Child Health Guides from our GPs

When your child is unwell, the questions come fast and the information online is rarely reassuring. These guides are written by GPs who are also parents.

Every GP at Coyne Medical has children of their own. We know what it feels like to watch a fever climb at midnight, to wonder whether a rash is serious, or to sit in a waiting room not quite sure if you should have come. That shared experience shapes how we practise. These guides cover the questions we hear most in clinic: vaccinations and why the schedule matters, how to manage fever and common childhood illness, children’s sleep, nutrition, mental health, and how to navigate UK healthcare when the system feels unclear. We write them for parents who want to understand what is actually happening, not just be told not to worry.

Dr Hugh Coyne, Dr Lucy Hooper, and the Coyne Medical GP Team

Our Approach

Children are not small adults, and good paediatric care requires thinking carefully about what is age-appropriate, what is evidence-based, and what is simply reassuring but ultimately unhelpful. We do not over-investigate and we do not dismiss. When a child needs to be seen, we make same-day appointments available. When a parent needs honest guidance about whether to wait, we give them that too.

Vaccinations are a good example of how we approach child health generally. We follow the NHS schedule, we explain the evidence behind every vaccine we give, and we take the time to answer questions properly rather than brushing them aside. The same applies to antibiotics, where we are guided by the evidence on appropriate use, and to mental health, where we think the conversation needs to start earlier than most services currently allow.

All Coyne Medical GPs see children from birth onwards. For families new to the UK, or navigating the NHS for the first time, we can also help you understand how the system works and what you are entitled to.