Te Manu Toroa

23/11/2025

Our pēpi and tamariki rely on us to keep them safe. ❤️
There’s been a lot of kōrero around whether vaccines are still needed today. Let’s wānanga about the facts. 💭

Pūrākau (Myth): Vaccines aren’t necessary anymore because diseases are gone.

❌ Pono (Truth): Diseases like measles and polio haven’t gone away. They still exist overseas and can return to Aotearoa. In fact, measles has recently re-emerged here. When immunisation rates fall, these diseases can spread quickly, putting our pēpi and tamariki at risk.❗️

As whānau, ask yourself:
How do we protect our pēpi and tamariki when these diseases are still out there? ❤️‍🩹

21/11/2025

There’s a lot of kōrero out there about sugar and mate huka (diabetes). 👀

Pūrākau (Myth): “Eating too much sugar causes mate huka.”

👉🏽 Pono (Truth): Too much sugar doesn’t directly cause mate huka, but it can affect your risk.

➡️ Type 1 mate huka isn’t caused by diet or sugar. It’s not related to what you eat or your kai habits.
➡️ Type 2 mate huka can be influenced by kai habits. Eating a lot of sugar and carbohydrates (which turn into glucose) can increase your risk and make managing blood glucose more difficult, but many factors contribute — sugar alone isn’t the cause.
➡️ Mate huka i te hapūtanga (gestational diabetes) is linked to hormonal changes during hapūtanga (pregnancy), not sugar intake. During this time, the body’s insulin needs increase two to three times, and sometimes your tinana can’t keep up.

❗️So while sugar can affect your risk, mate huka is a lot more complex than just sugar. Look after your whānau by knowing the facts, eating balanced kai, and getting regular health checks. ❣️

18/11/2025

Protecting our pēpi and tamariki begins with mātauranga and aroha. 🫶🏽

There’s a lot of kōrero and whakaaro about vaccines — let’s take a moment to wānanga together. 👉🏽

Pūrākau (Myth): Vaccines cause autism.
❌ Pono (Truth): This belief came from a 1998 study that was later retracted because the research was false. The doctor who conducted it had his medical license removed. The study falsely linked the MMR vaccine (measles, mumps, rubella) to autism. Since then, many large studies around the world have found no scientific evidence that vaccines cause autism.

As whānau, how do we decide what to trust? How do we protect the mauri of our tamariki and mokopuna? ❤️

Let’s kōrero, ask pātai, and make informed choices together—so our pēpi and tamariki can flourish.

📞 0800 114 900 | ✉️ clinic@temanutoroa.org.nz

16/11/2025

Huge mihi and congratulations to our lucky wāhine who entered the Wāhine Ora Walk-In Health Check prize draw and won $100 Pak’nSave vouchers. 🎉

Taking time to care for your hauora is a powerful act of aroha — not just for yourself, but for the hauora of your whole whānau. 💛

15/11/2025

Whānau protection starts with knowing your immunity. 🤔

How do you know if you’re protected against te mate karawaka (measles)?

✅ You are immune if you’ve:
• Had te mate karawaka (measles) before, OR
• Received 2 MMR vaccines after 12 months

If you were born between 1969–2004, you may not be fully protected. Many whānau in this age group didn’t get both MMR doses as tamariki — it’s important to check your records in your Well Child book or 🗣 kōrero with your tākuta or nēhi.

📌 Steps to protect your whānau:
• Check immunity: Make sure everyone in your whānau has 2 MMR doses.
• Get vaccinated if unsure: Book a FREE MMR vaccine or kōrero with us if you have any pātai. The MMR vaccine protects about 99% of people from measles and has an excellent safety record, used in Aotearoa since 1990.
• Protect vulnerable whānau: Keep sick tamariki away from pēpi, kaumātua, and those with long-term illnesses.
• Hygiene matters: Wash hands often, cover coughs and sneezes, and clean shared surfaces.
• Strengthen your hapori: Encourage whānau and neighbours to stay up to date with vaccinations, protecting those who cannot be vaccinated.
• Travel tips: Before going overseas, make sure you and your whānau are fully protected against te mate karawaka.

👉🏾 Check. Kōrero. Protect your whānau.

14/11/2025

Need some extra tautoko for your pēpi or tamariki? 🙏

We know parenting is a beautiful, sometimes challenging journey — and every whānau’s path is unique. That’s why Family Start offers free, home-based support for whānau. 🤱🏽

We kōrero, share resources, and work alongside you to help your pēpi/tamariki grow strong and thrive — in your own whare, at your own pace.

What we offer:
✔️ Free home visits to support whānau from hapūtanga to tamariki under 2 years
✔️ Resources, information, and activities to help your pēpi/tamariki develop and thrive
✔️ Help connecting your whānau to the right services and support
✔️ Early Learning Payment to cover up to 20 hours of early childhood education for tamariki 18 months to 3 years
✔️ Support for māmā and pāpā around parenting practices

If you feel this could be the kind of tautoko your whānau would benefit from, have a kōrero with us.
📞 0800 114 900 I ✉️ referrals@temanutoroa.org.nz

The first five years of a childs life is known to be fundamental to their health and development.

13/11/2025

Did you know whānau living with mate huka (diabetes) make over 180 decisions every single day – that’s more than 65,000 a year? 😳

Today, on World Diabetes Day, we shine a light on mate huka and kōrero about some common pūrākau (myths). ❌💭

Pūrākau: “Mate huka is nothing to worry about.”
Pono: Kāo – diabetes is a serious condition. It affects tinana, hinengaro, and wairua.

Without proper care, diabetes can lead to distress or burnout – when managing your condition becomes so overwhelming that it starts being ignored. This can cause serious health problems, including heart 🫀, kidney, eye, and blood vessel diseases.

The good news? With tautoko, manaaki, and good management, these risks can be greatly reduced. 🙏

11/11/2025

Pūkahu kakā (Pneumonia) can hit hard, especially for our tamariki and kaumātua.

It’s an infection that makes your lungs swollen and sore, making it hard to breathe and causing cough, fever, and pain. It can come from bacteria, viruses, or fungi — and it’s serious. 🫁👀

Here’s some simple, powerful ways to help protect your whānau:
🌿 Keep your whare warm and dry – cold, damp places make it easier for sickness to spread
🥗 Healthy kai
💉 Get flu and pneumonia vaccinations – these can stop serious māuiui before it starts
🚭 Avoid smoking and smoky spaces around tamariki
🧼 Wash hands often – it’s a simple way to stop germs moving around
👩‍⚕️ If your tamariki or kaumātua get a cough, fever or breathing troubles, don’t wait—reach out for tautoko early