We have effective vaccines against some of the common and dangerous infections in children. Most of these vaccines have a high safety profile. Vaccines available for routine immunisations belong to different categories. Live viral vaccines are highly effective and provides a good protective effect against the infections caused by those viruses. Conjugate and toxoid bacterial vaccines are also very effective. An overview of all the recommended childhood vaccines, along with their dosing schedule and specific contraindications are discussed. We have looked at situations where vaccinations should be delayed or avoided. Catch up vaccination recommendations for missed or delayed vaccinations are briefly discussed.

Anorexia Nervosa is one of the eating disorders, as classified in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, the fifth edition. It is characterised by a pathological fear of weight gain associated with an overwhelming drive for thinness. Patients do present to primary care with vague, non-specific complaints. A heightened degree of suspicion is required for the diagnosis, as patients tend to hide symptoms and are often in denial. We present a case in an 11-year-old girl brought by her mother to the polyclinic with a history of restrictive eating and excessive exercise for three weeks. This case provided a learning opportunity on the assessment and management of an eating disorder, as well as the adverse effects of undernutrition.

Eating disorder (ED) referrals of school age children and adolescents, by their parents and school teachers, have become more common. Also, they are now presenting at an earlier age to the primary health care and school systems, with physical, medical and psychological symptoms. Nevertheless, there is an average of six months to two years between the onset of symptoms to formal assessment and treatment by specialist team. There are also more cases presenting to ED specialist clinic services, especially pre-pubertal children, with early onset and presentation before 14 years old. Mid and late adolescent presentations (after 14 years old) continue to make up more than two third of the cases. More than 60 percent of cases seen in specialist clinics are of the restrictive type anorexia nervosa, and often associated with persistent and excessive exercise. Thirty percent of cases presented are Bulimia nervosa, which tend to be episodic. Majority of single episode bulimia cases do not present themselves early to medical services but take on open source self-directed management. For patients with bulimia who comply to treatment program and recover after 6-12 months of therapy, they can also experience high relapse rate as they often discontinue their follow up. Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder is more closely related to pre-pubertal onset eating disorder with arrested sexual maturity and growth failure, if left untreated. Psychiatric co-morbidities arising from body image disturbance, overdrive high achievement needs, prior exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE), dysfunctional family or peer relationships, include anxiety, avoidance behavior, obsessive rumination, depression, suicidal ideation and attempt. Death can arise from acute presentation and chronic state of ED, when associated with medical complications from refeeding syndrome, severe malnourishment, accidents and suicide. Early identification and assessment by family physicians would significantly improve the prognosis and mitigate against long term chronicity when share care with ED specialist services.

Eating disorder (ED) referrals of school age children and adolescents, by their parents and school teachers, have become more common. Also, they are now presenting at an earlier age to the primary health care and school systems, with physical, medical and psychological symptoms. Nevertheless, there is an average of six months to two years between the onset of symptoms to formal assessment and treatment by specialist team. There are also more cases presenting to ED specialist clinic services, especially pre-pubertal children, with early onset and presentation before 14 years old. Mid and late adolescent presentations (after 14 years old) continue to make up more than two third of the cases. More than 60 percent of cases seen in specialist clinics are of the restrictive type anorexia nervosa, and often associated with persistent and excessive exercise. Thirty percent of cases presented are Bulimia nervosa, which tend to be episodic. Majority of single episode bulimia cases do not present themselves early to medical services but take on open source self-directed management. For patients with bulimia who comply to treatment program and recover after 6-12 months of therapy, they can also experience high relapse rate as they often discontinue their follow up. Avoidant-restrictive food intake disorder is more closely related to pre-pubertal onset eating disorder with arrested sexual maturity and growth failure, if left untreated. Psychiatric co-morbidities arising from body image disturbance, overdrive high achievement needs, prior exposure to adverse childhood experiences (ACE), dysfunctional family or peer relationships, include anxiety, avoidance behavior, obsessive rumination, depression, suicidal ideation and attempt. Death can arise from acute presentation and chronic state of ED, when associated with medical complications from refeeding syndrome, severe malnourishment, accidents and suicide. Early identification and assessment by family physicians would significantly improve the prognosis and mitigate against long term chronicity when share care with ED specialist services.

Henoch-Schönlein purpura (HSP) is an acute, systemic immunoglobulin-medicated small-vessel vasculitis. It is the commonest vasculitis of childhood and is typically characterised by a tetrad of abdominal pain, arthritis, palpable purpura, and renal disease. All patients develop palpable purpura, while 84-90% develop arthritis, 57-58% develop abdominal pain, and 20-54% develop renal involvement. Gastrointestinal symptoms can be the first presenting complaint with the absence of initial purpura, leading to a delay in diagnosis.