Why is asthma more common in boys than girls? Does growing up with a cat reduce the risk of getting asthma? Should kids with asthma exercise?

Asthma is one of the most common childhood conditions in Australia, but it can look very different from one child to another. Some children have regular symptoms, while others can be fine and well between attacks and then become very unwell quickly.

In this episode of Kids’ Health Explained, host Sophie Delezio talks about childhood asthma with Professor Adam Jaffe, respiratory paediatrician at Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick.

They discuss:

• why asthma triggers (from animals to smokes) can be different for each child
• how asthma is diagnosed in children
• why preventer medicines can be as important as relievers
• how asthma treatment is changing, and why there is a shift from the blue puffers.

Useful links:

• Asthma factsheet, Sydney Children's Hospitals Network: https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/factsheets/asthma
• Asthma Australia – Asthma Action Plans for kids: https://asthma.org.au/kids/ongoing-care/asthma-action-plans/
• Australian Asthma Handbook: https://www.asthmahandbook.org.au/

Jellyfish, spiders, snakes, ticks, bees and even blue-ringed octopuses – Australia is home to plenty of creatures that can bite or sting.

Which encounters are genuinely dangerous, and what should parents do when they happen?

In this episode of Kids’ Health Explained, host Sophie Delezio is joined by Dr Darren Roberts, Medical Director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre, to discuss:

• what to do after a suspected snake bite
• the difference between funnel-web, redback and white-tailed spiders
• how to treat bluebottle stings and stay safe from blue-ringed octopus
• how to recognise signs of a serious allergic reaction
• when to call Triple Zero (000), and when the Poisons Information Centre can help with managing bites and stings at home.

Learn how to do poisons first aid and pressure bandaging: https://www.poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.au/first-aid

Visit NSW Poisons Information Centre website: https://www.poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.au/

Follow our social media accounts: https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/about/news-and-media/follow-us

Late last year, Australia became the first country in the world to restrict social media for kids under 16, with countries including New Zealand, the UK and France now considering similar measures.

The Australian government is also looking to create laws to make algorithms optional on social media platforms.

But how does social media actually affect children? Are all kids equally vulnerable to risky content like looksmaxxing, and what can parents do to support them online and offline?

In this episode, host Sophie Delezio is joined by child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr Daniel You and clinical psychologist Micah Boerma to discuss:

• why social media affects children more than TV and other “new” technologies of the past
• the relationship between algorithms, risky content, AI, anxiety and depression
• how parents can model healthy phone use in the family
• how to recognise changes in a child’s wellbeing as they adjust
• whether digital natives are better equipped to handle social media, and whether children will ‘fall behind’ without it.

https://www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/about/news-and-media/follow-us