infant
Dr Scott Parsons
The author, has worked as a general practitioner with a special interest in paediatrics for the last 20 years. He has developed this website in order to help parents with the task of raising children. He currently works at the Royal Children's Hospital in Melbourne in the Emergency Department and also the associated cohealth GP clinic.
Affiliations
The website content is based on evidenced based guidelines. There are no commercial affiliations.
Constipation
Constipation means painful hard bowel actions. This is common and the right advice will avoid long term problems. Understanding constipation is essential to ensure an appropriate treatment plan is developed to help fix this. There is lots of inappropriate advice and suggestions surrounding childhood constipation which can delay proper management
Wheeze in 1-5 year olds
Many toddlers and young children will experience ‘wheezy’ episodes associated with a cough and runny nose. This article helps parents manage wheezy toddlers.
Asthma
This article discusses asthma, background, different types and the current available medications.
Bronchiolitis
How Do You Catch It? The virus is spread when infected mucous is sneezed or coughed into another child’s face or onto table tops or objects such as toys. Infection occurs when the child touches these surfaces and then his/her eyes or nose. Illness begins about 3 to 7 days later. The illness Bronchiolitis […]
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis refers to vomiting and diarrhoea. The cause is usually viral and it represents one of the most common reasons for seeing a doctor. The treatment involves oral rehydration therapy to avoid dehydration.
Cough
Cough is an essential way in which the lungs expel unwanted material. It is a protection for the more fragile areas of the lungs. Unfortunately cough can be distressing particularly during the night. There is little role for cough medicines in children though they are marketed very well. The most common cause of cough is a simple viral bronchitis after an upper respiratory tract infection.
Pneumonia (Chest Infection)
Pneumonia implies an infection that has infiltrated the tissues of the lungs. In children the most common cause is viral, but often it is difficult to determine whether bacterial or viral. In more serious cases the child will need hospitalisation for oxygen and intravenous medication. The vaccine prevenar has dramatically reduced the incidence of pneumococcal pneumonia, which was the most common cause of life threatening pneumonia in children. Hib vaccine is also effective against a bacteria called haemophilus.
Croup
Croup is a barking cough caused by a virus that infects the larynx. Sometimes the larynx is so inflamed a noise called a stridor occurs, which can be quite distressing and if severe will require treatment in hospital.
Colds & Upper Respiratory Tract Infections
Colds, also known as upper respiratory tract infections affect everyone, particularly during the winter months. Some children suffer middle ear infections, wheezy respiratory illnesses and other complications. This article aims to educate parents on managing these frequent viral illnesses.
Recurrent Abdominal Pain In Children
Constipation The definition is pain and discomfort when passing a bowel action. Young children for a variety of reasons can have a period of constipation, and they will suffer intermittent abdominal pains. This often occurs at the start of prep or grade one, where ‘bowel routines’ are put aside, due to being too busy, having […]
Coeliac Disease
This post discusses coeliac disease and also touches on the background to gluten intolerance
Acute Abdominal Pain
Children often complain of abdominal pains and ascertaining whether the cause is serious can be difficult. This is a common reason to seek medical advice. This article helps to decide whether the problem is severe enough to warrant a trip to the doctor. Click here to see the article on recurrent abdominal pain. How does […]