- ADHD
- Allergies
- Asthma
- Autism
- Bullying
- Continence & Constipation
- Eczema
- FASD
- Healthy Lifestyle - Nutrition - Sleep
- Learning difficulties
- Mental Health
- NDIS
- Pain
- Parenting Info
- Reducing discomfort
- Support Services
- Swallowing medicine
Websites
www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_sheets/Attention_deficit_hyperactivity_disorder_ADHD
www.everydaywithadhd.com.au/Home.htm
www.raisingchildren.net.au type ‘ADHD’ into search box
A great resource site to share with your child’s school teacher is
www.education.vic.gov.au/Documents/school/principals/participation/tipsmanagingadhdinclass.pdf
Apps
A nice little app for parents with children with ADHD is ‘The trouble with dragons (AUS)’ (currently only available for iOS, free)
Books
These books are not specifically addressing ADHD but are helpful for all children with challenging behaviour
- “Raising Your Spirited Child. A Guide for Parents Whose Child is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, and Energetic” By Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
- “The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children” By Ross W. Greene
- “Lost at School” By Ross Greene
Websites
www.raisingchildren.net.au (type asthma into search box)
Websites
www.raisingchildren.net.au (click on the autism link)
To support your child with an “I can” attitude and to build up resilience look at
www.theresilienceproject.com.au
For children with autism and picky eating use these resources:
https://raisingchildren.net.au/autism/health-daily-care/daily-care/eating-habits-asd
www.autismspeaks.org/sites/default/files/2018-08/Exploring%20Feeding%20Behavior.pdf
Books
Two helpful books for picky eating are:
- “Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating: A Step-by-Step Guide for Overcoming Selective Eating, Food Aversion, and Feeding Disorders” by Katja Rowell
- ‘Food Refusal and Avoidant Eating in Children, including those with Autism Spectrum Conditions; A Practical Guide for Parents and Professionals’ by Gillian Harris, and Elizabeth Shea
Websites
www.bladderbowel.gov.au/children
www.continence.org.au/pages/child_teens.html
www.continence.org.nz/pages/Continence-Information-Children/96/
A great explanatory video about constipation and soiling and what you can do to resolve it:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SgBj7Mc_4sc The Poo in You
Websites
Good information for parents and carers of children with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorder
Websites
www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/fact-sheets/ways-to-boost-iron-intake
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/ConditionsAndTreatments/iron-deficiency-children
https://healthywa.wa.gov.au/Articles/U_Z/Vitamin-D
https://raisingchildren.net.au/teens/healthy-lifestyle/nutrients/vitamin-d
www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/healthyliving
www.healthykids.nsw.gov.au/default.aspx
https://childhoodobesityfoundation.ca/families/simple-steps-families-can-take
www.kidsmatter.edu.au/families/enewsletter/sleep-strategies-whole-family
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/sleep
For relaxing younger children into sleep try the “Moshi Twilight Sleep Stories” (subscription required, for Android and iOS), or
https://www.kinderling.com.au/music/programs/bedtime-explorers
Screen time is a hot topic, good advice can be found here
www.schn.health.nsw.gov.au/fact-sheets/screen-time-and-children
https://raisingchildren.net.au/babies/play-learning/media-technology/screen-time
Instead of letting your child watch hours on the screen, do this for your kids to be healthier and for having more fun and success in life:
Healthy lifestyle, fun and activity opportunities for kids and youths in Cairns and surroundings
Cairns offers a $150 ‘Get Started’ voucher for eligible children and a ‘Club locator’. Look here how to apply for your voucher and where you can use it
www.qld.gov.au/recreation/sports/funding/getinthegame/getstarted
Great opportunities to become more active and fit
Nexus – The Street Movements organisation
and
PCYC Cairns
www.pcyc.org.au/clubs/pcyc-cairns
Keep an eye on the Cairns Council website for kids and teens activities
https://www.cairns.qld.gov.au/community-environment/community-support/youth
Books
Two helpful books for picky eating are:
- “Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating: A Step-by-Step Guide for Overcoming Selective Eating, Food Aversion, and Feeding Disorders” By Katja Rowell
- ‘Food Refusal and Avoidant Eating in Children, including those with Autism Spectrum Conditions; A Practical Guide for Parents and Professionals’ By Gillian Harris, and Elizabeth Shea
Websites
https://brave4you.psy.uq.edu.au/
https://youth.anxietycanada.com/anxiety-101
https://keltymentalhealth.ca/mindfulness
Apps
- Good relaxation apps are “Smiling Mind” (for Android and iOS, Free), “Headspace: Meditation & Sleep” (for Android and iOS, Free but in-App purchases), “Yoga for Kids” (only for Android, Free), “Healing Buddies Comfort Kit” (only for iOS, Free)
- For relaxing into sleep try the “Moshi Twilight Sleep Stories” (subscription required, for Android and iOS), or the Kinderling ‘Bedtime Explorers’ podcasts. More for younger children
- Designed to target anxiety is the ‘MindShift CBT™” app to take control over you worries (for Android and iOS)
Apps
WebMap Mobile™ is an app designed for teens for the management of headaches, abdominal pain, back pain (for Android and iOS, Free)
Good relaxation apps are “Smiling Mind” (for Android and iOS, Free), “Headspace: Meditation & Sleep” (for Android and iOS, Free but in-App purchases), “Yoga for Kids” (only for Android, Free), “Healing Buddies Comfort Kit” (only for iOS, Free)
For relaxing into sleep try the “Moshi Twilight Sleep Stories” (subscription required, for Android and iOS), or the Kinderling ‘Bedtime Explorers’ podcast. More for younger children
Designed to target anxiety is the ‘MindShift CBT™” app to take control over worries (for Android and iOS)
Books
Three similar yet all excellent books for parents and carers are
- Conquering Your Child’s Chronic Pain. By Christina Blackett Schlank and Lonnie K. Zeltzer
- Managing Your Child’s Chronic Pain. By Tonya M. Palermo and Emily F. Law
- When Your Child Hurts. By Rachael Coakley
A wonderful and highly recommended book for self-help strategies for teens is
‘The Chronic Pain and Illness Workbook for Teens: CBT and Mindfulness-Based Practices to Turn the Volume Down on Pain’ by Rachel Zoffness
Websites
Websites for Parents, Caregivers and Children and Adolescents with Chronic and Persistent Pain
General pain information
These websites have a variety of info for parents and children incl. what pain is and what they can do about it.
https://media.starship.org.nz/the-pain-kete/pain-kete.pdf
A printable PDF summary from the Auckland Hospital Paediatric Pain team about what pain is, with many tips and ideas what you can do about.
https://www.kidshealth.org.nz/chronic-or-persistent-pain
The New Zealand Paediatric Society website’s pain site developed by their Special Interest Group Pain in Childhood. Brief general information for families about chronic and persistent pain with book and app recommendations, videos, external links and a downloadable booklet ‘Understanding persistent pain – how to turn down the volume on persistent pain
https://www.aci.health.nsw.gov.au/chronic-pain/painbytes
The Australian Pain Management Network offers comprehensive information for everyone, youth and health professionals alike. You will find an abundance of materials about what pain is, and how to better manage it with information about medication, mindful strategies, nutrition, physical activities, sleep. The information for parents and youths is usually in video format while the health professionals’ information links to reading resources and external links.
https://www.zoffness.com/resources
Rachel Zoffness, a Child Psychologist from Northern California created this website for patients. Find many useful links to videos, articles and info sites under ‘Resources’. They cover information about different forms of pain and management strategies to use.
https://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/pain
Find information on acute and chronic pain from symptom recognition, to assessment and diagnosis to treatment and long-term outcomes from The Hospital for Sick Children in Canada. This learning hub is made for patients and families.
https://www.mycarepath.ca
Learn. Plan. Take Charge of Pain. This web resource assists children and parents to understand and manage pain and gives things to try to help feeling good again.
https://ken.childrenshealthcarecanada.ca/xwiki/bin/download/Paediatric+Pain/Chronic+Pain+Toolkit/My%20Pain%20Toolkit%20-%20For%20Young%20People%20Livign%20with%20Chronic%20Pain_FINAL.pdf
For young people and teenagers.
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/chronic-fatigue-syndrome-cfs
Basic information but covering many aspects of chronic fatigue syndrome and what one can do to improve it.
https://fibroguide.med.umich.edu
From the Chronic Pain and Fatigue Research Center in Michigan comes this symptom management program for patients with fibromyalgia. It consists of learning and management modules.
https://painhealth.csse.uwa.edu.au/
Comprehensive information, tips, support and personal stories to help manage musculoskeletal pain. This painHealth website was created by the Department of Health, Western Australia, in collaboration with Curtin University, the University of Western Australia and the Musculoskeletal Health Network.
https://www.edgehill.ac.uk/communicatinglilyspain
A wonderful website for pain in children with profound cognitive impairment and complex health needs including a nice animation video.
Mindfulness and relaxation information
These websites offer limited information about pain itself but have many useful self-helping strategies, e.g. relaxation practices and mindfulness tactics
https://www.kinderling.com.au/music/programs/bedtime-explorers
A podcast from Kinderling with beautiful soothing short stories to help young children to fall asleep. It is free and the Podcast can be played from various sources, e.g. website, Apple podcasts, Google podcasts, the Kinderling App or Spotify
https://www.thecomfortability.com
A comprehensive self-management website developed by Psychologist Dr Rachael Oakley. The website contains an abundance of resources for children in pain and their parents. There are how-to-videos, podcasts and guided exercises to watch and listen to for coping strategies, mindfulness and relaxation exercises like breathing, active muscle relaxation and guided imagery. The Paediatric Pain Blog is full of tips for parents how to help their child in pain, e.g. with attending school and there is a good video collection with coping stories from children and parents.
https://youth.anxietycanada.com/anxiety-101
Not so much about pain but the Anxiety Canada site has cool information for youths about anxiety. Learn how to face your fears, to think right, how to chill and about healthy habits and what to do for common problems with anxiety.
www.calm.auckland.ac.nz
CALM is for Computer Assisted Learning for the Mind. There is no information about pain in general, but the website offers mindfulness and meditation exercises via audio files and a few reading materials.
It is useful to strengthen one’s resilience and the ability to cope with anxiety, stress and finding a meaning in life. Good if you like laying down and listen to guided relaxation exercises
https://keltymentalhealth.ca/mindfulness
On this Canadian website you will find ideas and resources for mindfulness exercises incl. apps, podcasts and videos
https://www.biteback.org.au
Take the Mental Fitness Challenge and learn about the ingredients to be positive
https://moodgym.com.au
An interactive self-help book helping to practice coping skills and manage symptoms of anxiety and depression
YouTube videos
Here you find an overview of YouTube videos. Videos on YouTube might be removed or changed. If the link does not work, try typing the title in the YouTube search bar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Y2G40-9mUc
Pain processing in the brain: What changes with chronic pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrCdyuDsg6c&t=1s
Migraine: How it works and how to get it under control!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KfYC6zfrV80&t=61s
Understanding pain – and what’s to be done about it in 10 minutes (New Zealand)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mcuIc5O-DE
Elliot Krane: The mystery of chronic pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVdulzi6oYw&t=2s
Understanding pain – and what’s to be done about it in 10 minutes!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWMKucuejIs&feature=youtu.be
Understanding Pain What to do about it in less than five minutes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zr9n1Rypquc
Yoga Progamme for Teens with Recurrent Abdominal Pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zv6RPoVZx9M
Understanding the Complexity of Pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikUzvSph7Z4
Tame The Beast — It’s time to rethink persistent pain
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7wfDenj6CQ
How does your brain respond to pain? – Karen D. Davis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mcuIc5O-DE
How Do Pain Relievers Work? – George Zaidan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GF2xhUKxzxY
What Is Pain Video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIwn9rC3rOI
Understanding Pain: Brainman chooses
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HV_V4jl6zK8&t=80s
Living with Epidermolysis Bullosa – Coping with Pain during Bandage Changes (German with English subtitles)
Websites
Information about many parenting topics like behaviour, sleep, eating, communication and bedwetting.
https://familyman.movember.com/en-gb
www.circleofsecurityinternational.com/resources-for-parents
Ideas how to help the unsettled infant with cry-fuss behaviour
Books
Excellent books for parenting a child with behavioural concerns are
- Raising Your Spirited Child. A Guide for Parents Whose Child is More Intense, Sensitive, Perceptive, Persistent, and Energetic. By Mary Sheedy Kurcinka
- The Explosive Child: A New Approach for Understanding and Parenting Easily Frustrated, Chronically Inflexible Children. By Ross W. Greene
- Lost at School. By Ross Greene
Two helpful books for picky eating are
- ‘Helping Your Child with Extreme Picky Eating: A Step-by-Step Guide for Overcoming Selective Eating, Food Aversion, and Feeding Disorders’ By Katja Rowell
- ‘Food Refusal and Avoidant Eating in Children, including those with Autism Spectrum Conditions; A Practical Guide for Parents and Professionals’ By Gillian Harris, and Elizabeth Shea
A good book for the unsettled infant with cry-fuss behaviour
- ‘The Discontented Little Baby Book’ by Dr Pamela Douglas
How to reduce discomfort during procedures
An excellent You Tube video is ‘Learning How To Manage Pain During Medical Procedures’:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbK9FFoAcvs&feature=emb_title
A good website for general tips and ideas:
www.rch.org.au/kidsinfo/fact_
An excellent method to reduce immunisation distress in children
https://www.cheo.on.ca/en/clinics-services-programs/be-sweet-to-babies.aspx
These services offer a variety of support and counselling services for families and children who need more than medical help, e.g. for allied health services, cultural empowerment, parenting support, trauma and abuse, family relationship issues, domestic violence, substance abuse and others:
https://www.cairnsdisability.net.au
Cairns Special Needs Community eHandbook 2021 edition (link: https://fliphtml5.com/izkrt/pgqd)
https://familychildconnect.org.au
https://www.unitingcareqld.com.au
https://www.wuchopperen.org.au/family-wellbeing-service
https://www.parentconnect.org.au
How to swallow medicine
www.rch.org.au/pharmacy/medicines-information/Teaching_children_how_to_swallow_tablets_and_capsules
https://www.rcpch.ac.uk/resources/pill-swallowing-podcasts (A podcast series)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y9n-Y_QfEjg (Tips from a Pediatrician : How to Help Children to Swallow Pills)
or learn it from these awesome kids
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jy4advYa_8 (Clay’s Pill Swallowing Video)
www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRSqWqxVTKE (Cystic Fibrosis My Way: Learning How to Swallow Pills)