A conference to be held on Thursday 9 December, organised by the University of Glasgow, will provide an update for people working with children, especially in education and social care settings and raise awareness of the importance of Child Health and Well Being in Scotland.

Conference chair, Linda de Caestecker, Head of Women's and Children's unit at the Scottish Executive, explains: 'With a growing need for integrated child health services and inter-agency and multi-professional training, this conference provides an important forum for joint training and education on health issues for professionals from all agencies that provide services to children.'

Key speakers include Dr Anne Devenny Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University based at Yorkhill Hospital who will present up-to-date information on the management of asthma in children. Childhood asthma is a common condition affecting up to 1 in 4 children. She said: 'The management of asthma involves parent and patient education, individual asthma action plans, inhaled and oral medications. The aim of asthma management is to control a child's asthma symptoms so that they can lead an active normal life.'

Dr Jo Walsh Honorary Clinical Lecturer in Developmental Medicine at the University based at the Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley, will discuss increased cases of diabetes in children and young people. Her keynote lecture examines current trends in childhood diabetes as well as focusing on more practical aspects of treatment and the impact of diabetes on a child's life.

Professor Neil McKeganey from the Centre for Drug Misuse will be speaking on substance abuse in children. His latest report published earlier this year sparked off political debate and challenged the government's drug strategy. The research finding revealed that the majority of drug addicts contacting drug treatment services in Scotland are looking to achieve abstinence rather than to receive advice on harm reduction from treatment services.

Other key speakers include:

*Dr Jane Morris from the Parry-Jones Service at the Gartnavel Hospital will consider issues associated eating disorders. She said: 'Thousands of children and young people in Scotland are suffering from the physical, social and psychological effects of eating disorders that, without treatment, can cause difficulties in achieving full physical or personal potential. Most sufferers feel as if their disordered eating is a solution rather than a problem. Families fear that they will be blamed for their children's disorder and schools often feel powerless to help emaciated pupils who insist there isn't a problem. In Scandinavia children are weighed and measured annually by school nurses so that growth failure or obesity can be addressed in a matter of fact way in the early stages. Scottish children are not monitored in this way.'

*Dr Michael Hayes from the Child Accident Prevention Trust will investigate accidental injuries in children. 'Children's accidents are one of the leading causes of death and hospitalisation for children. Many parties, from government to parents, have an opportunity and responsibility to work to reduce them', he stated.

*Dr Mary Duffy from Barnardos and an independent consultant Elizabeth Burtney will speak about Children's Sexual Health.

*Karen Riddell from the Yorkhill Hospital, who will highlight the current issues in childhood nutrition.

*Judy Furnival from the Scottish Institute for Residential Childcare, who will talk about self confidence, bullying and self harm in children.

The conference is to be held at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow City Centre, on Thursday 9 December starting at 10am.

Media Relations Office (media@gla.ac.uk)

For more information prior to the conference, please contact Carolyn Fraser, Short Course Development and Conference Manager, Division of Developmental Medicine, University of Glasgow, tel. 201 9264. On the day of the conference Carolyn can be reached at 079 6656 1474 at the Holiday Inn, Glasgow City Centre.

First published: 6 December 2004