All ages

When tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) receive health or disability services, their needs should be the primary concern of the health provider.

Ear pain and concerns about hearing are one of the most common reasons parents take their young children to the doctor.

Sore throats are common in children. Sometimes children can get 'strep throat'. A rare complication of strep throat is rheumatic fever.

Allergies happen when your child's immune system mistakenly treats normally harmless substances as 'harmful'. The substances that trigger allergies are called allergens. The symptoms of an allergy vary according to what a child or young person is allergic to. 

It is important to know all the medicines your child is taking. Being well informed can help prevent mistakes with medicines.

Appendicitis can be serious. See a health professional urgently if you think your child has symptoms of appendicitis.

Eczema is a dry skin condition. You can easily manage most eczema at home but it needs care every day. There is no cure for eczema - just good management.

All young children have a limited attention span and sometimes do things without thinking. If these are severe enough to interfere with their learning and social relationships, in more than one setting, they can be a sign of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Gastroenteritis (gastro) is a bowel infection, usually caused by a virus. It causes runny, watery poo and sometimes vomiting. Tamariki (children) with gastroenteritis need to drink plenty of fluids.

Doctors will usually arrange a lumbar puncture to find out if your child has an infection of the lining or the fluid around their brain. A doctor inserts a needle in the lower back to get a sample of the fluid that moves around the brain and spine.

Bedwetting happens during sleep. Your child can't control their bedwetting - it is not their fault. Most tamariki (children) grow out of bedwetting.

Circumcision is the operation to remove the foreskin. Circumcision is not risk free. It's important to find out about the potential risks as well as potential benefits when considering circumcision.

An intravenous line (IV line) is a short, small plastic tube that the healthcare team may put into your child's vein using a needle. They remove the needle and leave the plastic tube in place so they can use medicines to treat your child.

Facing the death of your own child is one of the toughest life experiences. Here is some information you may find helpful. Some of it may apply to your own situation, some of it may not.

Children injured in driveway accidents often suffer severe and sometimes fatal injuries. Always check for tamariki before driving off, supervise them around vehicles and separate play areas from driveways.

Bereaved children and young people may experience a wide range of ongoing grief reactions, as adults do, but their age and stage, personality and family situation will affect their experience and expression of it.