Health Matters

14th November 2019

Shropshire has a broad range of health services for children and young people aged 0-25 years. This includes everything from general health and wellbeing to more specialist areas.

Health services are often involved in the initial identification and diagnosis of children and young people’s special educational needs or disabilities. Health professionals such as your GP, health visitor and paediatrician will help you understand the needs of your child and make sure you get the right health support.

Services available
To find your nearest GP, dentist or pharmacist, enter your postcode on the NHS Choices search page.

Free annual health check
People aged 14 and over who have been assessed as having moderate, severe or profound learning disabilities, or people with a mild learning disability who have other complex health needs, are entitled to a free annual health check. Ask your GP.

Free flu vaccination
The NHS is working to increase uptake of the flu vaccination for people with learning disabilities and those who care for them this winter. People with learning disabilities and those who care for them are entitled to a free flu vaccination. Having a vaccine will help protect your child or young person from what can be a very nasty illness and reduce the chance of others in your family getting it.
For most children and young people, the flu vaccination is given as a nasal spray up each nostril. It will be given by your GP surgery, most probably by the nurse.

Child Development Centres
The child development centres in Shropshire and Telford and Wrekin provide assessments of children with additional needs who are under five years old. Children attend for assessment, diagnosis, intervention and advice for the following impairments and disabilities:
Behavioural problems
Communication and interaction problems
Delay in their development
Impaired vision or hearing
Physical disability
Severe co-ordination problems
For further information please visit the Child Development Centres website.

Speech and Language Therapy 
The Children’s Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) Service across all of Telford and Wrekin and Shropshire provides assessment and treatment of speech, language, communication and/or swallowing difficulties for children and young people from birth to 18 years old (or to 19 years if in full time education). A parent can also easily make a self-referral for their child over the phone by calling Coral House on 01743 450800.

Occupational Therapists
The role of the occupational therapist is to enable children and young people to function to the best of their ability. Occupational Therapists provide advice for children whose ability to carry out key tasks is hampered

Shropshire Family Information Service (FIS) has developed this on-line directory which contains information on groups which can offer advice and support on some of the issues or concerns any family may encounter. It can also help you find activities in your local area for children and young people to take part in where they can learn new skills and make new friends.

Last modified: 14th November 2019

Leave a Reply

Skip to content