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The premier annual expo on the Sunshine Coast for parents and parents to be – !e Baby Fair – returns to the Sunshine Coast this Spring. An expo and a market, the fair is a one-stop shop for people to explore services, business, boutique and handmade items, all designed to nurture and support the journey from conception to childhood.

As well as an opportunity to learn and connect, it promises to be a fun family day out, with live music, a jumping castle, children’s

THE BABY FAIR returns to the Sunshine Coast

puppet show, arts and crafts, and a soft play area for toddlers. !is year, the Baby Fair will also be hosting a range of demonstrations, on topics such as Mums and Bubs fitness, the best ways to incorporate natural products in the home, fashion shows, and more. !e Baby Fair 2020 will be on Sunday 18th October, 9am to 3pm, at Innovation Centre University of Sunshine Coast. thebabyfair.com.au

AUGMENTED REALITY HELPING TACKLE ANXIETY

The University of South Australia is trailing next-gen technology, in a push to curb increasing rates of poor mental health among Aussie kids.

The world first research will test the ability of augmented reality to improve the delivery of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a treatment for symptoms of childhood anxiety.

In Australia, one in seven children aged four to seventeen years experience a mental health condition in any given year. Children with asthma are twice as likely to develop anxiety and/or depression, making them a high-risk group for poor mental health.

“CBT is a first-line psychological therapy that uses practical, task-based processes to teach kids how to recognise and cope with feelings of anxiety,” lead researcher Kelsey Sharrad says.

“Its success rate is more than eight times those of other therapies, but despite the known advantages, only 20 per cent of kids who could benefit from treatment are accessing it. “One of the greatest benefits of augmented reality is its ability to put the user at the centre of the experience, which increases their motivation to engage and learn,” Sharrad says.

“CBT is already very person-centred and flexible, but by adding augmented reality, we’re increasing its appeal, personalisation and access for many more Australian teenagers in need.”

Going to the dentist isn’t just about brushing your teeth and cavity protection! Gold Coast Dental and Denture Centre is the only certified practice on the Gold Coast to offer the ‘Thumb Sucking Cessation Program’.

CERTIFIED THUMB SUCKING PROGRAM AND DEDICATED CHILDREN’S TREATMENT AREA BOOK NOW

268 Ferry Road, Southport 5532 4168 www.gcdentalcentre.com.au

No gap payment for eligible children with Medicare Dental Cover or Private Health Insurance for general dental services