PAEDS

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! 👍🏼🤪

When you work with us, expect nothing less than the highest quality education and training.

We are not just another first aid provider. We are so much more.

Both of us hold postgraduate degrees in Paediatric Critical Care Nursing and Masters in Advanced Nursing. We use these advanced nursing skills to ensure that the quality of your course, whether it’s first aid, complex care training, school training, or corporate professional development, is delivered to the highest standard.

As leaders in paediatric care, we sit on the Australian Resuscitation Council and help shape the guidelines and practices followed by every first aider and healthcare provider in Australia.

We are trailblazers in this industry. We bring our experience and knowledge beyond the walls of the hospital and into the hands of those who see it all – you.

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The only game I’ll ever win….

How many did you get? 3 in a row?? 🫠🫠

Let us know ⬇️

PAEDS bridges the gap between the largest and most advanced hospitals, equipped with extensive resources, and the regions and rural areas where services are significantly limited.

We tailor healthcare courses to suit your staff’s learning needs. Whether you are in allied health clinics, hospitals, or school nursing, our programs are designed with you in mind. Upon completion, we provide CPD learning outcomes and certificates, along with resources developed specifically for your workplace.

If you want some worthwhile PD to support the kids in your organisation or community, reach out.

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In our recent poll, 88% of you said that at some point in your child’s life, you have had concerns about their development.

We are here to support all parents of all children to navigate childhood and make parenting a bit easier and enjoyable.

If you haven’t listened to the podcast episode with , renowned Paediatrician and Mother we encourage you to do so. We delve into the ways that parents and caregivers can access support when they are concerned about their child’s growth or development journey.

We have also developed an easy to navigate guide in our blogs over at www.paedseducation.com.au

Go check it out and let us know if you have any questions!

Services in our blog include

If you know of any other online Paediatric services that parents may find useful, please give them a shoutout below and we will add to the blog!

Attention footy/soccer parents standing out on frosty fields this morning… and parents of newborns!!

Myth or fact: Do kids lose more heat through their head than anywhere else? You might have heard that you lose most of your body heat through your head, but that’s not really true. It’s just that if your head is the only part not covered, you’ll lose heat from there. Think of it like this: if you wear a warm coat but no hat, your head will feel cold because it’s the only part exposed. Any uncovered part of your body will lose heat, whether it’s your head, hands, or feet. So, to stay warm, make sure you cover everything up, not just your head!

You know how much we love teaching the whole family...

So why not gather your entire village and learn together? We provide private infant and child first aid courses at the venue of your choice—homes, community centers, mothers and parents groups, supported playgroups...wherever it suits you.

All we need is access to power, and we’ll bring the rest.

Kids are very welcome at these sessions. We have a strong desire to see the next generation trained in first aid, so why not bring them along?

Contact us for a quote. And if you want training before the end of 2024, book now!

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Do you conduct regular first aid training in your workplace?

Do you care for kids?

Did you know that our first aid training is nationally recognized and unlike any other on the market? While we provide training for anyone needing first aid, we have a particular vested interest in those who care for kids. This is our specialty, and we deliver this training using the PAEDS method.

Our sessions are highly interactive and engaging, where you learn more than just first aid from a textbook. You gain insights into paediatric health and wellbeing that go beyond the standard courses.

We aim to help you understand and feel confident, not just tick boxes.

Talk to us about first aid for your workplace. We customize all our courses to be tailored to the population of children you care for.

Don’t settle for just meeting requirements. Learn, be empowered, and be ready to manage any incident, big or small.

“Knowledge is power and to be able to have educators provided with this education really opens up so many doors for them as educators but also for other children to come. It shows them that it IS possible for children with complex medical needs to be able to part of the same expectations and opportunities to children without these complex needs.”

~Do you have a child with complex medical needs?

Here’s how we can help you:

- Individual Consultation: We assess your child’s needs and determine the level of medical complexity required for training.
- Hybrid Training Approach: We ensure that all your child’s carers and/or educators are immediately connected to online learning, with no delays.
- Face-to-Face Competency-Based Training and Assessment: We provide this training wherever it is needed—in the home, school, kindergarten, or community center. This ensures your entire village, including carers and educators, are equipped to meet your child’s needs. It is delivered in a timely manner- and we travel all over Victoria.
- NDIS Coverage: These services can be funded through the NDIS.

How gorgeous is our Griffin!!
📸

“I wanted to let you know that your page and first aid practice is doing so much more than you maybe possibly realise” ~ Sasha. Mum to a beautiful little heart warrior

The knowledge we share and the skills we teach can save a child’s life. It doesn’t get any simpler or more important than that.

We bring years of experience from a major children’s hospital into every room where we teach, whether that’s a regional community centre, hospital, school or a session with parents.

We only employ people with paediatric expertise, and we are well known in paediatric healthcare, recognised by other service providers and respected by other medical professionals we work alongside.

The greatest validation of our work, however, often comes from parents and carers and from statements as simple as this: what you taught me saved my child’s life.

If your kids have ever had gastro and then struggled to have “normal bowel motions” or stay “gassy” with a sore tummy for awhile afterwards, try cutting out dairy for 3 weeks.

Kids can develop temporary lactose intolerance after a bout of gastroenteritis because the infection can damage the lining of their small intestine, where lactase—the enzyme needed to digest lactose (found in dairy)—is produced.

This damage reduces the body’s ability to break down lactose, leading to symptoms like bloating, gas, and diarrhea when dairy products are eaten.

Fortunately, this form of lactose intolerance is usually temporary, resolving as the intestinal lining heals over a few weeks. But if symptoms continue beyond this it is important to check in with your healthcare provider.

We are running a comprehensive webinar on July 15, where we will explore innovative techniques and best practices to effectively manage procedural pain in children. Whether you’re in allied health, nursing , medicine, or you are a parent or carer, this webinar is designed to equip you with the latest knowledge and tools to improve patient care.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Procedural preparation
✅ Comfort holds and language use
✅ Distraction techniques
✅ Pharmacological support

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to enhance your skills and make a difference for your children or patients.

CPD hours available with certificate.

Link in bio.

Work for years building up sick leave.
Have kids.
Watch it drop to donuts in months.
….
Welcome to parenting and working 🫠🫠🫠

P.s they need you. You need them. It’s ok to call in sick to care for your kids 🫶🏼

During the COVID-19 pandemic, as families spent more time at home, outdoor fires became a popular pastime. Unfortunately, this increase in usage led to a rise in serious injuries seen in emergency departments, intensive care units, and burns wards. Many of these incidents involved the use of accelerants which can unpredictably flare up, leading to devastating injuries.

Children are especially vulnerable, often sustaining burns that require prolonged treatment and leave lasting physical and emotional scars.

We are certainly not saying that you cannot have one! But it is essential to practice fire safety diligence: never use accelerants, set up fire pits away from flammable materials, and always supervise children closely around fires.

June is National Burns Awareness month because we see an increased number of injuries related to heat and fire at this time of year. There is a particular focus this year on the dangers of not practicing fire safety when having outdoor fires. Join with us and spread the word to avoid devastating injuries which we have seen and continue to see from the improper practices around home fires.

More information over and

It’s a question we answer a lot- both in the hospital setting as well as the community.

A common misconception about the flu vax is that it can cause the flu. Which prevents a lot of people getting it. This year, our vaccination rates are low, and our cases in the ICU are high!

The vaccine is the most effective way to prevent serious disease- which is not just a common cold. We have been caring for some very very unwell children this year and trust us when we say you don’t want to get it.

The vaccine can cause some short term side effects - a result of your immune system doing it’s job after being exposed to the vaccine. But these don’t last long and are in no way an indication that you “caught the flu” from the vaccine.

It’s really important that if you do experience side effects, that you report these symptoms so that accurate data can be collected.

We understand that there are some hesitancies around vaccination in the post 🦠era. If you have questions, head on over to stories tonight. We are answering some questions about the vaccine there. We are all about education and empowering you with knowledge- minus the judgment. 🫶🏼

Flashback to earlier this year when we had the absolute pleasure of hosting a class for and before the arrival of beautiful little Gus. There was also some soon to be Mums and Dads join the crew to learn vital first aid and illness tips and tricks.

We ran this session to raise funds for Huntingtons disease- a cause close to Madi’s one heart. If you haven’t yet, listen to episode 6 of PAEDS small talk where we chat with Madi about this life altering moment for her when she lost her own mother and navigated the testing phase for herself.

Gary and Madi, we loved training you to feel prepared for your beautiful new addition.

If you want a comprehensive but relaxed and informative private course with your village, get in touch now. Bookings are filling for the remainder of the year!!!

As parents and carers we want nothing more than to protect our kids in every situation… especially when they are sick.

But sometimes this means we speak for them instead of allowing them to advocate for themselves. Now don’t get me wrong- some children depending on age, severity of illness and developmental level may not be able to do this, requiring you to entirely be their voice.

But those kids who can speak up, should be given the opportunity to voice their symptoms and answer the care provider IN. THEIR. WORDS.

Why? Because it is the perfect way to safely introduce them to the medical system. The safest way to allow them a voice with an adult filling in the gaps and being their support. And an effective way to empower them to talk about their bodies with trusted people.

How can you do this practically?

1. Discuss with your child before an appointment how they feel about speaking with the care provider. Encourage them to talk about what’s going on in their bodies. Remind them that you are going to be there the whole time and can fill in the gaps when needed.
2. Allow them to enter the room before you.
3. Have them take a seat closest to the care provider
4. Ensure that initial questions around “what’s been happening” are directed to your child. If the way are not, you direct the conversation to your child.
5. Stay close beside them, and allow your child to see the exit (this can be really helpful so they don’t feel trapped in the room like an interrogation)
6. Encourage encourage encourage afterwards and make sure they have the chance to debrief if needed.

It won’t be perfect and you will need to guide them, but it is so powerful to see them navigate another important part of their journey into adulthood.

Did you catch our blog over about ways to support your little ones immunity this winter? Head over and take a read. Some helpful and practical tips for parents and carers everywhere.

What options do you have when your kids are sick?

We have been travelling all over Victoria the past two weeks. Over 2000km, 11 different towns. Teaching first aid and healthcare education to parents, carers, students, teachers, support staff and healthcare providers. It is increasingly apparent that information about HOW to get help in our healthcare system is missing.

As always for EMERGENCIES please dial 000 or use your emergency plus app. These suggestions are for non emergency situations where you need second opinions, scripts, medications, advice and support.

These are some of the services that we have used, and we know they are useful.

Please note that the paediatric specific services are Medicare rebatable if you are eligible so please check out the individual providers for more information.

Knowing who to go to when you need support is so important. You are never alone.

Share with someone who needs to know this information.

Last year we did some important work with and developed a simple way for families to teach kids and each other about risks in rural areas. During our 3 day tour of the Buloke shire in rural VIc this week we have been speaking about this A LOT.
The triage of safety is not an OHS manual- it is easily applied to any situation and is super effective- tried and tested with our own farms and kids.

Here is how it works;

Whenever you are in a new environment or you undertake a “risky” activity, do a quick 3 point check;

Pinpoint:
Work through the risks that could result in injury or accident (ie; we are going out to chop wood. The chainsaw and flying debris are dangerous)

Prevent:
Kids must have a responsible adult supervising them whilst wood being chopped. Safe distances enforced at all times. Know where the chainsaw is at all times.

Plan:
If something happens when we are away from the house, do we have mobile phone reception? Is the first aid kit in the Ute? Is the UHF working?

It may seem common sense but in reality, we often brush over this stuff and think “she’ll be right”

And yet… so often it isn’t. 68000 kids each year are hospitalised for mostly preventable injury. You can use this triage of safety in any risky situation. Kids will naturally start to use it in every day life. Making the situation “as safe as it needs to be” (words from on risky play) whilst not wrapping them up in cotton wool and preventing wholesome childhoods.

Give it a try!

It’s a no fear, knowledge only post so DONT PANIC!

Lots of ❓about the newest strain from parents in hospital so thought it would be good to share the current knowledge and what it means for your kids.

News flash: Don’t change what you are doing… unless you are not washing your hands and not teaching your kids to either- then you should definitely change!

Interesting recommendation updates on the last slide about kids and vaccines if you hadn’t caught up.

Parvovirus affects red blood cell development and poses potential risks to vulnerable groups: pregnant women, individuals with blood disorders, and those with immune suppression.
Pregnant women risk miscarriage or stillbirth, and unborn babies can develop severe anemia or hydrops fetalis.
Those with blood disorders or immune suppression may suffer from chronic anemia.

If you are in the high risk group:

1. Seek medical attention and additional monitoring if know you’ve been exposed.
2. Prevent infection through good hand hygiene, avoiding shared utensils, and staying away from those with ‘slapped cheek’ infection.
3. High-risk individuals should also avoid hospitals, childcare centers, and schools where possible.

Please note that there is no vaccine or specific treatment which exists for parvovirus.