Page 16 - Tropic Magazine Issue 12

Industry
Health

Parental guidance

Cairns Private Hospital has
launched a first-of-its-kind
service to provide help and
support to new parents.

Laura Snyder had tried everything in experiencing post-natal concerns. “Studies have shown that early
the well-read baby books. Weeks after Where new parents previously had to childhood concerns, left untreated, can
her son Wyatt was born, she was cope on their own or seek assistance often have long-term effects on a child’s
mentally and physically exhausted, from local Community Health Centres, health, well into adolescence,” he said.
struggling with the infant’s sleeping the new service is the first of its kind “We’ve seen local families wait months
patterns. “He was crying quite a bit for Tropical North Queensland. to access early intervention programs,
during the day, and I really wasn’t This state-of-the-art service caters for and in some cases give up entirely
coping,” Laura said. families with children aged between six because of the difficulty accessing these
It’s a familiar story for many new weeks and two years of age. Allowing programs.
parents. Cairns is home to people from parents to stay for up to five days, the “We’re pleased that Cairns Private
all over Australia, and indeed the world. CPH Early Parenting Centre provides Hospital can now provide a local
Many young families live far from their specialist care for infants experiencing alternative to families in the Far North -
parents or family networks. Without sleeping difficulties or feeding an intensive, high quality, residential
that solid support from family and problems including reflux and colic, support program that has the potential
friends, the arrival of a new baby can be and mothers experiencing exhaustion to improve a family’s wellbeing at their
challenging and if not managed well, and adjustment issues. Parents can current family stage, and in the future.”
can have detrimental effects on gain assistance from the Early So, how did it pan out for Laura and
parent-child relationships and child Parenting Centre through a GP referral, Wyatt? “I don’t have my mum here in
development. or contact the centre themselves. Cairns, and thanks to the team at the
Cairns Private Hospital is pleased to Cairns Private Hospital CEO Shane Early Parenting Centre, he’s just such a
announce the opening of the region’s Mitchell believes the new Cairns Early happier baby now that he’s sleeping,”
first Early Parenting Centre, offering a Parenting Centre will satisfy an she said.
specialist-driven, early intervention overwhelming demand that has been MORE: cairnsprivate.com.au
program designed to support families unmet in the region for some time.

Smile!
Here’s a fun fact for the coffee lovers also high in polyphenol, which helps to
of Cairns from the team at Perfect break up plaque-causing bacteria. But
Teeth. According to a study by the there’s a catch: it only works if you
Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, drink coffee black, because other
varieties of coffee high in caffeine are ingredients like milk or sugar
counteracts the work that the
polyphenol does.
Of course, as Perfect Teeth dentist Dr
Neale Chiu Chong explains, drinking
coffee won’t quite solve all your
dentistry problems. And yes, coffee
can still stain your teeth. preventative services, orthodontics and
“A smile is a first impression, and cosmetic dentistry, endodontics,
nothing you wear is more important holistic dentistry, wisdom teeth
than your smile. It can enhance removal and Sedation dentistry, and
positivity in all aspects of life,” Dr much more. They’re also able to
Neale said. “But this is something that prepare excellent dental and hygiene
is easily forgotten amongst the plans that are tailored to your every
pressures of today. Sometimes people need and payment plans developed to
are also lacking the confidence to fit within your budget. Talk to them at
smile like they mean it.” two convenient locations: Redlynch
That’s where the team at Perfect Teeth Shopping Centre and 361–363 Sheridan
comes in. They offer a wide range of St, North Cairns.
Dr Neale Chiu Chong services such as general and
MORE: perfectteethcairns.com.au