All ages

Kawasaki disease is a rare but serious illness affecting young tamariki (children). The most striking feature is a high fever that comes and goes for at least 5 days. If you think your child might have Kawasaki disease, take them to a health professional straightaway.

Rheumatic fever is a serious illness. It often starts with a sore throat. Without treatment, some sore throats can cause rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can then lead to heart damage.

Snoring or noisy breathing during sleep may be a sign that your child is having difficulty breathing. The medical name for this is obstructive sleep apnoea.

If your child has a long-term disability, a needs assessment is a step towards getting support or services for your child and whānau (family).

If your child has speech or language difficulties or has trouble following instructions, they may have a hearing problem. Other signs include if they are easily distracted or have difficulty paying attention in class.

Measles can be a serious illness. Make sure your tamariki (children) are vaccinated against measles. Immunisation is the best protection.

Protect tamariki (children) against measles. It can be very dangerous and spreads faster than almost any other illness. Vaccination is the best protection against measles.

Poststreptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) is a kidney disease that mostly affects tamariki (children). The main symptoms are blood in the wee and sometimes puffy eyes.

From 2 to 5 years after cancer treatment has finished, your child or young person will transfer into long-term follow-up care. This focuses on long-term problems that may be the result of the disease or treatment. Remember, many rangatahi (young people) do not develop any long-term problems.

Febrile seizures are a common childhood problem. They happen in tamariki (children) between the ages of 6 months and 6 years.

Depression is a serious illness that can make it hard to do everyday activities. It is important to get help if you think your child may be depressed.

Anxiety is a common and natural feeling that everybody experiences. If anxiety is significantly impacting your child's life, it's important to get help.

If your child has cancer, please talk to your child's healthcare team before using any complementary or alternative medicine (CAM) for your child. Some CAM treatments, even vitamins, can interfere with standard medical treatment or can be unsafe for your child with cancer. 

When your child is getting ready to go home from hospital, feelings of excitement can be mixed with feelings of anxiety for everyone in the whānau (family). 

If your child has had a cancer diagnosis, you and your whānau (family) should know that you are not alone. Support is available.

Find out about some techniques you can use to help your child cope with their cancer treatment.