Child health

Antibiotics are still prescribed too frequently for many respiratory infections in young children

Ruby Biezen BSc, MAppSc · Allan J Pollack MB BS(Hons), FRACS, MPH(PP) · Christopher Harrison BPsych(Hons), MSocHealth · Bianca Brijnath PhD, BA(Hons) · Danilla Grando MAppSc, PhD, MASM · Helena C Britt BA, PhD · Danielle Mazza MD, MB BS, FRACGP

The case against immigration detention is irrefutable

on behalf of the J'Accuse Coalition and Doctors for Refugees*

Tropical fruits are undeniably delicious but the quest for their flesh can be dangerous

Joel Negin PhD · Pavle Vizintin MIH, BSc(Hons) · Patrick Houasia MB BS, FICS(Orth) · Alexandra L C Martiniuk PhD

A narrow view of young adults’ health issues limits our ability to engage with young people

Melissa S-L Kang MB BS, MCH

In reply: The supporting evidence is strong

John W Toumbourou · Kypros Kypri · Sandra C Jones

Reassuring findings show the seasonal influenza vaccines recommended for use in young children are safe

Nicholas J Wood MB BS, FRACP PhD · Chris C Blyth MB BS, FRACP · Gabriela A Willis MB BS, BSc(Hons), DCH · Peter Richmond MB BS, FRACP, MRCP(UK) · Michael S Gold MD, FCP, FRACP · Jim P Buttery FRACP, MSc, MD · Nigel Crawford MB BS, FRACP, PhD · Michael Crampton MB BS, FRACGP · J Kevin Yin MB BS, MPH(Hons), PhD · Maria Yui Kwan Chow PhD, MIPH · Kristine Macartney MB BS(Hons), MD, FRACP

The Healthy Kids Check is a good idea which needs further review and development

Frank Oberklaid MD, FRACP, DCH

Mandatory detention is a form of child abuse and paediatricians strongly disagree with offshore processing

Elizabeth J M Corbett BA, LLB(Hons), GDipLegalP · Hasantha Gunasekera MIPH(Hons), FRACP, PhD · Alanna Maycock MA, BSc, DipHE · David Isaacs MD, FRACP, FRCPCH

The check appears to be making a difference in child health management

Rae Thomas PhD · Jennifer A Doust BM BS, PhD, FRACGP · Kartik Vasan · Bianca Rajapakse · Leanne McGregor PhD · Evan Ackermann MB BS, FRACGP · Christopher B Del Mar MD, FRACGP, FAFPHM

David Hill was born in Melbourne on 15 July 1944. When he was 9 years old, his family moved to Mt Gambier, South Australia, where his father was a general practitioner and his mother was the first social worker. As a child, David always intended to be a doctor. From the age of 11, David attended boarding school at Prince Alfred College in Adelaide, where he was a prefect. David studied medicine at the University of Adelaide, living at St Mark's College. After graduating in 1969, he was a resident medical officer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital. He completed a further residency year at the Adelaide Children's Hospital, where he subsequently worked as a paediatric registrar. In 1976, he moved to Dunedin, New Zealand, where he was Senior Paediatric Registrar at Dunedin Hospital and a lecturer with the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Otago. On returning to Adelaide in 1977, he was Senior Visiting Paediatrician at the Adelaide Children's Hospital, Flinders Medical Centre and Regency Park Centre for Young Disabled. Concurrently, he conducted a private practice in North Adelaide. He also worked as a consultant paediatrician in Mt Gambier from 1987 to 1994. From 1995 to 2002, he was Director of Paediatrics at Toowoomba Hospital and a visiting specialist to surrounding clinics and hospitals. He returned to Mt Gambier to practise as a consultant paediatrician as well as being a visiting paediatrician to the Millicent and District Hospital from 2002 to 2008. David had a very active interest in most sports, especially cricket, and was an excellent swimmer — this interest would later be reflected when he served as Honorary Medical Officer to the South Australian Amateur Swimming Association. He was a mascot of Port Adelaide Football Club as a young boy and retained this allegiance for the rest of his life. He was a much-loved paediatrician because of his gentle and knowledgeable approach. David retired in 2008 but his health suffered. However, he never lost his patience and dry humour. David died from metastatic cancer on 3 July 2014, and is survived by June, his wife of over 40 years, and children Amanda, Amy, Angus and Alistair.

Ian Darnton-Hill

Review of Overcoming baby blues: a comprehensive guide to perinatal depression by Gordon Parker, Kerrie Eyers, Philip Boyce.

Sarah Mares

Hospital data may provide answers when looking for trends in child maltreatment rates

Graham V Vimpani AM, MB BS, PhD, FRACP

Children in out-of-home placements have complex health needs

Klaus Martin Beckmann

Expanding data sources for surveillance offers hope for improving child protection

Steven L Guthridge MB BS, MTH, FAFPHM · Philip Ryan MB BS, BSc, FAFPHM · John R Condon MB BS, PhD, FAFPHM · John R Moss MSocSci, MB BS, BEc · John Lynch PhD, MPH

Increased use of eye protection is needed for children at risk

Swetha S Philip MS(Ophthalmol) · Annette K Hoskin BSc, MBA

Focusing on the health and wellbeing of our children is the most important investment Australia can make

Fiona J Stanley MSc, MD · Carol Bower MB BS, MSc

Strategies are needed to curb excessive screen time and soft drink consumption among Aboriginal children

Louise L Hardy MPH(Hons), PhD · Blythe J O’Hara MAppSc, PhD · Debra Hector PhD · Lina Engelen PhD · Sandra J Eades BMed, PhD

Admission rates reveal an increasing health burden that thwarts national aspirations to close the gap

Elisabeth K Janu MB BS · Bhavana I Annabattula MB BS · Saampavi Kumariah MB BS · Marta Zajaczkowska MB BS · John S Whitehall FRACP · Matthew J Edwards MD, FRACP, FACMG · Sanja Lujic BSc(Hons), MStats, MBiostats · Ian B Masters MB BS, FRACP, PhD

MSF reflects on the emergency medical response in the wake of a disaster

Daniel Martinez Garcia MD · Alexandra L Brown BA

Paediatric hospitals are making decisions about drugs based on poor evidence and incomplete documentation

Yashwant K Sinha MB BS(Hons), FRACP, PhD · Jonathan C Craig MB ChB, FRACP, PhD · Peter G Barclay BPharm, DipHospPharm · Hugh Miller BScPharm(Hons), DipHospPharm(Admin), GradCertMan · Sean C Turner BPharm, MSc, DipClinPharm · Joseph P Whitehouse BPharm(Hons) · Jo-anne E Brien BPharm, BS(Pharm), PharmD

Comparing data between centres and nationally is complex but necessary

Debra J Rickwood · Nic R Telford · Alexandra G Parker · Chris J Tanti · Patrick D McGorry

Through our language, we are unthinkingly privileging doctors’ views over those of parents

Rosalind J McDougall BSc/BA(Hons), BPhil, PhD · Lynn Gillam BA(Hons), MA, PhD

Bernard (Bun) Neal was born on 18 July 1924 and spent his childhood in the Melbourne suburb of Preston, where his father was a general practitioner. He graduated in medicine from the University of Melbourne in 1947.

James A Keipert

There are signs that the prevalence of whipworm infection in the NT is declining but more can be done

Amy L Crowe MB BS · Pam Smith · Linda Ward BAppSci, MMedSci · Bart J Currie FRACP, FAFPHM, DTM+H · Rob Baird MB BS, FRACP, FRCPA

Australia lags behind other countries in developing a national policy framework for newborn screening

Susannah J Maxwell BSc, MPH · Peter O’Leary BSc, PhD