At least one economist worries we’ll be mostly poorer.
AP Photo/Go Nakamura
We asked four of our regular economics writers to examine a key theme they expect to flare up in 2018 and why.
Children aged under two are at increased risk of meningococcal disease.
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Meningococcal is a rare but very serious infection that can lead to blood poisoning and brain infection. But no single vaccine protects against all the strains.
A tasty treat but is it too much?
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It’s not laziness that is causing some parents to overfeed their children.
There’s lots going on in the lives of four-year-old boys, including how to regulate their emotions. Let’s not blame their hormones.
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Some parents think their four-year-old boy’s emotional outbursts and aggressive behaviour can be blamed on their hormones. Here’s why that’s a myth.
There are many health benefits to kids playing outdoors, not the least of which is preventing myopia.
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Kids need to play outside for a number of reasons, but there may even be benefit for their eyes. Here’s how sunlight helps prevent nearsightedness, or myopia.
Early years settings, like preschools and kindergarten, are often the first place social difficulties are identified.
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Parents need support from early childhood educators to build capacity to claim for NDIS services.
Seeking advice.
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Parental well-being is being adversely affected by baby advice which isn’t backed by evidence.
Parents are concerned combination vaccines, which protect against several diseases at once, can be too much for a young immune system to cope with.
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Vaccines against multiple diseases in one jab strengthen kids’ immune systems, not weaken them. Here’s why we shouldn’t fear these combination vaccines.
On the ward.
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Why do a higher proportion of children in England end up on wards after being checked into emergency departments?
Exclusive breastfeeding is recommended up to 6 months of age.
Alissa Everett/Reuters
Breastfeeding has many health benefits for both baby and mother. But it can also can be difficult to sustain exclusively without support.
Contraception empowers women to plan the number of children they will have.
Strong political support, community engagement and effective strategies can improve access to family planning in developing countries.
The edges of your lost tooth are sharp because when the root of the baby tooth is being eaten away, it tends to start from the middle of the root. That leaves a sharp edge behind when the tooth breaks off.
Flickr/Stephanie Young
Nicholas, aged 6, was watching TV one day when his tooth fell out. He noticed that the bottom edge of the tooth was very spiky. Now he wants to know why.
About 3% of babies are born with birth defects, when there is a problem with how they develop in the womb.
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We still don’t know what’s behind four out of every five birth defects. But that can change.
Displaced children, like these in the Iraqi town of Qaraqosh, are remarkably resilient but not all thrive in their new countries. Here’s how we can help them.
Joseph Galanakis/AAP
New research into the health of newly arrived refugee children in Australia gives us clues about how we can help all refugee kids.
Schools can offer their pupils valuable support systems even if they’re short on resources.
Reuters/Akintunde Akinleye
Schools that have supportive strategies in place can offer buffers. They can promote positive outcomes – for pupils and teachers.
Deciding whether or not to continue on medication in pregnancy is always a balancing act.
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A study has shown an association between antidepressants in pregnancy and risk to the baby. But there are many factors to consider if deciding whether to stay on an antidepressant if you’re pregnant.
Children at a camp for people displaced by Boko Haram insurgents in North-East Nigeria.
Flickr/Immanuel Afrolabi
More than 788 health facilities have been destroyed in parts of North-Eastern Nigeria captured by Boko Haram insurgents, crippling health services in the area.
Kangaroo mother care: the marsupials have got it right.
Lilla Frerichs
Kangaroo mother care: the long-term benefits of closeness in the early days of life.
Cash for veg.
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Here are some tips to get your picky eater into lifelong healthy habits.
It takes more than PE lessons to keep kids healthy.
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If we want our children to stay healthy, we need to start making it a priority for schools.