Winter illnesses with Matt O’Meara

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:

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:

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:

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:

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: