All genders

Every year, too many New Zealand babies die suddenly during sleep. Find out about the best ways to reduce the risk. Make every sleep a safe sleep for your baby.

Cerebral palsy (CP) affects tamariki (children) in different ways. If you have found out your child has CP, your journey might be different from what you had planned. There are services to help your child with CP to reach their potential. The journey of every child and their whānau (family) is different.

The heel prick test is a blood test - it involves collecting a sample of blood from your baby's heel 48 hours after their birth. 

Bronchiolitis is a chest condition that causes breathing problems in pēpi (babies). It's caused by a virus. Bronchiolitis is very easy to catch so wash your hands before and after handling your baby.

Biliary atresia is a rare but serious liver disorder that affects newborn pēpi (babies).

If your child is having difficulty with their voice, try to reduce situations where your child is yelling or talking over the top of noise. Encourage periods of quiet activities to give the voice a rest.

Stuttering is when people seem to get stuck on, or repeat, sounds when talking. Show your child that you are interested in what they say, not how they say it.

Communication is much more than words. Communication is the way we connect and interact with people. It is part of our identity and culture. It helps us to learn, interact with others and make friends.

Autism-takiwātanga is a difference in development that affects communication, social skills and behaviour. If your child does have autism-takiwātanga, there are services available to support your child, you and your whānau. 

Palliative care is the care provided to pēpi (babies), tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) with serious illnesses, and their whānau (families). It focuses on comfort, quality of life and support for your child and whānau.

A renal biopsy is a test to help decide what is wrong with your child's kidney. It involves taking a tiny sample of your child's kidney. 

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination in girls and boys helps prevent cervical and other cancers caused by HPV. HPV vaccination is free for everyone from 9 years of age until before their 27th birthday.

Flu vaccination is available from 1 April each year. It is important for everyone over 6 months old to have a flu vaccination every year. It is especially important for tamariki (children) with certain long-term health conditions, and for women in pregnancy.

Show your child that you are interested in what they say, not how they say it. Help your child learn how to say tricky sounds by repeating them correctly as naturally as possible.

Vaccination on time is the most effective way to protect hapū māmā (pregnant mothers), pēpi (babies) and tamariki (children) from preventable disease.

A health professional may recommend grommets if your child has frequent ear infections or glue ear (middle ear fluid that hasn’t cleared away).