Youth Health
Good hygiene is important for teenage health and confidence
When your child was younger, you taught your child the basics of good hygiene, washing hands, covering their mouth when they cough and having regular baths or showers. Adolescence is a time to build on these basics. It is a time when your child’s changing body means that personal hygiene will need to change too.…
Read MoreStopping the spread of infection in childhood education and care services
In the education and care service that your child attends, the educators and staff try to limit the spread of disease to keep the children and staff healthy. Hands play an important role in spreading germs. For that reason, hand hygiene is a very effective way to control the spread of infection. Hand hygiene means…
Read MoreInfection Control and Prevention
Infections are common in children and often lead to illness. Children first enter early childhood education and care services when their immune systems are still developing. They may not have been exposed to many common germs that cause infections and they may be too young to be vaccinated against some diseases. What causes infection? Microscopic…
Read MoreSocial distancing with babies and small children
If you are feeling overwhelmed by all the advice on how to keep your family well, you are not alone. The COVID-19 pandemic has left many parents confused and unsure. One thing is certain, staying home and social distancing is an important way to reduce the risk of catching the virus. Here is how to…
Read MoreThe Middle Years: Time to promote Wellbeing and Learning
The middle years, defined from 8 to 14 years, is a sensitive time of development when environmental effects are strong, and the impact of intervention might be greatest. Puberty dominates this period, bringing a cascade of physical, biological, social and emotional growth. Children look beyond their family groups and achieve great personal development during this…
Read MoreParenting Children with Additional Needs
Every parent is different. But after a diagnosis of disability or autism spectrum disorder (ASD), it is very common for parents to feel overwhelmed, shocked, disbelieving, numb, worried or a combination of all these things. Once parents have a diagnosis, that gives them some idea of what the future may hold. There is no template…
Read MorePassive Smoking effects on Children
Do not smoke and do not allow yourself to your children be exposed to smoke because second-hand smoke and third-hand smoke are just as deadly as first-hand smoke. While first-hand smoke refers to the smoke inhaled by a smoker and second-hand smoke to the exhaled smoke that can get inhaled by your children, third-hand smoke…
Read MoreChildcare and COVID-19
As a parent, you may wonder how childcare centers are managing during the COVID-19 outbreak. As an educator, you might look for ways to keep kids happy, safe during this time. Fortunately, children do not seem to be at high risk for COVID-19 and they can continue to go to childcare if they are well.…
Read MoreAllergies in Childhood
Allergies happen when your child’s immune system reacts to an allergen in the environment. It might be something like food, dust, mites, or pollen. Allergens cause your child’s immune system to release histamine and other substances into his body, this leads to allergy symptoms. Children who have family members with allergies or allergy problems like…
Read MoreChildren and COVID-19
COVID-19 is new, so we are still learning about it and how it affects people, including children. It seems to affect children much less severely than older people. COVID-19 spreads easily through sneezing, coughing, breathing, talking and hand contact. The virus can also live on objects that have been in contact with an infected person’s…
Read More