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

Starting solids is an exciting milestone, but for many parents it can also feel confusing, messy and overwhelming.

What foods should come first? Is baby-led weaning better than purees? Is gagging normal? How should you introduce allergens?

In this episode of Kids’ Health Explained, Sophie Delezio is joined by Annabel Davies, a dietitian at the Sydney Children’s Hospital, Randwick, to help make starting solids a little less overwhelming.

Annabel explains:

• the signs a baby may be ready for solids
• why iron-rich foods are important
• how parents can safely introduce different textures and allergens
• what baby-led weaning is, and how it's different from spoon feeding
• why gagging is normal.

They also talk about changes to babies’ digestion, introducing water, and one of Annabel’s most reassuring pieces of advice: embrace the mess.

Your child wakes up sick at 9 pm. Do you head straight to emergency, wait to see your GP, visit an urgent care centre or seek help virtually?

In this episode of Kids’ Health Explained, Dr Jagdev Singh, Medical Lead of virtualKIDS, explains how to navigate healthcare when your child falls ill.

He and host Sophie Delezio discuss where families can turn to and what warning signs to look out for when their child is unwell with:

• fever
• breathing difficulties
• vomiting and diarrhoea
• head bumps
• cuts and grazes
• rashes
• febrile seizures.

They also discuss how services such as healthdirect and virtualKIDS can help take some of the guesswork out of caring for a sick child.

Why do babies need so many vaccines? Are the ingredients in vaccines safe? Do vaccines cause autism? How do you know what's true when there's so much conflicting information online?

In this episode, Director of the National Centre for Immunisation Research and Surveillance (NCIRS) Professor Kristine Macartney separates myths from facts and explains why the immunisation schedule looks the way it does.

She and host Sophie Delezio discuss:

• vaccine ingredients and concerns about autism
• why Australia's vaccination schedule starts early
• how to manage common vaccination side effects, and
• why delaying vaccines isn't recommended.

Cleaning chemicals, unsupervised medicine, even vapes - what should you do if your child swallowed something they shouldn't have?

In this episode, our host Sophie Delezio chats with Dr Darren Roberts, Medical Director of the NSW Poisons Information Centre about the most common poisoning risks for children, how to prevent them, and what parents and carers should do if the unexpected happens.

If you think someone has been poisoned or made a mistake with medicines, call the NSW Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 for advice 24 hours, 7 days a week. For more information, visit https://www.poisonsinfo.nsw.gov.au/

Winter’s here, along with all the seasonal health challenges and questions it brings for your family. Host Sophie Delezio is joined in the studio by Paediatric Emergency Doctor, Matt O’Meara, to answer these questions.

Matt busts some myths around the common cold, the effect vaporisers have on your child’s cough, and whether the flu vaccine or cold weather can give your kid a cold.

Watch on YouTube