Day: January 21, 2024

Coughs and colds in children What is the ‘common cold’? The common cold is an infection caused by a virus. Hundreds of different viruses can cause colds and they usually affect the nose, ears and throat. They are easily spread from person to person through infected droplets from the mouth and nose. They can also be passed on through coughs and sneezes. Colds are very common. Healthy preschool children often catch at least 6 colds per year. Sometimes, after recovering from a virus kids get sick with a new and different virus, so it can seem as though they are ‘always

What is soft tissue sarcoma? Soft tissue sarcomas are tumours that grow in the cells in the soft tissues of the body: for example, in the muscles, fat, cartilage, nerves, tendons, lining of the joints or the blood vessels. Soft tissue sarcomas can grow almost anywhere in the body. Sarcomas are rare, but they are one of the most common cancers in children. Experts don’t know why some children develop soft tissue sarcoma. It’s more common in children who have been exposed to radiation, who were born with certain genetic conditions, or who have HIV at the same time as the Epstein-Barr virus that causes glandular

What is salt? Salt is a mineral made mostly of sodium chloride. It has been used to flavour and preserve food for centuries, but recently attention has focused on the health risks of high-salt diets, specifically due to the sodium in salt. You need sodium for your body to function, but too much is linked to high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease. Most Australians are consuming more salt (and therefore sodium) than is recommended — nearly twice as much on average. What’s the difference between salt and sodium? Sodium chloride — the compound in salt — combines

What do social workers do? What is a social worker? Social workers are allied health professionals. They help people needing support to make changes in their lives. Social workers can provide counselling, information and referrals to other services. A social worker can help you to face life’s challenges. Social workers often support people with issues relating to: addiction or gambling alcohol and other drugs poverty, homelessness or housing stress financial stress mental wellbeing and illness domestic and family violence physical health and disabilities social injustice and discrimination child and family, and other relationships What training does a social worker have? Social workers are educated

  What is social anxiety disorder? Social anxiety disorder, also known as social phobia, is a recurrent disproportionate fear of social situations, where a person fears being judged, criticised or humiliated in front of other people. Social anxiety disorder is not just being shy or nervous when in formal situations or when having to give a speech – situations where many people feel apprehensive. It happens in ordinary everyday situations, such as eating in public, meeting people, or being watched while doing something. A person may feel that they will humiliate or embarrass themselves. The fear of embarrassment and of

Are snake bites serious? Knowing whether a snake bite is dangerous or not can be difficult. This article explains what to do — including providing the proper first aid treatment — if you are bitten by a snake. It’s also important to be aware that bites from snakes can cause a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis) in some rare cases. Learn more about first aid treatment for severe allergic reactions in the ‘anaphylaxis’ section below. How do I provide first aid for snake bites? You should always provide emergency care if you or someone else is bitten by a snake —

How does smoking affect my fertility? Quitting smoking increases your fertility for both females and males. Females who smoke may have: difficulty conceiving early onset of menopause many cancers, including ovarian cancer Males who smoke may have: trouble getting and maintaining an erection lower sperm count damage to DNA in sperm causing health problems in your baby How can smoking affect my baby? Smoking during pregnancy exposes your baby to harmful chemicals. Every time you smoke, your baby effectively smokes too. Nicotine and other harmful chemicals pass through the placenta and into your baby’s body. Smoking also reduces blood flow to your baby. Smoking while pregnant can

Quitting smoking Why should I quit smoking? Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death and disease in Australia. Tobacco smoke contains more than 7,000 chemicals and many of them can cause cancer. Smoking harms nearly every organ of the body and every cigarette is doing you harm. From the moment you stop smoking, however, your body begins to repair itself and you will start noticing the benefits quite quickly. Quitting smoking can be tough, but as well as the health benefits and being able to save money, there are other reasons to give up — with benefits both for the

What is smallpox? Smallpox is a serious disease caused by the variola virus. It has now been entirely removed from the world through vaccination. It is very contagious and killed millions of people worldwide before the World Health Organization (WHO) began an international immunisation campaign. In 1980 the WHO announced that smallpox had been eradicated. It was the first infectious disease to have been completely wiped out worldwide. The last case in Australia occurred in 1938. The last reported naturally occurring case anywhere in the word was in Somalia in 1977. After the disease was officially eradicated, all remaining stocks of the

Falls and the elderly Why are falls a particular concern for older people? Anyone can have a fall, but falls are a major health concern for older people (those aged 65 and over). Falls are the leading cause of unintentional injury in older Australians. As our population ages and the number of older people grows, the likelihood of more falls and fall-related hospitalisations increases. Nearly 1 in 3 older Australians have experienced a fall in the past 12 months. Of these, 1 in 5 required hospitalisation. Even when falls don’t cause an injury, they often trigger a loss of confidence in an

Gastric sleeve surgery What is gastric sleeve surgery? Gastric sleeve surgery, or sleeve gastrectomy, is surgery for weight loss that involves removal of a large part of the stomach. After the surgery, the person feels full after eating a small amount of food. The surgery also makes people feel less hungry because a smaller stomach will produce lower levels of a hormone called ghrelin, which causes hunger. When should I consider gastric sleeve surgery? Gastric sleeve surgery is a form of bariatric surgery, also called weight loss surgery. It is sometimes recommended for people who are very obese, or who have

What is sleepwalking? Sleepwalking is a type of sleep disorder. It simply means that you move around while you are asleep. You will do things without knowing about it. You usually can’t remember what you have done. You may just walk around a room or the whole house, and then go back to bed. Other people might talk, shout or eat. Some people even move furniture or drive a car. Treatment isn’t usually needed for people who sleepwalk. However, there are things you can do to lower the chance of sleepwalking. Sleepwalking usually happens early in the night. Children are more

What are sleeping pills used for? Sleeping pills are medicines designed to help you fall asleep or stay asleep, and are sometimes used to help treat insomnia. Sleeping pills can have serious side effects, so if you are having sleep problems it’s a good idea to talk to a healthcare professional. It’s important to remember that sleeping pills might help you sleep, but they do not treat the cause of your insomnia. What are the different types of sleeping pills? Some sleeping pills are prescription medicines while others can be purchased over the counter. Some medicines can cause you to become sleepy as a

Why is sleep important for my child? All children need sleep for growth, learning and development. Getting enough sleep is vital for your child’s physical health, brain function, emotional wellbeing, safety, and ability to function day to day. Having a good night’s sleep can help your child be happier, helps them to concentrate and remember things, and improves their behaviour. Not having enough sleep or not sleeping well can affect how children learn and lead to mood swings, poor growth and behavioural problems. How much sleep do children need? The amount of sleep your child needs changes as they grow.

What is sleep paralysis? Sleep paralysis is when you cannot move or speak for a short time after waking up or while falling asleep. It may last a few seconds or a few minutes. About 8 in every 100 people will experience sleep paralysis at some stage. It might happen only once, or reoccur often. It usually starts in adolescence and happens most often between ages 20 and 40 years. It does not cause any physical harm, but it can be scary. During a stage of sleep called ‘rapid eye movement (REM)’ sleep, your body becomes temporarily paralysed. This means you can’t

Adequate sleep is vital for your health, but can be hard to achieve when life is busy. Sleeping problems are common, with up to 4 in 10 Australian adults not getting enough good-quality sleep. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to improve your sleep. What are the stages of sleep? When you are asleep, your eyes are closed, most of your muscles are relaxed and your consciousness is practically suspended. While your body is mostly still, your brain is quite active. Your body’s circadian rhythm (or, internal biological ‘clock’) control when you feel sleepy and when you’re typically

Fifth disease (Slapped cheek disease) What is fifth disease? Fifth disease (also known as ‘slapped cheek disease’, erythema infectiosum or Parvovirus B19) is a fairly mild viral illness, usually of childhood. It is a common infection — half of adults have been infected during their childhood. Why is it called fifth disease? It is called fifth disease as it was the fifth of the 5 common viral rash illnesses of childhood. The ‘slapped cheek disease’ name comes from its most obvious symptom — a red rash that makes children’s cheeks look like they’ve been slapped. What are the symptoms of

What are skin tags? Skin tags are growths that hang from your skin — your doctor might call them ‘acrochordons’. They range from 1mm to 1cm and are made of collagen (a type of protein) and blood vessels surrounded by skin. They usually grow in the folds of the skin, where skin rubs together, such as, armpits, groin, anus, thighs, eyelids, neck or under the breasts. Skin tags are common, especially as the person ages. They occur in approximately 1 in every 2 adults. They don’t cause any harm, but if a skin tag is bothering you, you can talk

What are staph skin infections? Staph bacteria are often found on your skin or in your nose. Even healthy people can have staph bacteria on their skin. It usually doesn’t cause any problems. A staph infection of the skin happens when staphylococcus bacteria gets inside your body and affects your skin. Examples of staph skin infections are wound infection cellulitis staphylococcus scalded skin syndrome (SSSS) impetigo What are the symptoms of a staph skin infection? The symptoms of staph skin infections can range from mild to serious. Wound infections Wounds happen when the skin is broken from a graze, cut, insect bite

What is skin cancer and melanoma? Skin cancer is a disease that occurs when your skin cells grow abnormally, usually from too much exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. This uncontrolled growth of abnormal cells forms a tumour in the skin. Tumours are either benign (non-cancerous), or malignant (cancerous tumours that can spread through the body, causing damage). Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer: each year, more than 15,000 Australians are diagnosed with a melanoma and over a million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancers are treated. Skin cancer is mostly preventable, and there are effective treatment options available.