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Family Health

Check ups, teeth, plates and the pharmacy shelf.

Healthy families are mostly built from boring things: the check ups you go to, the teeth you brush, the vegetables that make it onto the plate. This section covers paediatricians and dentists, food that works for children, prevention and what is actually worth buying at the pharmacy.

Try it: Check up timeline

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Check up timeline

Enter a birthday and get the next doctor and dentist visits.

Paediatricians

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A good paediatrician answers the question you did not ask. Finding one, switching when it is not working and knowing when to call versus when to wait are skills nobody teaches you before the first fever. We explain how child health care is organised in different European countries and how to get the most from a ten minute appointment.

Good to know

  • Write down three questions before the appointment. You will forget them in the room otherwise.
  • A fever alone is not a reason to rush in. A fever with a limp child, a rash that does not fade or breathing trouble is.
  • Keep the vaccination record with the passports. You will need it for school and travel.

Guides in the works

  • How child health care works in Spain, Germany and the UKsoon
  • When to call the doctor: a calm guide for fevers, coughs and rashessoon
  • Choosing a paediatrician when you move abroadsoon
Tell me when they land

Dentists

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First dental visit by the first birthday, then every six months. That single habit prevents most of the drama later. We cover brushing for children who hate it, fluoride, sweets rules that work, braces and how to find a dentist who is good with frightened children.

Good to know

  • Brush twice a day with a small smear of fluoride toothpaste from the first tooth.
  • Sweets once a day with a meal do far less damage than sweets grazed all afternoon.
  • A dentist visit with no treatment at age two makes the visit at age five easy.

Guides in the works

  • Toothbrushing without tears: methods that work from one to sixsoon
  • Braces explained: types, ages, costs and how long they takesoon
  • Dental check ups for children: what happens and how oftensoon
Tell me when they land

Nutrition

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Children eat what they see eaten. Family meals at the table, the same food for everyone with small adaptations and a relaxed attitude to what gets left do more than any special diet. We cover picky phases, portions, sugar, snacks and the science without the fear.

Good to know

  • Serve a new food ten times before deciding they do not like it.
  • Your job is what goes on the table. Their job is how much of it they eat.
  • Water and milk as drinks. Juice is a treat, not a drink.

Guides in the works

  • Picky eaters: what works, what makes it worsesoon
  • Portion sizes by age, in picturessoon
  • Sugar and children: the realistic versionsoon
Tell me when they land

Prevention

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Vaccinations, sleep, movement, sun protection and safety at home prevent more illness than any medicine. The schedules differ by country and the advice changes over time, so we keep this section practical and current: what to do, when and why it matters.

Good to know

  • Vaccination schedules differ by country. If you move, take the record to your new doctor at the first visit.
  • Children under one should stay out of direct sun. Over one, hat, shade and cream every two hours.
  • The most common serious accidents at home involve stairs, windows, hot liquids and small batteries.

Guides in the works

  • Vaccination schedules in Europe comparedsoon
  • Childproofing a home: the ten changes that mattersoon
  • Sleep by age: how much children need and how to protect itsoon
Tell me when they land

Pharmacies

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The family medicine cabinet needs about eight things and most homes have thirty. We look at what to keep, what to leave, how to dose by weight rather than age, and how pharmacies in different countries handle children's medicines, prescriptions and out of hours service.

Good to know

  • Dose paracetamol and ibuprofen by weight, not age. Ask the pharmacist to write the dose on the box.
  • Keep a digital thermometer, saline drops, oral rehydration sachets and a cold pack. That covers most nights.
  • Store all medicine high, locked and in original packaging.

Guides in the works

  • The family medicine cabinet: what to keep and what to binsoon
  • Spanish pharmacies for foreign families: how they worksoon
  • Travelling with medicines: what to pack and how to carry itsoon
Tell me when they land
Quick answers

Questions parents ask about family health.

When should a child first see a dentist?

By the first birthday or within six months of the first tooth, whichever comes first. The first visits are mostly about getting used to the chair and checking brushing, which is exactly the point.

How much sleep does my child need?

Roughly twelve to sixteen hours including naps for babies, eleven to fourteen for toddlers, ten to thirteen for preschoolers, nine to twelve for school children and eight to ten for teenagers. Consistent bedtimes matter as much as the total.

Is it safe to give a child ibuprofen and paracetamol together?

Alternating them is common practice under medical advice, but stacking both at once for a mild fever is rarely needed. Dose by weight, keep a written record of times, and ask a doctor or pharmacist for your child's dose.

How do I find a paediatrician in Spain as a foreign family?

Register at your local health centre with your residency documents and social security number to get a public paediatrician. Families with private insurance choose from the insurer's list. Many clinics in tourist areas have English speaking staff.

Keep going

Sections that usually come next.

Pregnancy & Baby The first year, starting nine months early. Family Food Dinner for everyone, most nights, without the drama. Parents The grown up side of family life.
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