Child Matters

24/09/2025

It's Restart a Heart Day on 21st October 2025 so come and join the growing number of people learning CPR across the country for this national free community event.

Join us for a FREE session to learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation + how to use a Defibrillator. You'll have a chance to practice the lifesaving skills yourself using our manikins.

Bring your friends and family and let's all help Marlow to learn life-saving skills together.

Venue: URC Marlow, Oxford Road SL7 2NL
Time: 10 - 11.30am

Parking: TRAVEL: WHAT3WORDS ///crass.class.clumped Approaching the Church from West Street, Marlow, it is located on the left hand side of Oxford road. Opposite Riley Road, the first right hand turning.

PLEASE NOTE parking is not permitted in the back half of the church car park. There is limited parking in the front half but if parked carefully we can fit 12 cars (blocking others in). If there is no parking available, please use the public car park across the road in Sainsburys (Pay + Display).

Any questions contact me Claire Street on 07788 720 612 or email contact@childmatters.info



Or book the 10am session here via this eventbrite link.

Come and Join us for a FREE session to learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation and how to use a Defibrillator

23/09/2025

Restart A Heart Day 21st October 2025

Join the growing number of people learning CPR.
Come and Join us for a FREE session to learn Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation + how to use a Defibrillator

Helping Marlow to learn life-saving skills together.

If you'd like to come please email contact@childmatters.info as it helps to know how many to cater for (refreshments available) or you can just drop in on the day at URC Marlow, Oxford Road SL7 2NL. Sessions run from 10 - 11.30am or 12 - 1.30pm.

Please share and lets get our Marlow community trained in skills for life.

22/09/2025

Anyone can be affected by a cardiac arrest at any time. Without immediate action, the person will die. Being confident to perform CPR will ensure that in the ultimate medical emergency you can help save a life at home, school, work, or in public.

CPR is a skill for everyone. During a cardiac arrest, we all have the chance to make a difference. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by 10%. Let’s make sure everyone feels confident, and ready to act when every second counts.

No matter your physical abilities, you have the power to make a difference during a cardiac arrest. Early CPR can double the chances of survival, and people with limb differences can play a vital role in saving lives by helping coordinate CPR, calling 999, or getting someone to fetch a defibrillator.

1. Each year, roughly 40,000 people suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest – that’s over 100 people every day.

2. 80% of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home.

3. Every minute without CPR and defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by 10%.

4. 1 in 10 people survive an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.

5. 37% of people surveyed said they wouldn’t feel very confident they could help someone having a cardiac arrest, while 24% said they wouldn’t be at all confident.

6. Only 11% of people surveyed said they felt totally confident about using a defibrillator correctly.

7. 15% of people surveyed think only trained medical professionals are allowed to use a defibrillator.

**SAVE THE DATE - RESTART A HEART DAY MARLOW**
Come along to Christ Church URC, Marlow on Tuesday 21st October, and put these skills into action where I'll be showing you how to use a Defibrillator and give hands on CPR. Come and have a go yourself. It's all in support of to help everyone in the Marlow community become empowered to save a life.

15/09/2025

Did you know it’s National Eczema Week this week? This year’s theme is “Be Prepared, Be Heard.” The focus is on empowering the eczema community with the tools and knowledge needed to manage their condition effectively while also encouraging individuals to advocate for their own health.

Eczema, also known as dermatitis, can affect people of all ages and often causes the skin to become dry, sore, red, and itchy. Having the right products on hand can make daily management easier and more comfortable.

Which treatments work best for you and your child? It doesn't have to be just products, could be the precautions your take or routine things you do daily to manage the skin condition.

Share your top tips with the eczema community!

For more information, support and advice take a look at eczema.org

https://eczema.org/information-and-advice/

It can be confusing finding the right information and advice about eczema that you can trust. National Eczema Society produces a wide range of evidence-based information on all aspects of the condition, from triggers to treatments. Do take a look and learn how to take control of your eczema.

12/09/2025

When it comes to using CPR on babies and children do you phone for help or start CPR straight away?

Here are 3 simple things to remember.

1. Check - for signs of life - are they breathing and responsive to sound and touch
2. Call - call emergency services, they will help talk you through lifesaving techniques and you can have your phone on speaker
3. CPR - start CPR giving those all important 5 rescue breaths to start

11/09/2025

How do you recognise the signs of critical illness in babies and children? The latest draft 2025 European Resuscitation Council guidelines state:-

Immediately call for the help of emergency services if a child has signs or symptoms that might indicate critical illness such as those described below:

BEHAVIOUR – A child who:
• Is not fully conscious or is difficult to rouse, floppy or rigid,
• Is having a seizure
• Is confused, agitated, or interacting abnormally
• Is crying inconsolably
• Is not able to move one or more limbs and/or
• Has severe pain or is unable to speak or walk.

BREATHING – A child who has difficulty breathing, such that they:
• Are unable to take a deep breath,
• Are working hard to take each breath (breathing fast, grunting, flaring of the nostrils, and indrawing between or under the ribs),
• Are making additional noises while breathing,
• Are breathing too fast, too slowly or irregularly, stops breathing, and/or
• Adopt an abnormal posture to aid breathing.

BODY COLOUR:
• The child’s skin is cyanosed (blue), mottled, abnormally pale or greyish.

09/09/2025

Great feedback and great week back teaching first aid to teaching staff, after school clubs and workplaces get ready for the start of a new term.

Child Matters trainers have been in 16 different settings last week, taught 245 students and included various topics including:-

Epilepsy Awareness & Administration of Buccal Midazolam
Paediatric First Aid Level 3
Emergency Paediatric First Aid Level 3
First Aid for Schools
Emergency First Aid at Work Level 3
Catastrophic Bleeds and Tourniquets

If you'd like to book a course with us just email me at contact@childmatters.info

04/09/2025

Ready for children with medical needs at school? - https://mailchi.mp/childmatters/latest-guidance-from-eyfs-and-mrha

04/09/2025

It’s actually pretty clear. Rescue breaths are absolutely VITAL for saving the life of a child. Rarely do little ones have heart related issues. It’s far more likely to be a blocked airway causing them to stop breathing or go into a cardiac arrest.

Therefore giving 5 rescue breaths is always the FIRST and most important thing to do, before giving chest compressions.

If you are unsure how to perform CPR on a baby or child, the 999 call handler will tell you what to do.

Latest draft 2025 European Resuscitation Council guidelines state:

1. Ensure safety for you and the child.
2. Check if baby or child is breathing normally/is responsive to stimuli/shows any sign of life.
3. Use the head tilt chin lift manoeuvre to open the airway and assess breathing
4. Call the emergency services immediately (use mobile phone on speaker)
5. Give five initial rescue breaths (sealing your mouth round infant’s mouth and nose)
6. Proceed with 30 chest compressions
7. Continue CPR 30:2 compression and repeat
8. If another rescuer is present they can get an AED as soon as possible but if alone CPR should be prioritised.

03/09/2025

All young children in the UK will be offered a free chickenpox vaccine by the NHS from January next year.

It will be given as two doses, at 12 and 18 months of age, combined with the existing MMR jab which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

A catch up campaign is planned for slightly older children so they don't miss out.

Until now, parents who wanted to protect their child against the chickenpox varicella virus, which causes red itchy spots, have usually had to pay up to £200 privately.

Ministers hope offering the vaccine free will not only protect youngsters from the severe, although rare, complications of chickenpox, but also save parents taking time off work to look after a sick child.

According to the Department of Health and Social Care, chickenpox causes an estimated £24m in lost income and productivity every year in the UK.

Health minister Stephen Kinnock said: "We're giving parents the power to protect their children.

"This vaccine puts children's health first and gives working families the support they deserve."

The NHS in England and Wales will start offering the MMRV vaccine to young children from January 2026.

01/09/2025

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) announced on 18 July 2025, its approval of adrenaline (epinephrine) nasal spray (EURneffy) to be used for the emergency treatment of serious allergic reactions, known as anaphylaxis. Here’s a summary of what you need to know:

1. The first needle-free treatment for life-threatening allergic reactions will now be made available in the UK as a nasal spray.

2. Allergy campaigners welcome this and say it provides an ‘easier and more accessible’ alternative to injectable autoinjectors, which are currently used to treat severe reactions, known as anaphylaxis.

3. We know that some people are reluctant to use the current adrenaline auto-injectors due to a fear of needles and hurting someone. This can delay administering adrenaline, and in a food allergy emergency every second counts.

4. The Food Standards Agency says up to 2 per cent of adults and 8 per cent of children in the UK live with a food allergy.

5. It's intended for use in adults and children who weigh 30kg (66lb) or more (so not for those currently with a junior injector.

6. It is a single dose nasal spray that delivers its entire contents (2mg) upon activation.

7. A spokeswoman for the drug firm behind the spray, ALK, said: ‘The market launch in the UK is expected within the coming months once market access negotiations are completed.’

8. So once an NHS list price has been agreed and the product is available, doctors will be able to prescribe the nasal spray.

9. It’s important to note that this option may not replace the adrenaline auto-injector, as we have yet to see how it would perform in comparison.

10. Currently if someone is going into anaphylactic shock, please adminster their (EpiPen/Jext or equivalent), call 999, place them in the shock position and be ready with a second AAI pen if required.

Get in touch at contact@childmatters.info to book our Anaphylaxis Awareness Level 2 course that teaches how to administer an auto injector in an emergency as well as spotting the signs of anaphylaxis. It can be combined with CPR and AED training as part of an in-house day course or taken as a shorter online course.

08/08/2025

A great showcase of how the day went with the team at By Jade Jones We had such a giggle all day and everyone really got the most out of their training. tailored to their practice and advanced skills this first aid course really covered all the scenarios that an may deal with. We added an qualification, focussing on the administration of adrenaline in emergency.