Search
Whooping cough (pertussis) is a highly contagious respiratory infection which causes a severe cough and can be particularly dangerous to babies under a year old. Vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk of whooping cough.
Not all children or teenagers identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. As a result, some may choose to change their name, their clothes or their body. With considerably higher rates of depression, anxiety, self-harm and attempted suicide, the need for specialist mental health services has been recognised.
Vaccination is the injection of an inactivated bacteria or virus into the body. This simulated infection allows an individual's immune system to develop an adaptive immunity for protection against that type of illness. When a sufficiently large percentage of a population has been vaccinated, this results in herd immunity.
Diabetes is the name for a number of different metabolic disorders in which the body's healthy levels of blood sugar (glucose) can't be maintained.Diabetes can have a significant impact on quality of life should complications develop. Diabetes can affect the individual's entire body.
Occurring in 1% of school-aged children, Tourette syndrome is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterised by uncontrollable movements and vocalisations known as tics.
A severe neurodevelopmental disorder mostly affecting girls.
Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is the most important cause of acquired cardiovascular disease in children and young adults. Virtually non-existent in most of Australia, it still predominantly affects Aboriginal communities.
Bullying is now regarded as a health problem and not just a disciplinary problem. Increasing evidence shows both traditional bullying (e.g. hitting, teasing) and cyberbullying have lasting effects on young people (both those who bully and those who are bullied), including damage to self-esteem, academic results and mental health.
Glue ear is when a child's middle ear fills with sticky fluid behind the ear drum. A common condition, glue ear usually goes undetected, as it's not an obvious condition from the outside.
About 2 per cent of children are estimated to have an intellectual disability. The cause of the condition is unknown in at least 50 per cent of cases.