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The diagnostic odyssey for children living with a rare disease – Caregiver and patient perspectives: A narrative review with recommendations

Children living with a rare disease often endure a lengthy journey to diagnosis, commonly referred to as a diagnostic odyssey. This journey significantly impacts their physical, mental and financial wellbeing, in addition to that of their families. The diagnostic odyssey is often characterised by anxiety and stress surrounding the uncertainty of the future. This is experienced by the patient as well as by the family.

Improving sport opportunities, participation, and experiences for children in out-of-home care: A mixed-methods study

Participation in sport is associated with a range of physical, psychological, and social benefits. However, children in out-of-home care face complex barriers to sport participation, with lower participation rates than children in other household arrangements.

Immunogenicity, Reactogenicity, and Safety of a Pentavalent Meningococcal ABCWY Vaccine in Adolescents and Young Adults who had Previously Received a Meningococcal ACWY Vaccine

A MenABCWY vaccine containing 4CMenB and MenACWY-CRM vaccine components has been developed to protect against the 5 meningococcal serogroups that cause most invasive disease cases.

Azithromycin mitigates human rhinovirus impact on barrier integrity and function in non-diseased airway epithelium

Azithromycin improves symptomology in various chronic airway diseases exacerbated by viral infections. However, the mechanisms underlying the apparent antiviral effects of azithromycin remain unclear.

Barriers to uptake and implementation of malaria chemoprevention in school-aged children: a stakeholder engagement meeting report

Malaria is a leading cause of death in school-aged children in sub-Saharan Africa, and non-fatal chronic malaria infections are associated with anaemia, school absence and decreased learning, preventing children from reaching their full potential. Malaria chemoprevention has led to substantial reductions in malaria in younger children in sub-Saharan Africa.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium infections in children in the Oceania region

Antimicrobial resistance poses a significant threat to children's health, with up to 20% of 1.27 million deaths attributable to bacterial AMR annually, occurring in children <5 years. The WHO 2024 Bacterial Priority Pathogens List identifies methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecium (VRE) as critical pathogens. This review examines the epidemiology, treatment recommendations, dosing strategies, efficacy, and safety data for antibiotics targeting MRSA and VRE infections in children in Oceania.

Pain and recovery profiles following common orthopaedic surgeries in children

Little evidence exists on the postoperative trajectory after paediatric orthopaedic surgery. Pain and behavioural disturbance can have short- and long-term impacts on children and their families. An improved understanding of procedure-specific postoperative trajectories can enhance recovery. The primary outcome was to examine the duration and severity of postoperative pain experienced by children undergoing 10 commonly performed orthopaedic procedures.

Restricting outdoor advertising of unhealthy food: can Australia's food category-based classification system be applied consistently?

Most outdoor food advertising (e.g. billboards and bus stops) features foods that are considered unhealthy. The most important technical challenge when designing policies to restrict unhealthy outdoor food advertising is defining 'unhealthy food'. To date, most restriction policies have used nutrient profiling models (i.e. foods are classified according to their nutritional composition) to determine which foods and beverages may be advertised. In Australia, state governments have endorsed a food category-based classification system, with no prescribed nutrient limits, which may create ambiguity when multiple users are identifying food advertisements to be restricted. 

Exercise training to address lifelong consequences of preterm birth: a survey of perceived needs

The identification of a COPD etiotype associated with preterm birth (COPD-developmental) has expedited calls for intervention strategies that may improve health outcomes for survivors of preterm birth (<37 weeks' gestation). Pulmonary-rehabilitation style training interventions achieve physiological and symptom improvement in older people with COPD, but whether similar training interventions are suitable for young people is unclear. We sought to understand the perceived need and requirements of an exercise training intervention for children, adolescents and adults born preterm.

Widespread haemorrhages in infants post-shunting (WHIPS): clinical features, risk factors and neuroimaging characteristics of a rare and under-recognised phenomenon

Infants undergoing CSF shunting procedures face a rare complication which we propose to rename "Widespread Haemorrhages in Infants Post-Shunting" (WHIPS) to better capture this unique phenomenon specific to infants undergoing CSF diversion. Our objective is to analyse the risk factors for WHIPS development and provide a detailed neuroradiological description of these haemorrhages.