The Parent Prescription

Constipation is one of the most common reasons children end up in a GP surgery or paediatric clinic, and one of the most misunderstood. It’s rarely just “not enough fibre.” And it doesn’t always show up as the symptoms you might expect.
In this episode, Children’s Dietitian Lucy Upton and consultant paediatrician Dr Nick Makwana unpack what’s really going on, from the signs parents often miss to the treatments that actually work.
In this episode:
What constipation actually is, and why it’s more than how often your child poos

The hidden symptoms - soiling, tummy pain, poor appetite, withholding and toilet avoidance

How the withholding cycle starts, and why it’s so hard to break

Laxatives explained -  what they do, why they’re often needed for months, and why stopping too soon backfires

Where diet fits -  fibre, fluids and realistic food changes that support treatment

When to go back to your GP or ask for a referral

Whether you’re months into the laxative routine or just starting to wonder if something’s not right, this one’s for you.
The Parent Prescription - Expert advice, made for parents.
This podcast is for information only and doesn’t replace individual medical advice.

Is it just a virus, or something more?
Consultant paediatrician Dr Nick Makwana and co-host paediatric dietitian Lucy Upton help parents make sense of common childhood illnesses: how to manage fever at home, why nursery bugs keep coming, and the red flags that mean it's time to seek help.
In this episode:
Fever in children: what it means and how to manage it

Why young children catch so many viruses

When antibiotics help, and when they don't

Keeping a poorly child hydrated and fed

Red flags: when to call 111, see your GP or go to A&E

For information only, not a substitute for individual medical advice. If you're worried about your child, contact your GP, NHS 111 or 999 in an emergency.

When should you start weaning, and what should your baby's first foods be?
Paediatric dietitian Lucy Upton and consultant paediatrician Dr Nick Makwana cover starting solids with your baby, from signs of readiness to first foods, allergens and gagging, so you can begin weaning feeling informed rather than overwhelmed.  
In this episode:
When to start weaning, and the signs your baby is ready

Purées, finger foods or baby-led weaning: does it matter?

Iron-rich first foods and why they count

Introducing common allergens like egg and peanut

Gagging vs choking: what's normal and what isn't

Milk feeds once solids begin

For information only, not a substitute for individual medical advice.

Is allergy testing for your child worth it, and which results can you trust?
Paediatric dietitian Lucy Upton and Consultant paediatrician Dr Nick Makwana explain food allergy testing in babies and children. 
What skin prick tests and blood tests can and can't tell you, why a positive result doesn't always mean a true allergy, and why home intolerance tests leave so many families confused.
In this episode:
IgE vs non-IgE food allergy, and why it changes how we test

Skin prick tests and specific IgE blood tests explained

Why your child's history matters more than any single result

Oral food challenges: what happens and when they're used

IgG, hair, kinesiology and home kits: what the evidence actually says

When to ask your GP for an allergy clinic referral

For information only, not a substitute for individual medical advice.

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Fussy eating: what's normal, what isn't, and why pressure backfires. Fussy eating is one of the most common reasons parents lose sleep over food, and one of the most misunderstood, with an endless swaith of information online promising hacks to get children to eat.  As a topic close to Lucy’s heart, and clinical practice, this week Nick and Lucy take it apart. The child who ate everything at 10 months and now lives on beige. The plate pushed away before it's even tasted. The bribes, the negotiations, the dinner that ends in tears (theirs or yours). For many families, this can be an exhausting but normal stage of development. For some, it's a sign that something else needs looking at.In this episode, hosts Dr Nick Makwana, Consultant Paediatrician and Lucy Upton, Specialist Paediatric Dietitian and Feeding Therapist discuss:- Why fussy eating happens, and why so many toddlers suddenly refuse foods they used to love- What's developmentally normal, and the signs that it might be more than a phase- Why pressure, praise and "just one more bite" often make things worse- How repeated, low-pressure exposure works, and why it takes longer than most parents expect- The medical side: growth, constipation, reflux, iron and the other things worth ruling out- Accepted foods, and why they belong on the plate- When and where to get help, including when it may be more than Fussy Eating- What we'd say to a parent who's dreading the next mealtimeAlso available to listen on Apple Podcasts and Youtube.This episode provides general information and is not medical advice about your individual child. If you're worried about your child's growth, weight, or eating, speak to your GP, health visitor or dietitian.