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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.
The importance of play for a child’s development is irrefutable. Playgroups provide a safe environment for children of similar ages to play and develop prior to starting school.
Influenza (commonly known as the flu) is caused by a highly contagious virus spread mainly through coughing and sneezing. An annual flu vaccination is the most effective way to prevent flu outbreaks.
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.
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.
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.
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.
According to the Young Minds Matter study, mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression are experienced by approximately one in seven or 560,000 young people in Australia. These disorders can often have a significant impact on children’s learning and development and on family life.