Are your child’s vaccines up to date

Protecting your child through immunisation is one of the most effective ways to protect against infectious diseases. The World Health Organization (WHO) states that 4-5 million childhood deaths are prevented through childhood vaccination every year as well as avoiding serious health complications. It is one of the most successful and cost-effective public health interventions.

Vaccination rates have decreased slightly in Northern Ireland over recent years. It is important that vaccination coverage is improved as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of serious and sometimes deadly diseases such as diphtheria, measles and polio.

The Public Health Agency (PHA) strongly recommends that babies and children are vaccinated according to the routine childhood immunisation schedule, and are urging parents to check their child/children’s red book to see if their vaccinations are up to date or speak to their health visitor or GP. 

If your child has missed a vaccination, please contact your GP practice to book an appointment as soon as you can to make sure they are protected against serious infections. 

For more information please see:  

Also view Why the MMR Vaccine is important for you and your family at https://vimeo.com/797645270

TikTok Safety Guide Launched to Support Schools, Parents and Carers

The guides launched on Safer Internet Day (7th February), a day that promotes the safe, responsible and positive use of digital technology for children and young people, were created as part of EA’s commitment to enhancing the support and guidance offered to schools in relation to social medial.

They provide advice to schools, parents and carers on the basics of how TikTok works, the potential risks associated with it and helpful tips on how to best support children and young people on the use of such platforms.

TikTok is a social media application where users can create, share and watch short videos; and which allows users to express themselves in creative ways such as singing, dancing and performing comedy sketches. However the app has brought challenges and concerns for many schools, parents and carers as highlighted by EA’s Elaine Craig:

“The importance of online safety for children and young people cannot be underestimated. While TikTok is a hugely popular platform, potential risks include social pressures, stranger danger, lack of age verification, and access to explicit content.

“We were delighted to work with online safety experts INEQE and the Department of Education on these guides which are a highly useful resource, and which form part of our long-term strategy to keep young people safe while online.”

 

 

Guide for Parents/Carers

 

 

 

 

 

Guide for Schools 

Are your Child’s Vaccines Up to Date

Immunisation is the safest and most effective way of protecting against serious diseases. The Public Health Agency (PHA) strongly recommends that babies and children are vaccinated according to the Routine Childhood Immunisations Schedule; and are urging parents to check their child’s red book to see if vaccinations are up-to-date.

Vaccination rates have seen a slight decrease over recent years and the additional disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic is likely to have caused some of the decreases in vaccine coverage. It is important vaccination coverage is improved as soon as possible to help prevent the spread of avoidable serious and sometimes deadly diseases such as measles and polio.

For more information visit Check your child’s red book to see if vaccinations are up-to-date | HSC Public Health Agency (hscni.net)

Also view Why the MMR Vaccine is important for you and your family at https://vimeo.com/797645270

SHSCT Children’s Speach & Language Therapy Team Play & Say Programme

The Play and Say programme from the Southern Health & Social Care Trust’s Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Team is for children aged 3 years and younger and their parents/carers and is now available for everyone.

It provides tried and tested strategies to support young children’s speech and language development through play.

The programme is delivered by Registered Speech and Language Therapists and has been highly successful in encouraging young children’s communication development.

Discover how you can help your young child progress with their early speech development and listen to the Registered Speech and Language Therapists as they guide you through a series of proven language development strategies –  https://view.pagetiger.com/play-and-say/universal

Download Play and Say flyer

NEW SHSCT Speech & Language Therapy Advice Line

The Southern Health and Social Care Trust’s Children’s Speech and Language Therapy Team are delighted to announce the launch of the telephone Advice Line as a means of support of parents of children resident in the SHSCT.

The Advice Line will be available each Monday starting February 6th from 10am-12 noon.

Parents/ carers will now have direct access to a Registered Speech and Language Therapist, via a dedicated phone line.

NB -This service is for children who are not already known to the Speech and Language Therapy service.