PAEDS

Big thanks to Kimberley from for being a rural cheerleader and giving our brand new poddy a shout out.

We are so excited 🙌🏽

Check out this weekly wrap of regional women

Podcast - She Makes News ( )

Listen - You can listen to the episode on your favourite podcast app including Spotify and Apple. Search ‘She Makes News’.

.happens

In Australia, the statistics are clear: if you live in regional, rural, or remote areas, your risk of injury and fatal accidents is significantly higher—including risks like choking.

While rural living offers countless benefits, access to essential education and training to save the lives of loved ones can be limited. That’s why we focus strongly on bringing lifesaving education to every community, regardless of postcode.

We offer private, affordable first aid courses that cover family-specific skills for infants, young children, and older kids—at the same cost as our public courses. We also specialize in workplace first aid training and provide tailored programs for schools, early learning centers, and kindergartens, emphasizing pediatric care as our area of expertise.

For children with medical conditions or disabilities, we provide complex care training, customized to meet each child’s unique needs. Our services are claimable under the NDIS, ensuring that vital education is accessible and affordable.

Don’t let your location limit your skills—every Australian deserves the confidence to act in an emergency, and we’re here to make that possible.

A facial difference or disfigurement (FD) means having a unique or non-typical appearance of the face or neck. This could be something someone is born with or changes to their appearance that happen over time, whether temporary or permanent.

When we see masks or costumes that depict scars, scales, mobility aids, or cultural attire like Native dress, it’s important to remember these aren’t just “costume ideas”—they reflect real experiences and identities. People with facial differences live with these features every day; they don’t take them off when Halloween is over. The stigma and misunderstandings they face don’t just disappear with the holiday.

This Halloween, let’s teach children to be respectful, understanding, and kind. A facial difference isn’t a “scary costume”—it’s part of who someone is.

❤️

PEG feeding, or Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy, is a way to help kids who can’t eat or swallow get the nutrition they need. A small tube is placed through the belly directly into the stomach, allowing food, fluids, and medicine to go in. It’s often used for children with conditions that make eating hard, like neurological issues or chronic illness. PEG feeding helps them grow and stay healthy without the risk of choking or not getting enough nutrients. While it can sound a bit scary, PEG feeding is a way for children to grow and thrive when they otherwise wouldn’t be able to .

Do you know anyone with a PEG? Give them a shout out. Its a tough gig at times and this medical complexity often goes unseen.

Its warming up, the days are longer and trampoline hours are increasing by the minute. All of my kids have broken a bone already...it is a fairly common occurrence as your kids go through childhood- especially if they are go-getters.

If you suspect your child may have a broken limb, there are several key signs to look for. Visible deformities, immediate swelling or bruising, and severe pain are often indicators, especially if your child resists movement or shows signs of numbness. A “snap” sound at the time of injury can also point to a fracture, and any broken skin or open wounds should be examined by a healthcare professional immediately.

If these symptoms are present, immobilize the area using a sling, bandage, rolled up newspaper or magazine as a splint, (or the handy tshirt sling hack), apply a cold pack to reduce swelling, and seek medical attention -either ambulance or an emergency or urgent care centre depending on the circumstances.

What do you think the main cause of broken arms is in kids? Give us a guess below.

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Don’t stress about the odd socks—raising kids is never going to be perfect, and that’s okay. Life with little ones is full of mismatches, messes, and things not going to plan. But those moments are what make it fun and memorable. It’s not about having everything lined up just right; it’s about enjoying the ride, even when things get a bit messy. So if the socks don’t match, laugh it off—because these are the moments that matter most in raising happy, confident kids.

A cleft palate is a congenital condition that occurs when the tissue forming the roof of a baby’s mouth doesn’t fully fuse during pregnancy, resulting in an opening or gap.

This condition can significantly impact a child’s ability to eat, speak, and sometimes breathe properly. In some cases, a cleft palate may also occur alongside a cleft lip, which affects the upper lip and can create additional challenges.

Treatment typically begins with surgery during the first year of life to repair the gap, but more severe cases involving both the palate and lip may require multiple surgeries as the child grows.

Children with a cleft palate often need long-term support from a multidisciplinary cleft care team, including specialists like surgeons, speech pathologists, audiologists, and dental experts, to address feeding, speech development, hearing issues, and dental health. With the right medical interventions and family support, children with cleft palate can go on to lead healthy, fulfilling lives.

Children with cleft palate are some of the incredible kids we support in our Paediatric complex care program.

If you haven’t heard our final episode for season 2 of PAEDS small talk, head over and listen to Piper talking about her experience with cleft palate.

It’s International Rural Women’s Day, and we’re proud to be a rural small business leading the way in paediatric healthcare education and first aid training.

For a long time, we struggled with the title of “rural woman”—not out of shame, but because we didn’t fit the traditional stereotype. But embracing that title means more than wearing an Akubra or working the land. It’s about acknowledging the unique challenges, joys, and opportunities that come with living far from city conveniences.

Running a small business, raising our families, and striving to improve the lives of others isn’t easy. The weight of it all can feel overwhelming at times. But knowing we’re part of a community that keeps this country moving, caring for all—not just those in cities—gives it purpose.

When you truly embrace rural life, your mindset shifts from “this is so hard” to “this is where I am, and every challenge is an opportunity to grow, not just survive.”

To all the women who keep things running and help others thrive—Happy International Rural Women’s Day.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common viral illness that mainly affects young kids, though adults can catch it too.

It’s caused by viruses like coxsackievirus and typically starts with a fever and sore throat. Soon after, you might notice painful sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet.

Thankfully, it’s usually mild and goes away on its own in about a week. But it spreads easily through close contact, coughing, and touching contaminated surfaces, so prevention is crucial. And remember it stays in the poo for a few weeks after recovery, so good hygiene if changing nappies and wiping bottoms!

While there’s no specific treatment, you can help ease the symptoms and aim to keep kids hydrated, especially since those mouth sores can make it tough to drink or eat. Smoothies, purees, drinking through a straw and oral rehydration solutions can be helpful, as well as icy poles and cool noodles!

Our heart is in the country. Our families, our future, and our focus.

We know that the challenges of looking after kids in the regions are different to being in capital cities where medical care is closer at hand. We bring a unique and deep understanding of both immediate and ongoing healthcare for children to regional Australia.
It’s through our experience in regional emergency departments and as mothers on farms with small children, that we know a proactive rather than reactive approach is needed. Every moment counts. We know the heartbreak. We know what’s needed.

We also bring another kind of understanding: empathy for our audience. Mums and dads. Grandparents and carers. Doctors and nurses. We lead not with fear but with kindness and a genuine desire to help the helpers

Contact us if you would like to know more about our Paediatric training options.

We know that looking after the healthcare needs of babies, children and young people – whether it’s first aid emergencies or ongoing medical support – can seem overwhelming. As paediatric professionals with years of experience in the clinical settings of metropolitan hospitals––and as parents who live in regional communities––we also know firsthand that life outside metropolitan areas comes with additional challenges of longer wait times and reduced resources.

Our vision is to ensure that everyone has the skills and confidence to look after children when it’s needed most. The children of rural and regional Australia deserve nothing less than the best of care. We’re here to give everyone the skills and the confidence to deliver that care.

Wherever you work, if you need support with Paediatric healthcare we can tailor a program for you, both hybrid and face to face.

Send an email to [email protected] for further details.

Peanuts are one of the most common food allergens in Australia, and some infants will develop peanut allergies despite your best efforts to introduce the “right way”

However whilst the hype over starting allergens is warranted, it is important to remember that fear will only cause abundant anxiety, often preventing you from observing the correct signs and symptoms.

Whilst severe allergic reactions have been reported in children under the age of one starting peanut butter, there have been no deaths reported as a result of ingestion in this age group.

We have been involved in some very in depth discussions with experts in this area in recent times and the research being released in the near future is exciting and bound to bring light to the allergy situation in Australia.

A safe introduction to peanuts as per the ASCIA (Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy), when introducing peanuts to your little one:
🥜 Rub a small amount on the inside of your infants mouth- (not on their skin)
🥜 If no reaction, give 1/4 teaspoon of peanut butter paste either mixed into other food they are eating or mixed with a few drops of warm water.
🥜 Watch them for 30 mins
🥜 If no reaction, give 1/2 teaspoon more and observe for a further 30mins
🥜If no reaction, continue to include the peanuts in their diet on a regular basis (twice a week is suggested)

If there is ever any reaction, 🛑 STOP and seek medical attention.

In 2024, Australia has seen an increase in cases of Mycoplasma pneumonia, commonly known as “walking pneumonia”. This surge mirrors global trends, with spikes in regions like the UK, Europe, and North America.

Here are some important facts about this disease:

🫁The rise is part of a recurring pattern, typically observed every 3-7 years, as immunity to Mycoplasma pneumoniae declines.

🫁The infection, often presenting with mild symptoms such as a persistent cough and fatigue, is highly contagious and can spread easily in schools, workplaces, and other communal settings.

🫁We can all help to prevent the spread. There are still people being diagnosed with this condition as we head into Spring.

➡️Good Hygiene: Wash hands frequently with soap and water, especially after coughing, sneezing, or touching your face. Use hand sanitizers if soap and water are not available.

➡️Cover Coughs and Sneezes: Always cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or elbow when coughing or sneezing, and get rid of tissues immediately. This helps prevent the spread of infected droplets.

➡️Avoid Close Contact: Stay away from individuals who are sick, and if you’re feeling unwell, avoid close contact with others to reduce transmission.

➡️Disinfect Surfaces: Regularly clean frequently touched surfaces such as doorknobs, phones, and keyboards to reduce the spread of bacteria when sick.

➡️Stay Home When Sick: If you’re experiencing symptoms of walking pneumonia, it’s important to stay home from work, school, or social activities to avoid spreading the illness.

➡️Wear a Mask: In crowded or high-risk environments, wearing a mask can help limit the spread of respiratory infections. This is especially important if recovering from a respiratory illness or if vulnerable

We empower people. There’s no need to fear looking after children – you just need to know how they are different. We’ll give you the knowledge, skills and confidence to keep giving kids the best of care.

You wouldn’t learn how to be a plumber from an electrician, or a farmer from an office worker. It’s a pretty good idea to learn about kids health from the experts in kids health. Just a thought. 💡

Albury/Wodonga healthcare professionals we are coming for a visit. Secure your spot for the chance to gain Paediatric specific training including:

➡️ The deteriorating paediatric patient
➡️ Procedure and distraction strategies including comfort holds
➡️ High performance CPR workshop (including recertification of your annual certificate)
➡️2.5 hours CPD

🗓️12th September
⏱️6:30-9pm
📍The leap centre Wodonga
💰$85

Head to the website or link in stories to book.

How many times have you forgotten the spacer for your little one’s Ventolin? We know how important it is to use a spacer and we hope you do too- in fact using a spacer ensures you get more of the medication to your lungs- where you need it to go to be effective.
If you have a plastic bottle this will work just as well in the interim.
➡️ All you need is an empty plastic bottle
➡️Remove the lid and make a hole in the end
➡️ Simply put the ventolin into the end of the bottle and use as you would a spacer with the top of the bottle as a mouthpiece to breathe

It’s a good idea to always keep a plastic bottle in your car just in case. Or remember your spacer and ventolin- that’s good too! 👍🏼🤪