On the 21st February 2023 we launched the second phase of our Get-a-head campaign. This phase is calling for an improved set of standards across the UK so that babies showing signs of hydrocephalus do not slip through the net.
The GET-A-HEAD campaign was originally launched to raise awareness of the importance of head circumference measurements in a child’s first year, and to educate parents on why they’re taken. A rapidly growing head, or a head that is disproportionately large compared with the rest of the baby’s body can be an indicator of a health issue that requires further investigation.
This arm of the GET-A-HEAD campaign is now going further with its ambition to revolutionise health care for babies, by asking for improvements in three areas.
Contact
A minimum number of face-to-face contacts with health professionals in the first year of a child’s life. This has recently been adopted in Scotland, where health visiting teams are now committed to 8 visits with a family in the first 12 months.
Communication
Midwives, GPs, Health Visitors etc to briefly explain why they perform each one of their checks. For example – does the parent know why head circumference measurement is important and do they know when to expect this measurement to be taken again?
Concern
A review of the current NICE guidelines which discuss when and how a health professional should refer a child with concerning symptoms to a specialist team.
