Breastfeeding while hungry – Is enough being done to support mothers in the Free State?

Posted in: Child health, Free State, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

Earlier this month the world celebrated breastfeeding week. To improve infant nutrition by 2025, the United Nations set targets to eliminate malnutrition and increase breastfeeding rates to at least 50% – targets that South Africa also subscribes to. In South Africa, however, often mothers are poor, unemployed, and hungry – all factors impacting their ability to breastfeed and, ultimately, the nutrition their babies receive. As Women’s Month draws to a close, Refilwe Mochoari looked at the nuances of this challenge in the Free State, where mothers often face a litany of socio-economic challenges and asks how government can support these mothers better.

Breastfeeding while hungry – Is enough being done to support mothers in the Free State?

Opinion: COVID-19 has been hard on kids, more support is needed

Posted in: Child health, COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest, Mental Health

A rise in teenage pregnancies and gender-based violence coupled with the loss and uncertainty related to COVID-19 are all stressors fuelling the mental health burden the pandemic will leave on children, especially girls. If not adequately addressed, argues Kholofelo Mphahlele, the mental health consequences for a generation of children and young people could far surpass the immediate health and economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving harmful long-term social and economic consequences in its wake.

Opinion: COVID-19 has been hard on kids, more support is needed

Omicron in children: What we have learnt so far

Posted in: COVID-19, Healthcare system, Latest

Early in South Africa’s fourth COVID-19 wave, dominated by the Omicron variant, concerns were raised on what appeared to be an increase in hospitalisations among children. A few months on, Elri Voigt asks local experts what we have learnt about the Omicron variant in children.

Omicron in children: What we have learnt so far

Report raises concern over child nutrition in rural Eastern Cape

Posted in: Child health, COVID-19, Eastern Cape, Healthcare system, Latest, Provinces

Findings from a study conducted in Mqanduli in the Eastern Cape show the prevalence of stunting among children younger than five for that area was 24%. Luvuyo Mehlwana unpacks the findings and the plans the provincial health department has in place to address the risk factors driving stunting among children in the Eastern Cape.

Report raises concern over child nutrition in rural Eastern Cape

Analysis: Unlike the global trend, South Africa’s children are too short and too fat

Posted in: Child health, Latest

A Lancet article reporting on children’s height and weight changes over the past thirty years makes for grim reading when it comes to South Africa. Two of the country’s top child nutrition experts unpack what this landmark study means and what we can do to improve the situation.

Analysis: Unlike the global trend, South Africa’s children are too short and too fat

COVID-19: Students and parents should play their part in keeping safe amid exams

Posted in: Spotlight

Ahead of the end-of-year school exams the Western Cape Department of Education has called on matric pupils and their parents to consider the COVID-19 risk associated with attending large social events. Since June, 792 learners have tested positive for COVID-19 in the Western Cape. Siyabonga Kamnqa reports.

COVID-19: Students and parents should play their part in keeping safe amid exams

Analysis: Hunger remains a crisis in SA, despite new survey numbers

Posted in: Child health, Latest, Spotlight Edition 5: Youth Edition

The second wave of findings from the National Income Dynamics Study: Coronavirus Rapid Mobile Survey (NIDS-CRAM) released today, shows that household hunger has declined by about a quarter since the release of the first wave of findings. Although encouraging, there are still severe and unacceptably high levels of childhood hunger and stunting, writes Kathryn Cleary.

Analysis: Hunger remains a crisis in SA, despite new survey numbers

In-depth: The long shadow of child malnutrition in South Africa

Posted in: Latest

The COVID-19 lockdown is taking a potentially deadly toll on children, with reported child hunger on the rise and unemployment at a high. Kathryn Cleary takes an in-depth look at what this means for young children and asks the experts about potential solutions.

In-depth: The long shadow of child malnutrition in South Africa

Dramatic drop in SA’s immunisation rates

Posted in: Latest, Provinces

National immunisation rates for children under five years have dropped dramatically over the period of South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown, sparking fears of an outbreak of deadly childhood infectious diseases including measles. Adele Baleta reports.

Dramatic drop in SA’s immunisation rates

COVID-19: The hidden impact of lockdown on children

Posted in: Latest

The COVID-19 pandemic and measures to prevent its spread have impacted children in some predictable and some less predictable ways. Kathryn Cleary spoke to some experts and some kids to get a deeper understanding.

COVID-19: The hidden impact of lockdown on children

Children and COVID-19: What we know

Posted in: Child health, Healthcare system, Latest

All schools in South Africa will close from Wednesday as part of South Africa’s efforts to reduce transmission of the COVID-19 virus. Kathryn Cleary rounds up what we do and do not know about the virus in children.

Palliative care is about kids living well at this rural KZN home

Posted in: Spotlight

Abandoned children from government hospitals are finding a new home in a far-flung corner of rural KwaZulu-Natal, as one foster family is giving hope to children in need of end-of-life care.