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Convenient, readily available and helping create a close and loving bond between baby and mother, breastfeeding is highly regarded for optimising infant health and preventing chronic disease in adulthood.
We know from research that the risk of death from respiratory disease is 14 times higher for adults with cerebral palsy than for other adults. Respiratory disease is the most common cause of premature death in children and young people with cerebral palsy and one of the main causes of hospitalisation.
Our skin, the body’s largest organ, protects us and maintains overall health. Untreated recurring skin infections like impetigo and scabies severely impact children. The Kids is at the forefront of combatting skin infections, particularly within remote Aboriginal communities experiencing some of the world’s highest rates.
Middle ear infections are one of the main reasons that children visit a GP, are prescribed antibiotics and need surgery. Aboriginal children are particularly susceptible and commonly suffer from hearing loss which can affect speech and learning.
A lifelong auto-immune condition that can affect anyone, but is most commonly diagnosed in childhood.
Food allergies have become more common in our community, with up to one in ten young children now affected. Reactions can range from mild hives to life threatening anaphylaxis and breathing difficulties. The most common food allergies are to egg, peanut, tree nuts, cow’s milk, fish, shellfish, sesame, wheat and soy.
Language is one of the most remarkable developmental accomplishments of early childhood. Language connects us with others and is an essential tool for literacy, education, employment and lifelong learning.
Cancers in children are very different from cancers in adults - in most cases they appear to strike simply at random. They also develop differently and can spread more rapidly and aggressively. And because cancers in children are not obviously linked to their lifestyles, much work is needed to pinpoint their cause.
Each day of school missed makes a difference, with the effect on learning accumulating over time. From an early age, if children are taught that they need to 'show up' for school and make a commitment, this positive mentality aids academic and career success and brings benefits in adulthood.
Here’s what we know so far about the impact of COVID-19 on children.