Latest news with #AustralianDepartmentofHealth
7NEWS
06-08-2025
- Health
- 7NEWS
Chikungunya virus ripping through China prompts COVID-style quarantine response
A mosquito-borne virus spreading in parts of southeast China is triggering a COVID-style response there. Cases of the mosquito-borne virus chikungunya have spiked to more than 10,000 in the country, with more than 7000 of those reported in Foshun, in the southeast Guangdong Province. People who contract the virus in Foshun are being quarantined in hospital for a week, or until they test negative for chikungunya. Sanitation workers have also been seen spraying insecticide through outbreak areas and cleaning up green spaces in the Guangdong Province. 'If you have chikungunya, it is important to avoid mosquito bites while you have a fever ... because you could pass the infection on to the mosquito, which can then spread the virus to other people,' according to Health Direct. Chikungunya symptoms 'can be very similar to dengue fever' and the two viruses are also carried by the same type of mosquitoes, according to the NT Government. Fever, joint pain, nausea, fatigue and rashes are the most common symptoms of chikungunya virus — but, in rare cases, life-threatening complications of the brain and heart can develop. Most symptoms of the virus generally disappear within two weeks, however joint pain has reportedly persisted in some patients for years after they have contracted the virus. The virus is more serious for newborn babies, people older than 65, and people with a high blood pressure, diabetes, or heart conditions, according to Health Direct. The virus is not endemic in Australia but there is the potential for it to exist 'There have been no locally acquired cases, though mosquitoes capable of spreading the virus are present in some areas of Queensland,' according to the Australian Department of Health. 'Travellers can become infected with the chikungunya virus if travelling to a region of the world where chikungunya is found.' In the US, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention is advising travellers to wear long clothing and insect repellant, and to vaccinate against the virus if heading to outbreak areas. But there is no approved vaccine to prevent against chikungunya in Australia, according to Health Direct. Last year, there were 200 travel-related cases of chikungunya in the US. — With NBC
Sydney Morning Herald
03-05-2025
- Health
- Sydney Morning Herald
Kids watching TV at childcare is making parents square-eyed
Melbourne parents say they have been disturbed to learn their children are spending time in front of TVs and other screens at childcare centres, as experts warn screen time can have negative impacts on development for toddlers and preschoolers. Childcare industry bodies say 'passive' screen time should not be used in long daycare centres, but that digital technologies could complement curriculum if used effectively. The Australian Department of Health recommends no screen time for children younger than two years old, and no more than one hour per day for children aged 2-5. The Australian Institute of Family Studies says there is strong evidence that excessive screen time for young children can have negative impacts on their weight, motor and cognitive development, and social and psychological wellbeing. But some educators use screen time to help them take a break if the class is getting rowdy. 'There were times when the children were getting out of hand and we did get it out, I admit,' said a Melbourne educator who asked not to be identified. 'We would sit in front of the group holding the iPad, to catch a breather for ourselves. It's really easy to judge until you're in the environment yourself.' A mother raised the issue of screen time after she toured a centre and saw youngsters watching children's YouTube channel Cocomelon, but was told they didn't watch more than 20 minutes a day. Another mother in Melbourne's eastern suburbs with a two-and-a-half-year-old, who spoke with The Age, said an educator would often just be holding an iPad showing YouTube for kids to watch, without engaging.
The Age
03-05-2025
- Health
- The Age
Kids watching TV at childcare is making parents square-eyed
Melbourne parents say they have been disturbed to learn their children are spending time in front of TVs and other screens at childcare centres, as experts warn screen time can have negative impacts on development for toddlers and preschoolers. Childcare industry bodies say 'passive' screen time should not be used in long daycare centres, but that digital technologies could complement curriculum if used effectively. The Australian Department of Health recommends no screen time for children younger than two years old, and no more than one hour per day for children aged 2-5. The Australian Institute of Family Studies says there is strong evidence that excessive screen time for young children can have negative impacts on their weight, motor and cognitive development, and social and psychological wellbeing. But some educators use screen time to help them take a break if the class is getting rowdy. 'There were times when the children were getting out of hand and we did get it out, I admit,' said a Melbourne educator who asked not to be identified. 'We would sit in front of the group holding the iPad, to catch a breather for ourselves. It's really easy to judge until you're in the environment yourself.' A mother raised the issue of screen time after she toured a centre and saw youngsters watching children's YouTube channel Cocomelon, but was told they didn't watch more than 20 minutes a day. Another mother in Melbourne's eastern suburbs with a two-and-a-half-year-old, who spoke with The Age, said an educator would often just be holding an iPad showing YouTube for kids to watch, without engaging.
The Guardian
14-02-2025
- Health
- The Guardian
Episode 1: Addressing the myopia epidemic in kids
Dr Joe Paul, head of professional services, Specsavers. Gabrielle Grant-Nilon, optometrist, Specsavers. Tallis family: Jules, Iain, Charlie (6) and McCartney (8). There's no doubt that screens are here to stay. They're an inherent part of our daily lives at home, school and work. And if there are children in your care, you've probably resorted to a screen at some stage to keep the calm in the back seat on a long car trip or allowed a Bluey binge so you can prepare dinner in peace. But with each new generation of digital natives comes the spectre of myopia, otherwise known as short-sightedness. The link between the risk of myopia and hours spent doing near tasks, such as looking at a screen, is well established yet research conducted by YouGov for Specsavers in 2023 shows kids aged 5-12 spend an average of three and a half hours a day on screen devices: 1.1 hours at school and 2.4 hours at home, well overshooting Australian Department of Health guidelines. Dr Joe Paul, the head of professional services at Specsavers, says these days there are 'treatments to stop it from progressing, to stop it from getting worse, but we can't reverse it'. This is important, because with the sharp increase in childhood myopia, what optometrists such as Gabrielle Grant-Nilon, from Specsavers, have noticed is that kids are becoming short-sighted earlier and ending up more short-sighted than before. 'If myopia becomes pathological it can lead to more serious eye issues down the track,' she says. This is why it's so important to detect it early. In Sydney, Jules and Iain have two young boys and have made the decision not to allow screens during the week. Iain says: 'If we had to deal with getting them off a screen, that would just be an added challenge that we just don't have time for during the week with everything, all the activities that they do in the afternoons.' In this episode, we learn what less screen time looks like at the family level and explore some innovative tech and simple strategies that can lead us to a clearer future. The result is an inspiring vision of childhood in which new habits minimise screen time, and myopia is no longer on the rise. The Future Looks Bright is produced by Guardian Labs Australia. Narrator: Fenella Kernebone. Series producer and editor: Cinnamon Nippard. Guardian Labs producer: Ciara Bowe. Lead commercial editor: Nicola Harvey. The Future Looks Bright is paid for by Specsavers. Find your local Specsavers store for optometry & audiology services. Australian government guidelines for screen time for kids and young people are included in the Physical activity and exercise guidelines for all Australians.
