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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.
It's normal for children and teenagers to experience a range of emotions, including sadness, however childhood depression is more than just feeling sad.
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.
Developmental Coordination Disorder is a lifelong disability impacting most aspects of daily living that involve movement. With an estimated prevalence of ~5% of children, the disorder affects an average of one to two children in every Australian classroom.
One in eight children have asthma, a chronic disease of the airways in the lungs. It results in shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and coughing.
Bronchiolitis is a respiratory infection, usually occurring in babies under six months of age. It causes them to wheeze and can lead to pneumonia. Researchers are focusing on vaccines against the virus which commonly causes it.
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.
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.
Immunisation is the most effective way of protecting your child against a range of serious illnesses, including measles, hepatitis B and whooping cough. All vaccines used in Australia undergo stringent testing and ongoing monitoring.
While individual diseases are rare, as a group, rare diseases are common. Recent estimates suggest that between 3% and 6% of the world’s population are affected by rare disease.