Child and Adolescent Health Essentials

Program Overview

The Child and Adolescent Health Essentials program equips osteopaths with the knowledge and skills to provide holistic assessments and care for young patients. It covers topics such as pain management, abdominal pain, oral health, asthma, nutrition, mental health, and ethical considerations. Graduates can pursue specialized areas in osteopathy or further study options.

Program Outline

Degree Overview:

Overview:

The Child and Adolescent Health Essentials program is a short course designed for qualified osteopaths who wish to expand their knowledge and skills relating to the holistic assessments of children and adolescents. This program enables you to integrate this expertise into your existing osteopathic practice.

Objectives:

The program aims to equip participants with the knowledge and skills to:

• Conduct thorough pain assessments in children and adolescents.
• Effectively manage abdominal pain and IBS in young patients.
• Understand and address oral health concerns in children and adolescents.
• Manage and treat asthma and eczema in young patients.
• Understand and support the mental health of children and adolescents.
• Develop effective communication skills for interacting with young patients.
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• Apply health promotion and health literacy principles in working with young patients.
• Understand and implement appropriate referral processes for complex cases.
• Navigate ethical considerations, consent, and privacy issues in working with young patients.

Program Description:

This short course offers a comprehensive exploration of child and adolescent health within an osteopathic framework. Participants will gain a deeper understanding of the unique needs and challenges faced by young patients, and develop the skills necessary to provide holistic and effective care. The program covers a range of topics, including:

• Pain assessment: Participants will learn to conduct thorough pain assessments in children and adolescents, taking into account their developmental stage and individual needs.
• Oral health: The program will cover the importance of oral health for children and adolescents, and provide guidance on managing common oral health issues.
• Asthma/eczema: Participants will learn about the management of asthma and eczema in young patients, including both conventional and osteopathic approaches.
• Nutrition: The program will address the nutritional needs of children and adolescents, including the management of obesity and healthy eating habits.

Careers:

Career opportunities:

The demand for osteopaths is high, with numerous job opportunities available in New Zealand and internationally. Completing this program broadens your expertise and can open doors to specialized areas within the field.

Further study options:

Graduates of this program may pursue further study options such as the Infant and Young Child Health Essentials short course, also offered at Ara.

Other:

Funding assistance:

Ara offers various financial assistance options, including hardship funds and scholarships, to support students facing financial difficulties.

Fair Trade Disclaimer:

From 2023, Ara Institute of Canterbury Ltd and this program will become part of Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology. Current programs are under review as part of vocational education training reform. The objective is to develop unified programs for Te Pūkenga that are portable, consistent, and aligned with industry needs.