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Welcome to the HealthInsite Newsletter.
This month I thought we might look at resources that are particularly relevant to families with children. As a mum with four teenagers, I'm constantly amazed at the variety of health related issues our family deals with. When I remember what life was like when they were babies I wonder how we managed at all. Everyone seemed to have well meaning advice or perhaps a horror story about someone they know who had to deal with a similar issue. It can sometimes be difficult to sort out fact from fiction.
HealthInsite is a good place to start. I've included resources for families with young children and a section for families with teenagers. My eldest son is planning on moving interstate in a couple of weeks so I've also included a section on coping with the transition when children leave home.
Please feel free to also let us know if you have any problems or if you have any suggestions for future editions by sending an email to
mailto:healthinsite.feedback@health.gov.au
IN THIS ISSUE Volume 2, Issue 1
Families with Young Children
I remember the time when my children were small as a series of highs and lows. That lovely feeling you get when a baby smiles or a toddler brings you a crayon drawing, the first tooth, the first step, the first day at school. Pudgy cheeks, giggles and the smell of clean skin. The other side of the coin is sleepless nights, unrelenting colic, award winning 2 year old tantrums. But most of all I remember that feeling of not really knowing what to do and being bombarded by well-meaning advice from all directions. Of course it can be much more difficult if you have a child with special needs.
HealthInsite has lots of resources that parents might find useful, here is a small selection:
Childhood
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Childhood
Babies
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Babies
Burns and Scalds
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Burns_and_Scalds
Child Safety
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Child_Safety
Croup
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Croup
Gastroenteritis in Children
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Gastroenteritis_in_Children
Exercise for Children
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Exercise_for_Children
Children and Stress
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Children_and_Stress
Childhood Development and Problems
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Childhood_Development_and__Problems
Circumcision
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Circumcision
Colic
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Colic
Fever and Rashes in Babies
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Fever_and_Rashes_in_Babies
Going to School
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Going_to_School
Head Lice
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Head_Lice
Impetigo
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Impetigo
Immunisation
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Immunisation_and_Vaccine_Preventable_Diseases
Constipation in Children
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Constipation_in_Children
Allergic Reactions to Stings and Bites
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Allergic_Reaction_to_Bites_and_Stings
Worms in Children
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Worms_in_Childhood
Allergies in Childhood
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Allergies_in_Childhood
Asthma
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Asthma
Respiratory Conditions in Childhood
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Respiratory_Conditions_in_Childhood
Choking
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Choking
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD or ADHD)
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Attention_Deficit_Disorder__ADD_or_ADHD_
Families with Teenagers
In lots of families there is a brief respite when children reached about 8 -10 years old. They are able to do most things for themselves and life is reasonably uncomplicated. And then something strange happens...adolescence. For some children it creeps up slowly over a period of time and the transition is quite subtle. For others it happens all of a sudden. One parent said that it was almost like aliens had kidnapped his delightful 11 year old and replaced him with a gangly, sullen, unco-operative replicant who slept all day, refused to shower and thought that the whole world was boring and pointless.
While this description might be extreme, it's clear that raising teenagers presents new challenges for parents and it's no picnic for the teenagers either. The following HealthInsite resources are a few that might be worth a look:
Adolescence
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Adolescence
Alcohol and Young People
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Alcohol_and_Young_People
Exercise for Young People
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Exercise_for_Young_People
Family Relationships
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Family_Relationships
Menstruation
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Menstruation
Puberty
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Puberty
Self Esteem in Young People
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Self_Esteem_in_Young_People
Young People and Relationships
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Young_People_and_Relationships
Young People and Sex
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Young_People_and_Sex
Mental Health in Young People
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Mental_Health_of_Young_People
Body Image
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Body_Image
Depression in Childhood and Adolescence
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Depression_in_Childhood_and_Adolescence
Peer Pressure
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Peer_Pressure
Safe Sex
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Safe_Sex
Smoking
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Smoking
Drugs
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Drugs
Leaving the Nest
Like many other normal transitional stages in life, the time when the last of the children leave home has both positive and negative elements for the whole family. Some parents view it as an opportunity to finally do all the things that have been put on hold while child rearing has been a priority - a long awaited time of freedom. For other parents, it feels more like a void where all the bustle and noise of family life are suddenly gone leaving an 'empty nest'.
According to Better Health Channel, empty nest syndrome refers to the grief that many parents feel when their children move out of home. This condition is typically more common in women, who are more likely to have had the role of primary carer. Unlike the grief experienced when (for example) a loved one dies, the grief of empty nest syndrome often goes unrecognised, because an adult child moving out of home is seen as a normal, healthy event.
The transition can be a mixed bag for the grown-up children too. New freedom and adventures are exciting, but young people also need new skills to cope with the practical things like managing a budget, new relationships, taking care of mundane things like washing, cooking, staying healthy and getting up on time for work without relying on a parent as a backup.
Somehow most of us work it out but HealthInsite has some resources that might help to make the transition easier for all concerned.
Empty Nest Syndrome
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Empty_nest_syndrome
Independence Day
http://www.headroom.net.au/lounge/framejamming_lounge.html?indep.html~mental_health
Leaving Home
http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=77
http://www.cyh.com/cyh/parentopics/usr_index0.stm?topic_id=301
Moving out to attend university
http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=340
Survival skills for young people
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/topics/Survival_Skills_for_Young_People
Share Houses
http://www.cyh.com/cyh/youthtopics/usr_index0.stm?topic_id=1791
Goals - How to set them, how to get them
http://www.headroom.net.au/lounge/framejamming_lounge.html?goal_setting.html~mental_health
Job Hunting
http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=88
Life Choices - what happens after finishing school
http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=299
Stress Management Techniques
http://www.infrapsych.com/root/1033/General/General_StressManagement.htm
Your Feedback
We often received emails from users asking how they can link to HealthInsite. If you are an individual using HealthInsite from your home or perhaps work computer, the easiest way to find us again is by bookmarking the site or by adding us you your favourites.
If you or your organisation has a website and would like to put a link to HealthInsite please send an email to mailto:healthinsite.feedback@health.gov.au and we can send you what you need. You don't need to be an information partner to have a link to HealthInsite, but if you think your organisation might like to become a partner, we can help you with that too.
In Brief
Is there anything you would like us to feature in the Newsletter?
Let us know by sending an email to:
mailto:healthinsite.feedback@health.gov.au
Partner Spotlight - Better Health Channel and myDr
Every month we will include a brief overview of one or more of our information partners. This month we take a look at two of our very earliest information partners, Better Health Channel (Victoria) and myDr . These websites are different from many of our other partners in that they cover an extremely wide range of information, rather than concentrating on a particular subject area. Between them these two partners contribute almost a quarter of our total number of resources.
Better Health Channel was established in May 1999 by the Victorian Government. Its role is to provide the community with access to online health related information which is quality assured, reliable, up-to-date and locally relevant.
Consumer health information on the Better Health Channel is constantly expanded and regularly reviewed. Articles are produced in consultation with a content partner. The content partner's logo appears at the end of each article so you know where the information comes from and a click on the logo takes you to their website. Better Health Channel content partners are reputable health organisations with specialised knowledge in the particular topic area. All articles proceed through a rigorous approval process which includes the content partner, staff from the Department of Human Services and a final overview of all articles by Victoria's former Chief Health Officer. All articles are reviewed annually, some more frequently.
Better Health Channel can be found at:
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/
myDr provides Australians with comprehensive articles and topical items of interest about a wide variety of diseases and conditions, tests and treatments, health and fitness issues, and medications. myDr is a project of the MIMS Consumer Health Group.
The myDr Web site is compiled by a team of experienced Australian healthcare writers, with contributions from practising Australian healthcare professionals and recognised Australian health organisations. Members of the myDr team have many years' experience in medical writing, referencing and editing, so every item is thoroughly vetted to ensure the information is accurate, up-to-date and relevant to Australian clinical practice. All myDr content is reviewed and approved by practising Australian clinicians.
myDr can be found at:
http://www.mydr.com.au/
Latest Resources
The HealthInsite team regularly adds new items to the database including
new information partners, new topic pages and news items. You can
find a list of new and updated material added to the database in the
past month at:
http://www.healthinsite.gov.au/search/newsletter_search.cfm?id=15
Hot Tip - Topic Pages
HealthInsite Topic Pages are one of the ways HealthInsite can help you easily find information on our partners' Internet sites. Topic Pages usually include at least one, usually two, or all of the following:
- a brief introduction to the topic explaining what subjects are covered by the topic, sometimes with a summary of key issues for the topic
- links to subtopic pages and/or related HealthInsite topic pages and/or information partner pages
- a list of links to HealthInsite information partner information items on the topic, compiled automatically from a search of the HealthInsite database.
HealthInsite topic pages are a good way to find all of the topic information accessible through HealthInsite because the search included in them is a comprehensive one created by our Editorial Team.
You can also click on the link to the HealthInsite Topics Map (in the left-hand navigation bar on every HealthInsite page) to find the A-Z list of links to our main topic pages and their subtopics.
Not all of the information included in our database is covered by topic pages, so if you can't find a topic page on a subject, try doing a search to see what we have. If we do have a topic page that matches your search, it will be displayed at or near the top of the results lists so you can find it easily. Otherwise, you can follow the links to our partners' pages on your subject.
If you would like us to consider creating a topic page that we don't already have, just send your suggestions to healthinsite.feedback@health.gov.au.
What's on next month?
Next month we'll take a look at hearing loss - a condition that effects many Australians of all ages.
That's it for now,
from all of us at HealthInsite.
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