When to take your child to hospital

The decision to take your child to hospital is difficult and this post attempts to help the parent who is unsure. Those symptoms such as cough, fever, or vomiting are common but occasionally may herald the onset of a more serious condition.

Gluten?

Gluten, that poor little nutritious protein found in wheat, barley and rye is the biggest victim of mistaken identity since someone confused Belle Gibson and Pete Evans as credible sources. Yes, I know gluten can induce serious gut damage in…

Influenza Vaccine – coming soon

Here at the frontline, cases of influenza are starting to appear. As well as high fever, sore throat, aches and pains, kids often get gastrointestinal symptoms. The 2015 vaccine has several strain updates. The flu in some people is devastating,…

Daycare illnesses….the good news

March in Melbourne is viral heaven.  All those delicious vulnerable immunological systems that have recently started daycare. Weird names such as rhinovirus, humanmetapneumovirus, coxsackie, Respiratory syncitial virus, etc… etc… are salivating…

Fussy eating and checking growth

  Does this child look skinny or normal ? The answer is normal. i.e. this is what kids are supposed to look like. Unfortunately up to 30% of children are classified as overweight, yet it is quite ironic I have never ever had…

Time for School

Time for school -“….and you see Marcia, that is why it is important to always tell the truth to Dad and Mum…” Cue Brady Bunch end of show music. Everyone sigh.The Brady Bunch, a nauseous show replayed ad nauseam still seems relevant…

Summer Holidays

Summer holidays parenting used to be simple. We were kicked out after breakfast and don’t show your face till sunset. Fine by us. Spent the days with mates who had similar lockout parenting policies. We taped up one side of a tennis…

Ah Spring… Full of allergies

Roses are Red, Violets are Blue, I sneezed, I snored, I blew, My love found someone new! The sneeze, like someone’s laugh, can be quite individual. The little cardigan clad old lady, so gentle she can hold her cup of tea whilst sneezing,…

Popeye you fraud!

Popeye and his girlfriend olive resulted in a 30% increase in the sales of canned spinach during the late 1930s. This association between spinach, its iron content and superhuman deeds caused me deep psychological scarring in what was an otherwise…

Northern NSW Emergency Room, 1990s

Just audible, over the single ominous note of the cardiac monitor, Willie Nelson, crooned Elvis’ You Were Always On My Mind. Sort of song you expect at 4am. The radio in the corner had no respect. Hopeless seconds pass. We had failed. “Are…

Last drinks for the Swans

Childhealth gets teased a bit. And so it happened on Saturday at the MCG. Not because the Swans played as if they had consumed sports drinks laced with alcohol, nope, it was because I brought my footy boots. I mean, there was a chance. If…