The Sick Sense

The Sick Sense Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from The Sick Sense, Safety & first aid service, Newcastle.

Founded by Ilana (Illy), Paediatric Nurse Consultant, The Sick Sense is the go-to baby & child first aid provider in Newcastle & Lake Macquarie—empowering parents with CPR, choking, illness recognition, workshops, online courses & family safety education.

14/05/2026

Meet the real MVP of The Sick Sense workshops… Baby Anne.
She cops it all!!

Back blows. Chest thrusts. Chest compressions.
Round after round of CPR… and yes — some questionable technique at first 😅

But that’s the whole point.
Because you don’t learn baby and child first aid by just watching —
you learn by doing. By practising. By getting it wrong, then right.

So if it ever comes to it, Your hands know exactly what to do.

Baby Anne might take the hits…
but our families walk away with confidence.

If you want real-life, hands-on baby & child first aid training: The Sick Sense is it.

Head to the link in bio to book a workshop
Or DM “WORKSHOP” and I’ll send you the details

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Why choose The Sick Sense for baby and child first aid?Because parents don’t need more overwhelming information, they ne...
12/05/2026

Why choose The Sick Sense for baby and child first aid?
Because parents don’t need more overwhelming information, they need to know what actually matters.

Our families don’t just learn CPR or choking first aid.
They learn how to:
• Recognise when a child is seriously unwell
• Know when to go to ED vs stay home
• Respond confidently in an emergency
• Stay calm when it matters most

"Thankyou for being a voice of reason and knowledge. I’ve been able to think more rationally. I love how you said about trusting your sick sense. It really has really brought me back down and helped me reconnect to my intuition."

This is practical, real-life baby and child first aid; designed for parents, caregivers, and families.
No fear. No fluff. Just confidence.

If you want to feel prepared : Head to the link in bio to book a Face to Face workshop or you can access the Bite-Sized Online Course for $89

Or DM “SICK SENSE” and I’ll send it straight to you

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05/05/2026

3 things I had to unlearn as a Paediatric Nurse… once I became a mum.

Because real life doesn’t come with monitors, teams, or time to overthink.

• More info ≠ more confidence (it usually = more panic)
Google will give you 10 possibilities — your brain will go straight to the worst one. What actually helps is knowing what matters, what’s critical… and what isn’t and what doesn’t need to be seen straight away.

• Not every sick kid needs ED (but you need to know the ones who do). Most childhood illnesses can be managed at home. The confidence comes from recognising the red flags — knowing when to wait, see a GP, or act fast.

•Being “calm and clinical” goes out the window when it’s your own child. At work it’s logic. At home it’s emotion. You don’t need to be perfect — you need simple, practical skills that work even when you’re scared.

This is exactly why I created The Sick Sense.

To help you know what actually matters — when to wait, when to act, how to communicate it and how to stay calm in between.

If you’ve ever Googled symptoms at 2am… this is for you.

Head to the link in bio to access the Bite-Sized Online Course for $89 Or DM “SICK SENSE” and I’ll send it straight to you

Follow .sick.sense for real-life child health education that actually makes sense

What we do at The Sick Sense — and why it mattersIf I’m being honest…most parents don’t need more information.They need ...
03/05/2026

What we do at The Sick Sense — and why it matters
If I’m being honest…
most parents don’t need more information.

They need to know what actually matters in the moment.
When your child is sick.
When something feels off.
When you’re trying to decide — do I watch, wait, or act? How do I act?

That’s where The Sick Sense comes in.
It’s not just first aid.
It’s learning how to recognise, respond, communicate and feel confident in those real-life moments.

Here’s how the Sick Sense supports you:
✔ Face-to-face Baby & Child First Aid workshops — hands-on, practical, real-life
✔ Online bite-sized course ($89) — perfect if you need flexibility or a refresher
✔ The Squadrons — teaching kids first aid foundations through play
✔ Nationally accredited First Aid & CPR for workplaces and organisations
✔ Mental Health First Aid support
✔ Free resources + tools for those “what do I do again?” moments

You can come along to a workshop at the BCP Hub, or we can come to your home and your team at the workplace.

But at the heart of it —
this isn’t about ticking a box or doing a course.
It’s about feeling calm instead of panicked, it's about equipping you with essential tools
and trusting yourself when it matters most, that is your Sick Sense.

If you’ve been meaning to “get around to it” — this is your sign.
Head to the link in bio or send me a DM saying SICK SENSE and I’ll point you in the right direction.

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A helmet isn’t optional.It’s non-negotiable.And this weekend? It mattered more than ever.At our local pump track, my 5-y...
29/04/2026

A helmet isn’t optional.
It’s non-negotiable.

And this weekend? It mattered more than ever.

At our local pump track, my 5-year-old was riding her balance bike — helmet on (always). She was doing everything right, keeping left like we’ve practiced. Coming through a blind section, another older child approached from the outside.

No one at fault. Just one of those things.

But the collision was big.

She hit the ground and ended up with a head laceration.

And all I could think was — thank goodness she was wearing her helmet.

Because while we can’t prevent every accident, we can absolutely reduce the severity of injury. Helmets are proven to significantly reduce the risk of serious head injury in children riding bikes, scooters, and skateboards — and this was a real-life reminder (supported by guidance from Kidsafe and Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne).

Here’s what that moment looked like through my “Sick Sense” lens:

✔ Removed immediate danger — stopped other riders
✔ Comfort first — she was distressed, so I picked her up straight away
✔ Reassured both children — the older child was incredibly upset and worried he had hurt her, so I made sure to comfort him too and let him know it was an accident
✔ Held her and kept her helmet on while we walked to the car to get our first aid kit — this helped contain the bleeding and kept her calmer
✔ Accepted help from bystanders (not my usual nature, but I had my 2-year-old with me — and this mattered in that moment)
✔ Explained every step before I did it (this matters more than you think)
✔ Cleaned the wound + applied steri-strips
✔ Used distraction (thank you to the child with the iPad — game changer)
✔ Monitored for red flags:
– Cried immediately (no loss of consciousness)
– Recalled the entire event
– No vomiting

We then went to urgent care where her wound was properly assessed and glued.

She’s okay.
But it could have been very different.

What many parents don’t realise is that head injuries are one of the most common injuries in children during wheeled play — and even low-speed falls or collisions can result in serious harm without protection.

Helmets:
✔ Reduce risk of severe head injury
✔ Protect the brain during impact
✔ Should be worn every single time — no exceptions

Not just for bikes.
Scooters. Skateboards. Balance bikes. Pump tracks. Everywhere.

Because accidents don’t wait for “just this once.”

If your child rides — they wear a helmet. Full stop.

And beyond prevention — knowing what to look for after a head knock matters just as much.

If something feels off, trust your gut.
That’s your Sick Sense.

Save this post and share it with another parent — this is one of those simple decisions that truly makes a difference.
And if you want to feel confident handling moments like this, head to the link in bio to book a workshop or access the online course.

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27/04/2026

I was recently asked —
“Why is it so important to keep our little ones rearward facing in the car? Like… what does it actually do?”

Such a good question.

Because we hear the recommendation all the time —
but when you understand the why, it hits differently.

So a big thank you to the team at and Dr Warwick Teague for this simple, powerful explanation and video.

Here’s the part as drivers of young ones we need to understand.

In a crash, a child’s head is heavy and their neck is still developing.

Forward-facing = that force is thrown forward
Rearward-facing = that force is spread across the whole body
This simple action is protecting the head, neck and spine as one unit

That’s why children are safest rearward-facing for as long as they fit their seat.

It’s not only a recommendation.
It’s physics.

And once you understand that —
you don’t rush to turn them around, you do it when it feels safe for you and your child.

That’s your Sick Sense.

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Cost of living is absolutely WILD right now!We’re all feeling it.Groceries up. Fuel up. Everything up.(And let’s not eve...
24/04/2026

Cost of living is absolutely WILD right now!
We’re all feeling it.

Groceries up. Fuel up. Everything up.
(And let’s not even talk about the toilet paper panic buying era…)

Here's the kicker...

There are some things we absolutely should not have to sacrifice.

Learning how to respond when your baby or child is choking.
Knowing what to do in an emergency and give CPR.
Recognising when your child is seriously unwell.
Feeling confident to advocate and escalate your healthcare concerns.

These aren’t “nice to have” skills.
They’re essential.

So we’ve made it easier.

The Sick Sense has officially partnered with Afterpay

Which means you can now:
• Book your Baby & Child First Aid workshop
• Access our online course
• Shop our resources

And pay your way.

Because confidence in your child’s care shouldn’t feel out of reach.

This is real-life education.
For real-life parents.

Head to the link in bio to book, learn or shop now.

Follow The Sick Sense

Did you know it’s Paediatric Sepsis Week?And this is one every parent needs to understand.Sepsis is life-threatening.It’...
22/04/2026

Did you know it’s Paediatric Sepsis Week?

And this is one every parent needs to understand.

Sepsis is life-threatening.
It’s the body’s extreme response to infection — and in children, it can escalate quickly and quietly.

The tricky part?
It doesn’t always look dramatic at the start.

It can look like:
“just a fever”
“just a virus”
“just a bit off”

But this is where your Sick Sense matters most.

🚩 Red flags I never ignore:

• Fast or difficult breathing
• Unusual drowsiness, floppy, or hard to wake
• Pale, mottled, or blue skin
• Not drinking or fewer wet nappies
• Persistent vomiting
• Severe pain or something that just doesn’t feel right

Here’s what most parents don’t realise:

Children can compensate… until they suddenly can’t.
Low blood pressure is a late sign in kids.

By the time it looks obvious — they can already be very unwell.

If your gut is telling you something isn’t right — escalate.

Ask the question:
“Could this be sepsis?”

Because early recognition and treatment can save lives.

This isn’t about panic.
It’s about being prepared, informed, and confident to act.

Save this post so you can come back to it.
Share it with another parent — this matters.

Follow The Sick Sense and if you want to feel confident recognising serious illness in your child, head to the link in bio to explore The Sick Sense workshops and online course.

Address

Newcastle, NSW

Website

http://www.thesicksense.com/, https://g.page/r/CSM1hmFwhqtREAE/review

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