On 17 November 2024, the three-day Shanghai Children's Health & Wellness Fair (CHWF) concluded successfully at the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre. As a special event of the China Shanghai International Children's Book Fair (CCBF), it attracted 61 professional institutions and companies specialising in children's health. The fair showcased innovative advancements across various fields, including children's vision, oral health, growth and development, mental health, rehabilitation services, and nutritional food. In addition to introducing cutting-edge health concepts and practices to visitors, the fair also infused fresh vitality and optimism into Shanghai's efforts to become a child friendly city.
The CHWF is jointly organised by BolognaFiere China Ltd. and DLG Exhibitions & Events Co., Ltd. in strategic partnership with CCBF. It is supported by Youth Aesthetic Education Special Fund of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, the Food Education and Health Industry Branch of CFA, the Self-Care Alliance, and the Shanghai Psychological Service Association. During the fair, the educational program, supported by Youth Aesthetic Education Special Fund of Shanghai Soong Ching Ling Foundation, organised 24 educational activities. These initiatives greatly enhanced parents' understanding of children's health and provided a valuable platform for industry exchange and learning. The CCBF and the CHWF, held in tandem, collectively attracted a total of 41,263 visitors. The meaningful interactions between exhibitors and visitors, along with the fair's educational activities, played a crucial role in expanding the dissemination and understanding of children's health knowledge.
Multi-Dimensional Health & Wellness Management: Innovation Driving the Future
The standout feature of this fair was the active involvement of numerous industry organisations and enterprises, which showcased new concepts, cutting-edge technologies, and innovative products in children's health most engagingly and intuitively. Covering all aspects of children's health & wellness management, their efforts collectively shaped a vivid and inspiring vision for the future of children's health.
At the fair, ZhongAn Insurance launched “Premium Baby – Children's High-End Medical Insurance”, offering comprehensive protection for children's healthy growth. Meanwhile, Ching Tak Rehabilitation provided personalised, multidisciplinary treatment options for children, including physiotherapy, speech therapy, and social-emotional therapy, to address issues such as learning difficulties, attention deficits, autism, and hyperactivity disorder. Medical chains such as Genegrow Pediatric Clinic and Growise offered free height and bone age measurements for children, along with professional guidance on nutrition, sleep, and exercise. Deji Rui Skeletal Correction Centre introduced a physical activation method to stimulate bone growth, providing a safe, scientific, and highly efficient solution for addressing short stature in teenagers. As a tertiary pediatric hospital, StarKids Children's Hospital Shanghai (New Hongqiao Campus for Children’s Hospital of Fudan University) highlighted its top-notch medical staff and medical environment, offering parents a wide range of medical options. Taikang Bybo Dental, leveraging the advantages of its extensive network of dental institutions, distributed free oral fluoride vouchers to children on-site to promote better oral health. Meanwhile, Zhihui Eye Clinic, Weizhuo Medical Technology Co., Ltd., Shandong Jinghe Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Ailan and Shanghai River Island Health Technology Co., Ltd. showcased eye nutrition products and advanced ophthalmological technologies. Moreover, children's mental health, an increasingly urgent societal issue in recent years, emerged as a key focus of this year's exhibition. Organisations such as Shanghai Chaole Clinical Psychology Clinic, Xinkexue, and Jiahele Education Growth Centre presented research findings and solutions in this area, offering professional psychological guidance for children on-site. ELG provided services including sensory integration, speech and language interventions, psychological counselling, and behavioural and learning support for children with special needs. Shanghai Chengkang Sports offered on-site teaching services to help children strengthen their bodies. In the area of children's health and nutrition, Biohalo showcased BACTOBLIS, a probiotic designed for the upper respiratory tract to help reduce harmful bacteria in children’s mouths. Furthermore, companies specializing in children's health food, like Dr. Cheese and Dalian Hongrun Lianhua, introduced new and healthy food options for children. The convergence and collaboration among these various institutions and enterprises highlighted the diversity within the children's health sector, while also fostering a continuous stream of innovation into the development of "child friendly cities."
The Educational Program: Promoting the Popularisation of Scientific Parenting Concepts
During the educational program, authoritative experts from various fields offered practical and valuable health guidance for parents and children. Tong Qigen, Vice President of the Food Education and Health Industry Branch of CFA, provided detailed advice on children's dietary patterns and eating behaviours. Zou Leilei, Chief Physician of the Department of Ophthalmology at Shanghai Children's Medical Centre, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, shared methods for the prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents, as well as self-examination techniques for detecting strabismus, aimed at parent-child families and parenting influencers. Li Xin, Attending Physician in the Department of Endocrinology and Genetic Metabolism at Shanghai Children's Medical Centre affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Wang Dahui, Chief Physician in the Department of Orthopaedics at the Children's Hospital of Fudan University, respectively shared their valuable insights on scientifically managing children's height and the early detection of scoliosis. Zhao Yanjun, Deputy Director of the Department of Child Health at the Shanghai Children's Hospital, affiliated with Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, addressed parents' questions related to learning disabilities. Teng Guoliang, Vice President of Jiahui International Hospital, analysed new concepts and technological advancements in children's health management from a broader perspective. Liu Qiang, Deputy Director of the Department of Clinical Psychology at the Mental Health Centre of Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, provided parents with effective strategies to help them better understand their children’s psychological needs and emotional changes as they grow.
Rare Disease Art Fair: The Light of Art Illuminates the Hope of Life
The "One in a Million" – Sunshine Science Popularisation Public Welfare Event “Rare Encounters” Public Science Video and Art Exhibition displayed 91 artworks across three thematic sections: “Encountering – Life”, “Encountering – Colours”, and “Encountering – Light”. These pieces were primarily created by Lan Jian'er, a rare disease patient, and Pi Pi, a family member of a rare disease patient, along with 43 other rare disease patients. At the opening ceremony, Pi Pi shared her moving story, offering a personal perspective on the challenges faced by families of those living with rare diseases. Young charity volunteers at the fair also used their innocent voices to express the heartfelt emotions behind the paintings, leading the audience into the world of rare disease patients. Through these powerful artworks, the fair highlighted the miracle and dignity of life, urging the society to show greater care and attention to the rare disease community.
Children's Health Picture Book Exhibition: Early Education to Nurture Health Value
During the fair, the Children's Health Picture Book Exhibition showcased 214 children's health-themed picture books, garnering positive feedback and support from 27 well-known publishing institutions. Covering a wide range of topics from diet, exercise, and mental well-being, these books aim to help children develop healthy concepts from an early age through engaging and educational content. Highlights included Children: The Challenge, pioneering work in child psychology; Everyone is Beautiful, the number one bestseller on Amazon’s children's book list; The Wanderings of Bebe, adapted into an animation; I Fell into the Vacuum Cleaner, named The Globe and Mail’s Children's Book of the Year in 2015; and Little Mole and Stars, a winner of the 2022 Bologna International Children's Book Fair Illustration Fair in Italy, among other internationally recognised works. The collaboration between the CHWF and the CCBF has fostered deeper and more dynamic cross-sector cooperation in the dissemination of children's health knowledge. This partnership not only allowed the audience to experience the educational charm of picture books but also fostered a deeper integration of children's health education with premium publishing resources.
The successful conclusion of the CHWF marks a significant milestone in the development of children's health initiatives in China, driven by widespread attention and collaborative efforts of all sectors of society. The event also highlights the shared responsibility and commitment of various industries and organisations in fostering the healthy growth of children, promoting scientific parenting, and advancing healthy lifestyle concepts. Let us move forward hand in hand to create a bright and healthy path for the growth and development of every child!
