Children (4-12)

Taking care to restrain children correctly while travelling in a car is the best way to prevent injuries.

Being immunised from an early age helps protect your child against serious childhood infections.

There is a range of subsidised and free health services, including services for mental health and dental health, available for children in Victoria.

Children should have an oral health check by the time they turn two.

By law, parents or guardians must provide an Immunisation History Statement when enrolling children in any childcare service, kindergarten or primary school in Victoria.

If you think your child is in pain, always see your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Some immunisations are recommended for all Australian teenagers.

All children are eventually exposed to drugs ‒ prescription medication, alcohol and tobacco, and sometimes illegal drugs too ‒ or to messages about drugs.

CPR is a life-saving skill that everyone should learn from an accredited organisation.

Being immunised from an early age helps protect your child against serious childhood infections.

A young child is naturally active, so build upon their inclinations to use their body.

There is a range of subsidised and free health services, including services for mental health and dental health, available for children in Victoria.

Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet for active children, so offer nutritious as well as high energy snacks.

Babies and young children do not usually grow in a perfectly smooth way, but instead grow in 'bursts'.

Parenting is one of the most important tasks we undertake but it doesn't always come naturally.

Everyone's immunisation needs are different and are influenced by your health, lifestyle, age and occupation.

The Victorian Child Protection Service provides child-centred, family-focused services to protect children and young people who are at risk of significant harm.

People who have support from family and friends are less likely to suffer poor health after bereavement and loss.

It can be difficult to talk to a child about death, but it is important to be honest with them.

Provides an overview of family support programs and health services available to refugees and asylum seekers living in Victoria.

Preschoolers may not have the words but will show their distress at traumatic events through changes in behaviour and functioning.

Children look to their parents or carers to judge how to deal with a crisis.

Teenagers may turn to friends rather than parents for support in times of trauma and distress.

Your child is starting to understand social skills like sharing and being kind, but they can only practise these skills for a short time while feeling safe and happy.

A child learning to walk receives important sensory information from the soles of their feet, and shoes can make walking more difficult.

Dyslexia is a type of specific learning difficulty (SLD) in which the person has difficulties with language and words.

Growing pains may cause a lot of pain but they are harmless and can respond to simple treatments.

Always see your doctor if you are concerned about your child's growth or weight

Babies and young children do not usually grow in a perfectly smooth way, but instead grow in 'bursts'.

Some athletes and bodybuilders wrongly believe that taking synthetic growth hormone will help build up their muscles.

By law, parents or guardians must provide an Immunisation History Statement when enrolling children in any childcare service, kindergarten or primary school in Victoria.

When your child turns three-and-a-half, it is time for their final key age and stage appointment with your maternal and child health nurse.

Adjusting to the many changes that happen around puberty can be difficult for both parents and young people.

Teething symptoms are common in children and can be managed without medications.

Asthma cannot be cured, but with good management people with asthma can lead normal, active lives.

Parents and children talk about some of the factors that can cause a child's asthma to flare up.

Understanding asthma triggers for your child can help to reduce the risk of an asthma attack

Children with back pain may grow into adults with chronic bad backs, so it is important to encourage sensible back care.

Bedwetting is a problem for many children and punishing them for it will only add to their distress.

Mild vomiting is normal in most babies and improves over time.

A healthy diet, plenty of fluids, exercise and regular toilet habits can help relieve constipation in children

Many parents worry when their child with diabetes starts or returns to school.

Eating disorders are a mental illness and can affect people of all gender, ages, cultures and body sizes.

Gastroenteritis is common in young children and spreads easily. See your doctor if your child is vomiting often, not drinking, showing signs of dehydration or has blood in their poo.

No product can prevent head lice, but regular checks can help prevent the spread.

By law, parents or guardians must provide an Immunisation History Statement when enrolling children in any childcare service, kindergarten or primary school in Victoria.

If your child is overweight, you can help by making healthier lifestyle choices for yourself.

Despite the unsavoury reputation, a pinworm infection (worms) is relatively harmless and easily treated.

A negative body image increases the risk of engaging in unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, such as dieting or restrictive eating, overexercising and other disordered eating or weight control behaviours.

People who skip breakfast may lack sufficient vitamins and minerals including iron, calcium, zinc and vitamin B2.

If you eat and enjoy fruit and vegetables every day, your child may eventually follow your lead.

Children are able to decide how much food they need for activity and growth, if allowed to eat according to their appetite.

Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet for active children, so offer nutritious as well as high energy snacks.

Simple ways to make a child's school lunch healthier and nutritious.

About iron and iron deficiency - symptoms, stages, causes, diagnosis, prevention, treatment, who is at risk, daily intake, food sources and supplements.

Encourage children to drink and enjoy water. Sweet drinks such as juice, cordial and soft drinks may cause health problems for children if consumed in large amounts.

Victorian State Public Health Nutritionist Veronica Graham takes us shopping for the right foods to include in your child's lunchbox.

Victorian State Public Health Nutritionist Veronica Graham shares three healthy and delicious lunchbox examples for the kids and provides some great food preparation tips to save you time throughout the week.

Give your child opportunities to appreciate their body for what it can do, rather than what it looks like.

A negative body image increases the risk of engaging in unhealthy lifestyle behaviours, such as dieting or restrictive eating, overexercising and other disordered eating or weight control behaviours.

Parents can help with bullying by supporting their child and involving the authorities to find solutions.

If your child's shyness is especially debilitating, you may like to consider professional help from a counsellor or psychologist.

Sibling rivalry is a common problem, particularly among children who are the same sex and close together in age.

Children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to experience emotional and behavioural problems.

Peer groups can be a very positive influence on your teenager's life.

How parents and carers can talk to children about relationships, sex and sexuality. Includes - how and when to start, topics at different ages and stages, teenage sex, school safety and support.

A young child is naturally active, so build upon their inclinations to use their body.

Physical activity is an important part of health and wellbeing, and girls should remain active as they grow up.

Make sure that some family outings offer opportunities for physical activity, such as playing sport together.

Body mass index or BMI is an approximate measure of your total body fat.

Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet for active children, so offer nutritious as well as high energy snacks.

Babies and young children do not usually grow in a perfectly smooth way, but instead grow in 'bursts'.

Once children are overweight, it takes a lot of effort for them to return to a healthy weight.

If your child is overweight, you can help by making healthier lifestyle choices for yourself.

You can help your child to develop healthy patterns for life and avoid obesity

Physical activity is an important part of health and wellbeing, and girls should remain active as they grow up.

Children should always be closely supervised near animals and taught how to behave safely around pets.

As they grow and develop, and with the help of adults, children become increasingly aware of how they can manage their own safety and become safer road and bicycle users.

Most hot tap water scald injuries to children happen in the bathroom.

Toddlers are most at risk of drowning because they are mobile and curious but don't understand the danger of water.

CPR is a life-saving skill that everyone should learn from an accredited organisation.

The best way to reduce the risk of injury to children is to remove a potentially dangerous item or add a safety product.

By making a few practical changes to your home, you can dramatically reduce the risk of injury to your child.

Taking care to restrain children correctly while travelling in a car is the best way to prevent injuries.

Children who live on farms are at greater risk of injury and death than their parents or other farm workers.

Play environments can be safe and beneficial for your child. With proper planning, you can make sure your child gets plenty of playtime activity.

Call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 immediately if you suspect your child has been poisoned, given the wrong medicine or the wrong dose of medicine.

As they grow and develop, and with the help of adults, children become increasingly aware of how they can manage their own safety, and become safer road users.

Scooters can travel at fast speeds and falls and collisions are disturbingly common.