Young Sick Girl with Thermometer in Mouth

Are you over-treating your child’s cold?

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Children have on average up to 10 colds each year. And because colds are caused by 200 different viruses (germs), they can have several colds one after the other. A cold virus attacks the lining of your child’s nose and throat, inflaming and causing them to produce mucus. The most common symptoms are sore throat,

Coffee cup full of high caffeine strength coffee beans

Mythbusting: Our top myths about caffeine

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We drink more than 16 million cups of coffee each day in Australia – but for all our love and familiarity with caffeine, some myths prevails. Here are the facts behind some of them: Myth What does the research say? Caffeine is only found in coffee, tea, cola and energy drinks Caffeine is found in

Portrait of a young female with PTSD

Women more likely to have PTSD

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Post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) has traditionally been associated with military combat. However, did you know that females are more likely than males to experience PTSD? It affects 1 in 12 women, compared to 1 in 22 men. What is PTSD? PTSD is a set of reactions to experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event that threatens your

Blue methamphetamine and liquid in flasks on table in laboratory

The ‘ice’ trap: what you need to know

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Ice is the purest and most addictive form of the methamphetamine group of illicit drugs. Addictions can develop because ice is able to trick and then trap the brain. Also called crystal meth, ice makes the brain release up to 1,000 times the normal level of dopamine, a neurotransmitter (natural chemical) that controls the brain’s

Senior couple having ride with their bike on the beach

Forever young? The rise of anti-ageing

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For people who see growing old in negative terms, anti-ageing treatments are understandably attractive when they claim to reverse the signs of ageing and prevent disease. However, these treatments – which can include hormone therapies, supplements such as resveratrol, and antioxidants such as vitamins and minerals – have raised a number of concerns. For instance,

Rainbow coloured hands held up in front of a white background

Does this mean my child is gay?

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Some classical behaviours can make a parent ask: ‘Is my child gay or lesbian?’ For example, a boy dresses up in his mother’s shoes or your child engaging in same gender sexual play such as ‘playing doctors’. The short answer is usually ‘No’. Such behaviours usually mean nothing about sexual orientation, but are rather an

Young boy and girl lying on a bed enjoying playing video games together

The latest on video games for kids

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Video games are considered to be part of overall screen time that also includes TV and computers. The recommended amount of screen time each day for children is: 0 hours for 0-2 year olds 1 hour for 2-5 year olds 2 hours of entertainment for 5-17 year olds. The research shows that screen time may

Teenage boy feeling sad being watched by a group of friends in the background

Teenagers coping with rejection

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Rejection hurts – but what should you do about it? You can avoid rejection by not trying anything new. However the downside of this approach is: Nothing tried, nothing gained. The better alternative may be accepting that rejection is a normal part of life and learning to cope better with it so you can bounce

A general practitioner talking to senior man in his practice surgery

When it pays to see your GP

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Deciding to see a doctor can be easy when you have an obvious injury or illness. But when to comes to preventing health problems, making a decision may be more difficult. While some people simply aren’t aware of the need for prevention, for others it’s the cost that can hold them back. In fact, one

Close up image of a head louse

Head lice

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Get your head around head lice Dealing with your child’s head lice can be frustrating when you get rid of them, only to find some months later that they’ve come back again. Lice have lived on human heads for thousands of years, so it’s often impossible to completely stop them. But you can help reduce