Late adolescents (16-18 years)

Choosing the right drinks helps support your child’s health, growth, and energy. Learn more about drink choices for tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people).

Tamariki (children) need to eat lots of different foods to grow and be healthy. This page has information about food groups and serving sizes for tamariki aged 2 years and older.

Having a blood test can feel scary for some tamariki (children). There are ways you can help your child feel calmer and more confident.

Hay fever is a common allergy in tamariki (children). It can affect their nose, ears, eyes and throat.

Medicine can help tamariki (children) with ADHD-Aroreretini manage their symptoms. Find out more about ADHD medicine below.

Tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people) need a variety of nutritious foods. This helps support growth, development, energy levels and overall wellbeing. Eating well helps tamariki and rangatahi learn, play, be active, and feel good.

Glandular fever is a condition that spreads from person to person through saliva. It’s most common in older tamariki (children) and teenagers.

To give others easy access to KidsHealth's teens and alcohol content, you can share a QR code poster. Anyone can scan the QR code with their phone and go straight to the KidsHealth teens and alcohol content. 

A listing of organisations, resources and supports available for parents and whānau (family) of rainbow tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people).

The online world is changing rapidly, and chances are most teenagers will see, or have seen, pornography (porn) either on porn sites or across mainstream social media platforms. Talking about porn can feel awkward at first, but young people tell us that they want, and need, better porn conversations and support from adults.

Vaping is harmful to tamariki (children) and rangatahi (young people). It can have harmful impacts on their health and wellbeing.

To give others easy access to KidsHealth's content on parenting teens, you can share a QR code poster. Anyone can scan the QR code with their phone and go straight to the KidsHealth section on parenting teens. 

If your teenager is experiencing bullying, anxiety or depression, there are some things you can do to support them. It is important to get help if you are concerned about your teen's emotional and mental wellbeing. 

All tamariki (children) explore different ways of expressing their gender. For some tamariki, gender can be fluid. Be open to wherever your child's gender journey leads. Find out how to support your gender diverse younger child or teen, and where to get your own support. Check the resources for takatāpui and whānau, and Pasifika young people.

Your child will start to lose their primary or baby teeth around the age of 6. Most tamariki (children) will have all their adult teeth (except for wisdom teeth) by the age of 14. Find out what to expect and how to care for their teeth.

Talking with your child about sex can be difficult but it's important. If you want to be involved in shaping your child's ideas and attitudes about sex, start these conversations early.