Tag Archives: children

  PARENTS should be alert to warning signs of early onset diabetes in children, and not to delay during the Covid-19 pandemic from seeking diagnosis of and treatment for the condition, it has been stressed. Dr Orla Neylon, consultant paediatric endocrinologist at University Hospital Limerick, said parents should be aware of the symptoms, and, if their child is displaying them, to contact first their family doctor or, if their GP is unavailable, the paediatric emergency department at UHL. “Treatment is urgent,” Dr Neylon said. “If children are urinating frequently; if they are excessively thirsty and wetting the bed; if they’re losing weight; and if the child has a lack of energy, then parents should consider the possibility of diabetes, and get it checked immediately.” She added, “It’s understandable during the current Covid-19 pandemic that people might be concerned about attending hospitals, but if diabetes is not treated as a matter of urgency, it can lead to complications that are potentially …

A PAINTING by a young Clare artist and student of the Ennis Art School has been brought to life as part of a new television commercial. The painting by young Laurie Hehir, aged seven, was chosen to illustrate the promotion of the closing date for receipt of entries in the 2020 Texaco Children’s Art Competition. Her teacher, local artist Carmel Doherty told us, “This is a massive achievement for Laurie, her parents are delighted and very proud of her. She’s a very nice kid, full of beans and really creative. It’s marvellous to see her art work on the screen.” Screened here and in Northern Ireland throughout the months of January and February, its purpose will be to notify young artists, parents and teachers that the 66th Competition is underway. The commercial’s storyline centres upon Laurie’s painting of ‘Bobby’, her grandfather’s Friesian cow for which she was awarded a prize in the competition last year. Focusing on the characteristics that …

Last Wednesday, to celebrate National Bike Week, almost 700 children from Ennis and surrounds, along with 100 adults, took part in a 3km cycle around Ennis to promote the benefits of cycling to school. Starting from behind the Fire Station on new road, the peleton took a tour around the town, taking over the streets for almost an hour. At the finish at The Fair Green, the children were organised into groups to make up a giant   ‘1.5’ on the playing field to remind motorists to leave at least 1.5m space around cyclists on the road.                    

With schools reopened, the AA is urging parents to take all precautions necessary when travelling with children, after 9% of drivers admitted to having been involved in collisions or near-misses while attending to a child in the car. An AA survey of almost 11,000 motorists found that 7.5% of drivers had been involved in one collision or a near miss as a result of a child’s behaviour while driving, with almost 2% of drivers experiencing multiple incidents. Drivers aged 36-45 are most likely to have been distracted by a child while driving, with just under 13% reporting involvement in at least one collision or near miss as a result a child’s behaviour. While female drivers are more likely to be involved in one incident as a result of being distracted by a child, they are slightly less likely than their male counterparts to be involved in multiple incidents. Misbehaviour, sudden, unexpected illnesses, and issues with car restraints were among the …

See our special feature on Summer Camps for children.     Click here to read online.

THE average waiting time for dental extraction for children has dramatically increased from six weeks to eight months, following a reorganisation of the service, Impact has claimed. The Clare chairperson of Impact’s health division, Helen Liddy, expressed concern about the deterioration in the  public dental extraction service in Ennis Hospital for young children who need a general anaesthetic. This involves children aged four to nine, with one or more teeth to have removed, which weren’t due to fall out until they were 10.  It is understood there are up 70 children on the dental extraction list. Ms Liddy, who works as a dental nurse in the county clinic in Bindon Street, Ennis, explained when this service was managed locally, the waiting time was six weeks but now it is eight and sometimes 10 months, after the change was made two years ago. “Joe Greene, dental surgeon, was working in Ennis Hospital for 15 years and about two years ago, the …

Childline, the ISPCC’s listening service for all children and young people in Ireland was busy on Christmas Day. A total of 57 dedicated volunteers from across Ireland provided support to hundreds of children who needed to talk. Christmas Day saw ISPCC volunteers listening to and responding to 1,208 calls, texts and messages from children through Childline’s 24 hour telephone, text and online service, with over 73% of these coming from male contacts. Childline faced an unprecedented funding crisis in 2014, which threatened its ability to maintain the 24 hour nature of the service. Childline reached out to the general public through its emergency appeal and the people of Ireland responded wholeheartedly with donations of €400,000; a reflection of the place that Childline holds in the hearts and minds of the Irish public. Furthermore a recent agreement between Childline and the Department of Children and Youth Affairs will greatly assist in maintaining the overnight service and ensuring that Childline remains open …

A wide-ranging survey of civil society organisations published this Thursday indicates that while Budget 2015 may have offered some positive measures for various social groups, it does not go far enough to restore or protect basic rights downgraded over several years of austerity. Despite the increases in welfare rates and payments, organisations working in areas right across society – social welfare, minorities, health, children, LGBT, women, disabled persons, education and older people – saw either no change or a reduction in accessibility to rights from Budget 2015, according to FLAC (Free Legal Advice Centres). The survey was conducted by FLAC and its PILA project on some 39 organisations across all areas of society in the aftermath of Budget 2015. “These results show that groups do recognise that some efforts were bring made by Government, but it is interesting to note that there was no sense of elation or even cautious optimism across the 39 participating bodies. Most felt there was …