baby's breathing with a stethoscope and make sure both of his lungs are working properly (Tidy 2016a).

Genitals

Baby genitals are often swollen and dark-coloured in the first few days. This is nothing to worry about. It may be down to a surge of hormones, passed from you to your baby before he was born. Or it may be a build-up of extra fluid in his body, which is common in babies.

For boys, the scrotum is checked for undescended testicles (NHS 2018c, PHE 2017).

If your baby has an undescended testicle it's likely the testicle will come down on its own before he's six months. For this reason, doctors usually wait to start any treatment. However, if your baby's testicle has not descended by six months, your doctor is likely to recommend surgery to move the testicle down (NHS 2018c, PHE 2017).

Your baby's penis will also be checked to ensure the opening is at the tip of the penis, and not on the underside.

The doctor or midwife will check your baby's bottom to ensure the opening to his back passage is normal. They will probably ask if your baby has had a wee or passed a dark-coloured poo (meconium) (NICE 2014, Tidy 2016a).

Skin

Your baby's skin will be checked for birthmarks (Tidy 2016a), including:

stork marks: reddish or purple V-shaped marks that can appear on your baby's eyelids, in the middle of his forehead or at the back of his neck.

blue spots (congenital dermal melanocytosis): a bluish patch of darker pigment, most commonly over the lower back or bottom. They used to be known as Mongolian blue spots and you may still hear them called by this name.

strawberry marks: raised red areas

Most birthmarks are completely harmless, and will fade during childhood. Ask your doctor for advice if you are worried.
Hands and feet

The doctor or midwife will check your baby's arms, hands, legs and feet. His fingers and toes will be counted and checked for webbing.

Your baby's palms will be checked to see if two creases, called palmar creases, run across them. About four per cent of the population have just one palmar crease on one hand and it's even rarer to have one line on both hands (Sharma and Sharma 2011).

Single palmar creases are sometimes associated with Down's syndrome (Tidy 2016a). But in the unlikely event of your baby having Down's syndrome, there would be other clear physical signs (Tidy 2016b).

The doctor or midwife will look at your baby's feet and ankles. This is to check for talipes (clubfoot), where the front half of the foot turns in and down. You may already know your baby has talipes if it was shown on an ultrasound scan.

Get the facts on talipes and how it can be treated.

Spine

Your doctor or midwife will look at how straight your baby's spine is. It is quite common for babies to have a tiny dimple at the base of the spine, called a sacral dimple (Tidy 2016a). In most cases this will cause no problems. Occasionally, a deep sacral dimple may indicate a problem with your baby's nerves in his lower spinal cord.

If your baby has a deep sacral dimple, he will be checked for other nerve problem symptoms such as leg weakness, cold and bluish soles of feet, and difficulties pooing and weeing.

Hips

Your doctor or midwife will gently move your baby's hips to check how stable the joints are (PHE 2017, Tidy 2016a). She will open his legs wide, and then bend and unbend them. If your doctor or midwife finds any instability, she will carry out further tests to check for hip problems.

Reflexes

Your newborn baby has several reflexes such as sucking, rooting and grasping. Your doctor or midwife will check these by safely encouraging your baby to show his reflexes (PHE 2017).

The most commonly tested reflex during the examination is the Moro reflex (also called the startle reflex). Your baby's head is allowed to gently and safely fall for a short distance. He'll respond by flinging out both arms with his fingers spread and legs outstretched. He may also cry a little. Rest assured your baby will be fine, and his responses are simply showing that all is well.

Jaundice check

Your doctor or midwife will examine your baby for signs of jaundice. This is a common condition that causes a yellowish tinge on babies' skin. Most cases will clear up on their own within 10 to 14 days, but if tests show your baby has a lot of bilirubin (the substance that causes jaundice) in his blood, he may be given light treatment (phototherapy) to reduce it (NHS 2015).

There are different levels of treatment, depending on how jaundiced your baby is. Read our article on jaundice for more information.

Bear in mind that screening tests may not pick up every problem. But if your baby does have a problem that's picked up during the newborn examination, there are many benefits to having this identified early on. Your doctor or midwife should give you information about the suspected problem and answer any questions you may have.

You should also be offered advice about where to find more information and support. Your doctor or midwife will let you know straight away if she has any concerns and will advise you on what is likely to happen next. Your baby may need further tests or he may be referred directly for specialist treatment.

What other tests will my baby have in the first six weeks?
Hearing test
Your baby may have a hearing test shortly after birth, either in hospital, a community clinic, or at home (NHS 2018b, PHE 2017). It's called an automated otoacoustic emission (AOAE) test. It only takes a few minutes and doesn't hurt your baby.

If the test doesn't show a clear result, you may be asked to come back for another test. This doesn't necessarily mean that there's a problem. Your baby may have been unsettled when the test was first carried out, or there may be fluid or a temporary blockage in his ear. Or there may have been background noise during the screening (NHS 2018b).

Find out more about what happens during the second hearing test in our article on baby hearing.

Heel-prick test

The next routine test your baby will have is a heel-prick test. This will be carried out around five days to eight days after the birth, usually at home (PHE 2017). Your midwife will carry out this test. She'll take a tiny amount of blood from your baby's heel.

This blood sample will be tested for the following conditions. These conditions are rare and early detection will give your baby the best chance of successful treatment:

An inherited condition called phenylketonuria (PKU), which affects the way proteins are metabolised.

Cystic fibrosis, which affects the lungs and digestive system.

MCADD, a condition that affects the way the body converts fat into energy.

Sickle cell disease, a genetic blood disorder.

Thyroid deficiency.

Homocystinuria, an inherited metabolic disorder.

Maple syrup urine disease, glutaric aciduria type 1, and isovaleric acidaemia, which are all inherited disorders in which the body is unable to process certain protein building (amino acids) (NHS 2018e, PHE 2014).

Your baby may cry a little when the blood is taken, but he will recover very quickly with a cuddle.
You will get the results of the heel-prick test by the time your baby is eight weeks old. You will either get a letter or a health professional will contact you. In the unlikely event that your baby has any of these conditions he will be referred to a specialist who can carry out further investigations and plan his treatment.

Ten to 14-day review

Your health visitor will visit you at home 10 to 14 days after the birth. She will carry out a top-to-toe check of your baby, and ask you about your own physical and emotional health (NHS 2016a).

This is the perfect time to discuss any issues you may have been having since the birth. If you don't already have it, she will also give you your baby's red book (personal child health record).

Healthcare after the birth
Six to eight week check
The next screening test you and your baby will have will be at six to eight weeks, and may be combined with your postnatal check with your doctor (NHS 2016b).

If you have any concerns about your baby before then, don't hesitate to call your midwife, health visitor or doctor. Your midwife will also give you information on signs and symptoms to look out for in your newborn and who to contact for help.

When your baby's eight weeks old, you'll also be offered the first set of immunisations to protect him against common infectious diseases. Find out what they protect against in our immunisations chart.

References

Archer. 2015. Heart murmur in children. DynaMed Plus. www.dynamed.com [Accessed October 2018]

iHV. 2017. Why a health visitor? Institute of Health Visiting. https://ihv.org.uk/ [Accessed June 2018]

NHS. 2015. Newborn jaundice. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed June 2018]

NHS. 2016a. Services and support for parents. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed July 2018]

NHS. 2016b. Your six-week postnatal check. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed December 2018]

NHS. 2017. Getting to know your newborn. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed April 2018]

NHS. 2018b.Newborn hearing screening. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed April 2018]

NHS. 2018c.Newborn physical examination. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed April 2018]

NHS 2018d.Undescended testicles. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed October 2018]NHS. 2018e. Newborn blood spot test. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed April 2018]

NHS. 2018f.Eye tests for children. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed September 2018]

NICE. 2014.Intrapartum care for healthy women and babies. Last updated February 2017. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Clinical guideline 190. www.nice.org.uk [Accessed April 2018]

NICE. 2015.Postnatal care up to 8 weeks after birth. Last updated February 2015. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, Clinical guideline, 37. www.nice.org.uk [Accessed April 2018]

PHE 2017.Screening tests for you and your baby. Public Health England. www.gov.uk/government/organisations/public-health-england [Accessed April 2018]

Roy R, Clarke P, Daniels R, et al. 2017.Heart murmurs: information for parents/carers. Jenny Lind Children's Hospital, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospitals. www.nnuh.nhs.uk [Accessed December 2018]

Sharma DK, Sharma V. 2011. Prevalences of Simian, Sydney and Suwon creases and their association with each other, body sides, handedness, sex and anomalies/diseases/syndromes in a population of central India.Int J Morphol 29(3):1069-75

Tidy C. 2016a.Neonatal examination. Patient.Info. https://patient.info [Accessed April 2018]

Tidy C. 2016b.Down's syndrome. Patient.Info. https://patient.info [Accessed April 2018]

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istock.com / Lisa Eastman In the hours, days and weeks after he is born, your baby will have several routine tests and examinations to check that he is healthy and that all is well. Here's an outline of what to expect and what your midwife and doctor will be looking for when they carry out the tests.

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Find out what gestational diabetes is, what problems it can cause, how it's diagnosed, and what the treatments are.

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Everyone knows that babies go from being defenseless newborns who stay where you put them to walking, talking curiosity machines in just a year or two of life. But what happens in between? How much do you know about the fascinating physical, mental, and emotional growth your child is accomplishing at this very moment? Take our quiz and find out.

Take the quiz

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What do you know about child development? | BabyCenter

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Everyone knows that babies go from being defenseless newborns who stay where you put them to walking, talking curiosity machines in just a year or two of life. But what happens in between? How much do you know about the fascinating physical, mental, and emotional growth your child is accomplishing at this very moment?

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the Eatwell guide NHS choices  - try the quiz and check your BMI

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the Eatwell guide NHS choices  - try the quiz and check your BMI

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The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.
You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week.

Most of us still are not eating enough fruit and vegetables. They should make up over a third of the food we eat each day.

Aim to eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and veg each day. Choose from fresh, frozen, tinned, dried or juiced.

Remember that fruit juice and smoothies should be limited to no more than a combined total of 150ml a day.

Fruit and vegetables are a good source of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
Find out more about how to get your 5 A Day

Starchy food should make up just over a third of the food we eat. Choose higher fibre wholegrain varieties, such as wholewheat pasta and brown rice, or simply leave skins on potatoes.

There are also higher fibre versions of white bread and pasta.

Starchy foods are a good source of energy and the main source of a range of nutrients in our diet.
Find out more about starchy foods

Milk, cheese, yoghurt and fromage frais are good sources of protein and some vitamins, and they're also an important source of calcium, which helps keep our bones healthy.

Try to go for lower-fat and lower-sugar products where possible, like 1% fat milk, reduced-fat cheese or plain low-fat yoghurt.
Find out more about milk and dairy foods

These foods are good sources of protein, vitamins and minerals. Pulses, such as beans, peas and lentils, are good alternatives to meat because they're lower in fat and higher in fibre and protein, too.

Choose lean cuts of meat and mince, and eat less red and processed meat like bacon, ham and sausages.

Aim for at least 2 portions of fish every week, 1 of which should be oily, such as salmon or mackerel.

Find out about pulses, fish, eggs and meat.

Unsaturated fats are healthier fats and include vegetable, rapeseed, olive and sunflower oils.

Remember all types of fat are high in energy and should be eaten sparingly.
Find out more about the different types of fat in our diet

These foods include chocolate, cakes, biscuits, sugary soft drinks, butter, ghee and ice cream.

They're not needed in our diet, so should be eaten less often and in smaller amounts.
Get tips on cutting down on sugar

Water, lower-fat milks and lower-sugar or sugar-free drinks, including tea and coffee, all count.

Fruit juice and smoothies also count towards your fluid consumption, but they contain free sugars that can damage teeth, so limit these drinks to a combined total of 150ml a day.
Find out more about water, drinks and your health

How does the Eatwell Guide work?

The Eatwell Guide divides the foods we eat and drink into 5 main food groups.

Try to choose a variety of different foods from each of the groups to help you get the wide range of nutrients your body needs to stay healthy.

It's important to get some fat in your diet, but foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar have been placed outside of the circular image as they're not necessary as part of a healthy, balanced diet and most of us need to cut down on these.

Unsaturated fats from plant sources (for example, vegetable oil or olive oil) are healthier types of fat.

But all types of fat are high in energy (calories), so they should only be eaten in small amounts.

On average, women should have around 2,000 calories a day (8,400 kilojoules) and men should have around 2,500 calories a day (10,500 kilojoules). Most adults consume more calories than they need.

Find out how food labels can help you choose between foods and pick those lower in calories, fat, saturated fat, sugar and salt.

Combination foods

Many foods, such as pizzas, casseroles, pasta dishes and sandwiches, are combinations of the food groups in the Eatwell Guide.

With these meals, check the ingredients and think about how these fit with the sections on the guide to help you achieve a balanced diet.

Does the Eatwell Guide apply to everyone?

The Eatwell Guide applies to most of us, whether we're a healthy weight or overweight, whether we eat meat or are vegetarian, and no matter what our ethnic origin.

Anyone with special dietary requirements or medical needs might want to check with a registered dietitian on how to adapt the Eatwell Guide to meet their individual needs.

Children under the age of 2

The Eatwell Guide does not apply to children under the age of 2 because they have different nutritional needs.

Between the ages of 2 and 5, children should gradually move to eating the same foods as the rest of the family in the proportions shown in the Eatwell Guide.

Read more about babies, toddlers and young children's nutritional needs in Your baby's first solid foods.

Download the Eatwell Guide booklet

For more information, including details of which foods are included in the food groups, download GOV.UK's The Eatwell Guide.

Healthy eating support

Food and diet advice on the NHS website includes:

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The Eatwell Guide shows how much of what we eat overall should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet. You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a day or even a week.

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Foods to avoid in pregnancy - Pregnancy and baby guide - NHS Choices

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Find out which foods to take care with in pregnancy, such as some cheeses, meats, fish, liver, eggs and nuts.

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A healthy diet is an important part of a healthy lifestyle at any time but is especially vital if you're pregnant or planning a pregnancy. Eating healthily during pregnancy will help your baby to develop and grow.

You do not need to go on a special diet, but it's important to eat a variety of different foods every day to get the right balance of nutrients that you and your baby need.

It's best to get vitamins and minerals from the foods you eat, but when you're pregnant you need to take a folic acid supplement as well, to make sure you get everything you need.

Read more about vitamins and supplements in pregnancy.

There are also certain foods that should be avoided in pregnancy.

There's no need to "eat for 2"

You will probably find that you are more hungry than usual, but you do not need to "eat for 2" - even if you are expecting twins or triplets.

Try to have a healthy breakfast every day, because this can help you to avoid snacking on foods that are high in fat and sugar.

Eating healthily often means changing the amounts of different foods you eat, so that your diet is varied, rather than cutting out all your favourites. You can use the Eatwell Guide to get the balance of your diet right. It shows you how much of what you eat should come from each food group to achieve a healthy, balanced diet.

You do not need to achieve this balance with every meal, but try to get the balance right over a week.

Fruit and vegetables in pregnancy

Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables because these provide vitamins and minerals, as well as fibre, which helps digestion and can help prevent constipation.

Eat at least 5 portions of a variety of fruit and vegetables every day - these can include fresh, frozen, canned, dried or juiced. Always wash fresh fruit and vegetables carefully.

Find out what counts as a portion of fruit or vegetables.

Starchy foods (carbohydrates) in pregnancy

Starchy foods are an important source of energy, some vitamins and fibre, and help you to feel full without containing too many calories. They include bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, rice, pasta, noodles, maize, millet, oats, yams and cornmeal. If you are having chips, go for oven chips lower in fat and salt.

These foods should make up just over a 3rd of the food you eat. Instead of refined starchy (white) food, choose wholegrain or higher-fibre options such as wholewheat pasta, brown rice or simply leaving the skins on potatoes.

Protein in pregnancy

Eat some protein-rich foods every day. Sources of protein include:

Choose lean meat, remove the skin from poultry, and try not to add extra fat or oil when cooking meat. Read more about eating meat in a healthy way.

Make sure poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat such as lamb, beef and pork are cooked very thoroughly until steaming all the way through. Check that there is no pink meat, and that juices have no pink or red in them.

Try to eat 2 portions of fish each week, 1 of which should be oily fish such as salmon, sardines or mackerel. Find out about the health benefits of fish and shellfish. There are some types of fish you should avoid when you're pregnant or planning to get pregnant, including shark, swordfish and marlin.

When you're pregnant, you should avoid having more than 2 portions of oily fish a week, such as salmon, trout, mackerel and herring, because it can contain pollutants (toxins).

You should avoid eating some raw or partially cooked eggs, as there is a risk of salmonella.

Eggs produced under the British Lion Code of Practice are safe for pregnant women to eat raw or partially cooked, as they come from flocks that have been vaccinated against salmonella.

These eggs have a red lion logo stamped on their shell. Pregnant women can eat these raw or partially cooked (for example, soft boiled eggs).

Eggs that have not been produced under the Lion Code are considered less safe, and pregnant women are advised to avoid eating them raw or partially cooked, including in mousse, mayonnaise and soufflé. These eggs should be cooked until the white and the yolk are hard.

Find out more about foods to avoid in pregnancy.

Dairy in pregnancy

Dairy foods such as milk, cheese, fromage frais and yoghurt are important in pregnancy because they contain calcium and other nutrients that you and your baby need.

Choose low-fat varieties wherever possible, such as semi-skimmed, 1 percent fat or skimmed milk, low-fat and lower-sugar yoghurt and reduced-fat hard cheese.

If you prefer dairy alternatives, such as soya drinks and yoghurts, go for unsweetened, calcium-fortified versions.

Find out more about dairy and dairy alternatives.

There are some cheeses you should avoid in pregnancy, including unpasteurised cheeses. To find out which cheeses you should not eat when you're pregnant on our page about foods to avoid in pregnancy.

Foods that are high in fat, sugar or both

Sugary foods and drinks are often high in calories, which can contribute to weight gain. Having sugary foods and drinks can also lead to tooth decay.

Fat is very high in calories, so eating too many fatty foods, or eating them too often, can make you put on weight. Eating too much saturated fat can also increase the amount of cholesterol in your blood, which increases your chance of developing heart disease.

Foods that are high in fat, sugar, or both, include:

If you're having foods and drinks that are high in fat and sugar, have these less often and in small amounts.

Try to cut down on saturated fat, and have small amounts of foods rich in unsaturated fat instead, such as vegetable oils. Find out about saturated and unsaturated fat.

Healthy snacks in pregnancy

If you get hungry between meals, try not to eat snacks that are high in fat and/or sugar, such as sweets, biscuits, crisps or chocolate. Instead, choose something healthier, such as:

small sandwiches or pitta bread with grated cheese, lean ham, mashed tuna, salmon, or sardines, with salad

salad vegetables, such as carrot, celery or cucumber

low-fat, lower-sugar fruit yoghurt, plain yoghurt or fromage frais with fruit

hummus with wholemeal pitta bread or vegetable sticks

ready-to-eat apricots, figs or prunes

vegetable and bean soups

a small bowl of unsweetened breakfast cereal, or porridge, with milk

milky drinks

fresh fruit

baked beans on toast or a small baked potato

a small slice of malt loaf, a fruited tea cake or a slice of toasted fruit bread

When choosing snacks, you can use food labels to help you. Find out more about food labelling, including how the "green, amber, red" code can help you make healthier choices quickly.

Preparing food safely

Wash fruit, vegetables and salads to remove all traces of soil, which may contain toxoplasma (a parasite that can cause toxoplasmosis) which can harm your unborn baby.

Wash all surfaces and utensils, and your hands, after preparing raw foods (poultry, meat, eggs, fish, shellfish and raw vegetables) to help you avoid food poisoning.

Make sure that raw foods are stored separately from ready-to-eat foods, otherwise there's a risk of contamination.

Use a separate knife and chopping board for raw meats.

Heat ready meals until they're steaming hot all the way through - this is especially important for meals containing poultry.

You also need to make sure that some foods, such as eggs, poultry, burgers, sausages and whole cuts of meat like lamb, beef and pork, are cooked very thoroughly until steaming all the way through.

For tips, read foods to avoid in pregnancy.

The Healthy Start scheme

You may be able to get help to buy food and milk through the Healthy Start scheme if you're pregnant or have a child under 4 years old and receive certain benefits, or you're pregnant and under 18.

If you qualify, you'll be sent a Healthy Start card which you can use to buy certain types of milk, infant formula, fruit and vegetables.

For more information, or to apply for a card, visit the Healthy Start scheme website.

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Community content from HealthUnlocked

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Find out how to eat a healthy diet in pregnancy, including plenty of fruit and vegetables, and cutting down on sugar and saturated fat.

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It's never too early to start thinking about how you're going to feed your baby. But you do not have to make up your mind until your baby is born.
In the UK, more than 73% of mothers start breastfeeding. These are some of the reasons why:

your breast milk is perfectly designed for your baby

breast milk protects your baby from infections and diseases

breastfeeding provides health benefits for you

breast milk is available for your baby whenever your baby needs it

breastfeeding can build a strong emotional bond between you and your baby

Formula milk does not provide the same protection from illness and does not give you any health benefits.

Health benefits of breastfeeding for your baby

Breastfeeding has long-term benefits for your baby, lasting right into adulthood.

Any amount of breast milk has a positive effect. The longer you breastfeed, the longer the protection lasts and the greater the benefits.

Breastfeeding reduces your baby's risk of:

Giving nothing but breast milk is recommended for about the first 6 months (26 weeks) of your baby's life.

After that, giving your baby breast milk alongside family foods for as long as you and your baby want will help them grow and develop healthily.

Breast milk adapts as your baby grows to meet your baby's changing needs.

Health benefits of breastfeeding for you

Breastfeeding and making breast milk also has health benefits for you. The more you breastfeed, the greater the benefits.

Breastfeeding lowers your risk of:

Busting some breastfeeding myths

Myth: "Some women do not produce enough breast milk."
Fact: Almost all women are physically able to breastfeed. Early, frequent feeding and responding to your baby's cues give you the best start to establishing your supply. See Is my baby getting enough milk?

Myth: "Breastfeeding hurts."
Fact: Breastfeeding is a natural way to feed a baby and it should not hurt. If you experience pain in your breasts or nipples, it's usually because your baby is not positioned or attached properly. Ask your midwife, health visitor or a breastfeeding specialist to watch a whole feed to help spot the problem.

Got a breastfeeding question?

Sign into Facebook and message the Start4Life Breastfeeding Friend chatbot for fast, friendly, trusted NHS advice anytime, day or night.

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It's never too early to start thinking about how you're going to feed your baby. But you do not have to make up your mind until your baby is born. In the UK, more than 73% of mothers start breastfeeding.

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You don't have to be a child development expert to give your baby a great start in life. Your love, attention and care are all your baby really needs and wants. To help your baby reach his full potential, follow these simple steps.

Show your love

Children need love. Your care and support will give your child a secure base from which to explore the world.

Love, attention, and affection in the first years of life have a real impact on a child's physical, mental and emotional growth. So cuddle, touch, smile, encourage, listen to and play with your little one whenever you can (Brodie 2012).

You can't spoil a newborn baby by answering his cries promptly. He'll cry less over the first couple of months if you respond to him (St James-Roberts 2008), which will make your life easier too. Giving your baby attention when he's upset (as well as when he's happy) helps to build trust and a strong emotional bond (Arnott and Meins 2007, Pickler 2009).

Care for your baby's basic needs

Your baby needs good health and energy to learn and grow, and you can help by taking care of his basic needs. Visit your baby clinic for regular weight checks and talk to your health visitor or GP if you have any concerns. Remember to keep his immunisations up to date so that he's protected against serious diseases.

Sleeping
Sleep is anything but wasted time for your baby. He needs plenty of rest so that he can grow well and develop properly. You can lay down the foundations of a bedtime routine for your baby from any time after eight weeks. Just helping him learn the difference between day and night is a good start.

During REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, your baby's brain cells lay down important connections, called synapses (Siegel 2005) . These synapses are the pathways that enable all learning, movement and thought. They're the keys to your baby's understanding of everything he sees, hears, tastes, touches and smells as he explores the world.

Feeding
Breastmilk or formula milk will provide all the nutrients your baby needs for the first six months, and will be an important part of his diet until his first birthday (PHA 2013). If you think you may need to start weaning your baby earlier than six months, speak to your health visitor.

Breastfeeding is best for your baby if you can both master it. Breastfed babies have lower rates of:

Although formula milk can't replicate all of the properties of breastmilk (UNICEF 2010), formula-fed babies thrive too. Give your baby lots of cuddles and eye contact when you feed him and check his feeding position to help avoid ear infections.

Make sure your baby is comfortable. If he's too warm or his nappy is wet, respond to him as soon as you can by taking off a layer of clothes or changing his nappy. You and your baby are a team, and one of your jobs is to take care of the basics so he can get on with his challenging tasks!

Talk to your baby

Talking to your baby and encouraging him to "talk" back will help him to express himself (Balbernie 2013). Good communication skills are very important in helping children grow into happy adults (Smith et al 2015).

You can even begin during your pregnancy. Chatting to your bump is a great way to start the bonding process.

Once your baby is born, talk to him as you change his nappy and feed him. He'll respond if he knows the words are directed at him, so try to look at him while you're speaking (Smith et al 2015).

Don't worry about words of wisdom. Just describe what you're doing and what your baby is doing (PHA 2013). For example, "Mummy is putting warm water in the bath so she can get you nice and clean".

It's fine to use baby talk while your baby is still young. Young babies prefer to listen to the higher pitch and slower speech that adults tend to use when communicating with a baby. It can help them to recognise vowel sounds and, later on, words (Song et al 2010).

Watch this video to understand more about communicating with your baby.

Read to your baby

Reading out loud is one of the most important things you can do to help build your child's vocabulary and boost his imagination and language skills (PHA 2013). By showing him books are fun, you'll also be encouraging what will hopefully become a lifetime habit.

Reading also gives you a chance to cuddle and spend time together. Babies can enjoy simple board books as early as six months old (Rhyner 2009), but you can start reading to him from the moment he's born. A bedtime story is a great way to wind down as part of your baby's bedtime routine, too.

You can buy a book designed specifically for your newborn too, with simple, contrasting images that are easier for his eyes to focus on. These books often feature horizontal and vertical stripes in black and white, and use large, simple illustrations of faces that your baby will start to recognise and respond to.

Stimulate his senses

For your child to learn about people, places, and things, he needs to be exposed to them. Every new interaction gives him information about the world and his place in it.

Of course, children can become over-stimulated. You don't want to bombard your baby with information, 24 hours a day, or try to engage all his senses at once. As he gets older, though, he will start to be interested in playing. Have a variety of toys and other objects, but try to offer him only one or two at a time. Try the following, to help him get the most from playtime:

Choose solid objects with different shapes, textures, colours, sounds and weights.

Sing songs and lullabies to him. Experiment with different kinds of music to see what he likes.

Play interactive games such as peekaboo and pat-a-cake.

Go on walks and shopping trips together, and let your baby meet new people. Even the simplest daily activities will stimulate your baby's brain development (Rhyner 2009). Talk to your baby as you move around, pointing out objects and other things of interest.

If you'd like some more ideas for simple games to play at home with your baby, go to our Let's play! section.
Give him room to roam

To develop strong muscles, good balance, and coordination, your baby needs plenty of space to crawl, cruise, and eventually walk. He'll also benefit from safe spaces where he can explore his surroundings without hearing "no" or "don't touch". The easiest way to do this is to childproof your home wherever you can.

Keep dangerous objects out of your baby's reach. For instance, in the kitchen, put childproof locks on all the cabinets except one. Put together a selection of plastic bowls, measuring cups, wooden spoons, and pots and pans that your baby can play with safely. Get these out of the cupboard, whenever you feel your baby needs something to focus on when you're working in the kitchen.

Encourage new challenges

Toys and activities that are way beyond his abilities may frustrate your child. However, a little struggling can go a long way towards developing his strengths and skills (Calkins and Hill 2007). When an activity doesn't come easily to your baby, he has to work out a new way to accomplish it. That type of problem-solving is the stuff the best brains are made of.

If he's attempting to open a box, for example, resist the urge to help him. Let him try first. If he continues to struggle, show him how it's done, but then give him back a closed box so he can try again on his own.

Take care of yourself

Simple, everyday interactions between you and your baby are important for his development.

But if you're feeling drained or exhausted, try to find ways to divide the household and parenting responsibilities with your partner. This way you won't feel so put upon. If you're a single parent, try to surround yourself with people who can offer you help and support. And treat yourself to a little me-time once in a while. Being a parent is tiring, and you need time to re-energise.

If you're struggling with postnatal depression or are having difficulty in bonding with your baby, get some help. Talk to your doctor or health visitor. They are trained to advise and support you through your difficulties. They may recommend a support group or suggest ways you could meet up with other mums in the same position as you to share your problems. Other activities such as baby massage groups can also help bridge the bonding gap (Field 2010, O'Higgins et al 2008, Poobalan et al 2007, Douglas 2010).

It can be difficult to seek help when you're feeling low and depressed, but do try. Depression, if left untreated, can have longer-term effects on the way some babies learn and behave (Field 2010, Tronick and Reck 2009).

Find good childcare

If you work and aren't able to care for your baby during the day, good quality childcare is essential for your baby's healthy development. The same is true if you need a babysitter regularly. You'll want to find someone who can do all the things mentioned above when you're not around.

Whether your childcare provider is a nanny, a relative, or a nursery worker, she should be experienced, caring, and reputable. She should have a genuine love for children and the energy to help your baby thrive.

Read more about helping your baby's development

References

Arnott B and Meins E. 2007. Links among antenatal attachment representations, postnatal mind-mindedness, and infant attachment security: A preliminary study of mothers and fathers. Bulletin of the Menninger Clinic, 71(2): 132-149.

Balbernie R. 2013. The importance of secure attachment for infant mental health Journal of Health Visiting. 1, (4): 210 - 217. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk [Accessed July 2017]

Brodie F. 2012. Thinking about infants and young children. Infant Observation, 15(3): 302-305.

Calkins S, Hill A. 2007. Caregiver influences on emerging emotion regulation Handbook of Emotional Regulation.

Douglas H. 2010. Supporting emotional health and wellbeing: the Solihull Approach. Community Practitioner, 83(8). www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]

Field T. 2010. Postpartum depression effects on early interactions, parenting and safety practices: A review. Infant Behavior and Development 33(1):1-6. www.journals.elsevier.com [Accessed July 2017]

NHS. 2017. Breastfeeding: health benefits for your baby. NHS Choices, Health A-Z. www.nhs.uk [Accessed July 2017]

O'Higgins M, St James Roberts I, Glover V. 2008. Postnatal depression and mother and infant outcomes after infant massage. J Affect Disord 109(1-2):189-92. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]

Poobalan AS, Aucott LS, Ross L, et al. 2007. Effects of treating postnatal depression on mother-infant interaction and child development: systematic review. British Journal of Psychiatry 191:378-386. www. bjp.rcpsych.org [Accessed July 2017]

Public Health Agency. 2013. Birth to Five.. www. publichealth.hscni.net. [Accessed July 2017]

Reyner BA, Pickler RH. 2009. Mother-infant synchrony. J Obstetric Neonatal Nurse 38(4):470-7.www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]

Rhyner PM. 2009. ed. Emergent Literacy and Language Development: Promoting Learning in Early Childhood. Guilford Press.

Siegel JM. 2005. Functional implications of sleep development. PLoS Biol 3(5):e178. www.plosbiology.org [Accessed July 2017]

Smith PK, Cowie H, Blades, M. 2015. Understanding Children's Development. John Wiley & Sons.

Song JY, Demuth K, Morgan J. 2010. Effects of the acoustic properties of infant-directed speech on infant word recognition. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]

St James-Roberts. 2008. Infant crying and sleeping: helping parents to prevent and manage problems. Primary Care 35(3):547-67. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov [Accessed July 2017]

Tronick E, Reck C. 2009. Infants of depressed mothers. Harv Rev Psychiatry 17:147-56

UNICEF. 2010. The health professional's guide to: A guide to infant formula for parents who are bottle feeding. UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative. www.babyfriendly.org.uk [Accessed July 2017]

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You don't have to be a child development expert to give your baby a great start in life. Your love, attention and care are all your baby really needs and wants. To help your baby reach his full potential, follow these simple steps. Children need love.