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A lifelong auto-immune condition that can affect anyone, but is most commonly diagnosed in childhood.
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed childhood mental health disorder, affecting about 1 in 20 children. It can impact their behaviour, learning and social skills.
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.
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.
Even in the safety of their home, there are many risky places a child or teenager can visit online. This can be due to the content they see, who they come into contact with, and personal information they share.
Characterised by varying degrees of difficulties in communication skills and social abilities, one in every 100 individuals will have a diagnosis of an autism spectrum condition. While autism is known to run in families, the exact causes remain unknown.
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.
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.
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.