A new study shows that nearly 16%, or 11,000 three-year-olds, in Ireland have at least one serious long-standing health condition.
The report from the Institute of Public Health in Ireland identified five common serious conditions that were reported by carers.
These conditions were diagnosed asthma or asthma symptoms, diagnosed eczema or skin allergy, a sight problem that required correction and hearing problems that required correction.
Boys are 50% more likely than girls to have these conditions but the reason for this is unclear.
Children in the lowest social-economic households are 50% more likely than those in other households to have such a condition.
Children born with low birth weight are 70% more likely than other children to have sight problems.
Professor Kevin Balanda, Director of Research at the institute, said children with these conditions can have a poorer quality of life, poorer social and emotional development and poorer educational achievement.
He said knowing the characteristics of children with these conditions helps towards the development of policies and plans for services for children and their families.
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