Childhood obesity is when children have too much body fat. Overweight and obesity are health risks for children. Help your child maintain a healthy weight by looking at your family’s lifestyle, including food choices, physical activity and screen time. If you’re worried your child might have a weight problem, see a doctor dietitian.

Hand, foot and mouth disease causes small mouth ulcers and blisters on hands and feet. The disease is usually mild and most children get better quickly. Drinking lots of fluid is important. Keep your child at home until the blisters have dried up.

Slapped cheek disease starts as a fever, headache and runny nose, then a rash appears on the cheeks. Slapped cheek disease isn’t serious for most children, although it can be dangerous for unborn babies. There’s no need to keep your child home from child care, preschool or school.

Herpes simplex mouth infection often causes painful gums and mouth ulcers. The infection usually clears up by itself without treatment. Paracetamol and mouth gel or wash can help. Treatment with acyclovir is used for severe cases and high rosk pchildren. See your doctor if your child has trouble drinking and eating, or has symptoms of dehydration.

Mouth ulcers are white sores that come up inside the mouth, on the tongue or on the gums. Mouth ulcers can be painful. Mouth gel and warm salt water rinses can help. Treatment isn’t usually needed. Ulcers should clear up within a week.

Labial fusion is when the skin of the vulva’s inner lips joins together. Labial fusion usually isn’t painful but can lead to dribbling after weeing. If your daughter has labial fusion in early childhood, it’ll probably go away by itself by puberty.

Clubfoot is when a baby’s foot points downwards and inwards. Babies with clubfoot need treatment within two weeks of age. Clubfoot treatment involves plaster casts, surgery and bracing.

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is when the ball of a baby’s hip doesn’t sit properly in the hip socket. This means the hip is unstable. Health professionals will check your baby for DDH at birth and throughout your baby’s first year. Babies with DDH might need a brace. More severe cases might need surgery.

Cleft lip and cleft palate is when the lip or the roof of the mouth doesn’t close over properly. Babies with cleft lip and palate need surgery and specialist follow-up. Babies and children might need help with feeding, speech therapy and special dental care.

Chickenpox looks like a rash with red spots that turn into blisters. Use bicarbonate of soda and water or calamine lotion to help with the itch. Keep your child away from child care, preschool or school until the last blister has scabbed over. The best way to avoid chickenpox is to immunise your child.