Aim:  To describe the factors affecting school food selection by parents of young children attending low socioeconomic schools in Perth and recommend the features of resources parents need to make healthier choices. Methods:  Nine focus groups of parents of young children attending low socioeconomic status schools in Perth were conducted where parents were asked about the food their children ate at school and their opinions of school food resources. Results:  Focus group discussion centred on the themes of the challenge of being a good parent by providing healthy lunch box food; making compromises in what their children eat at school and the barriers to healthy eating in the school environment. Parents were concerned about what their children were eating at school but the barriers of convenience, child preference, cost and food safety prevented them from including healthier food in the lunch box. The amount of time allowed for eating and lack of refrigeration were school‐based barriers that impacted on the type and amount of food selected. Parents liked colourful, practical school food resources with recipes and nutrition information aimed at children. Conclusions:  Parents want help with selecting lunch box food/drinks that are nutritious, convenient, inexpensive and appealing for children to eat. Schools need to be supported to introduce healthy eating programs and should review the time given for young children to eat at school. Dietitians need to consider the home food environment and what motivates parents to make food choices for their children.

ObjectiveTo examine the prevalence of medical conditions and use of health services among young adults with Down syndrome and describe the impact of these conditions upon their lives.MethodsUsing questionnaire data collected in 2011 from parents of young adults with Down syndrome we investigated the medical conditions experienced by their children in the previous 12 months. Univariate, linear and logistic regression analyses were performed.ResultsWe found that in addition to the conditions commonly experienced by children with Down syndrome, including eye and vision problems (affecting 73%), ear and hearing problems (affecting 45%), cardiac (affecting 25%) and respiratory problems (affecting 36%), conditions also found to be prevalent within our young adult cohort included musculoskeletal conditions (affecting 61%), body weight (affecting 57%), skin (affecting 56%) and mental health (affecting 32%) conditions and among young women menstrual conditions (affecting 58%). Few parents reported that these conditions had no impact, with common impacts related to restrictions in opportunities to participate in employment and community leisure activities for the young people, as well as safety concerns.ConclusionThere is the need to monitor, screen and provide appropriate strategies such as through the promotion of healthy lifestyles to prevent the development of comorbidities in young people with Down syndrome and, where present, to reduce their impact.

Gastrointestinal dysmotility occurs commonly in Rett syndrome. These evidence- and consensus-based recommendations have the potential to improve care of dysmotility issues in a rare condition and stimulate research to improve the present limited evidence base.