Family Health by Mini First Aid

If your child takes part in any kind of sport or leisure activity, you will know how much of their time outside of school is dedicated to these activities and how this impacts their diet, from the lack of time to sit and eat proper meals to the type and amount of food they eat. It is hard enough as parents to know what nutrients and vitamins our tweens and teens need and how much to feed them; add...

What are the laws around baby & child car seats? When should you switch to a forward-facing seat? When can your child sit up front with you? We might think we know the answers to these questions but this Family Health Podcast episode is here to dispel any doubts and give you the straight-up facts about car seat safety for your little ones. In this episode, we chat with Luisa Rollins-Svenson, C...

Having asthma may once have been seen as a weakness or something to be pitied for, but is this still the case? What do we now know about the causes and treatment of asthma? Is there still some level of embarrassment for children living with asthma today? Asthma is the most common long-term medical condition in children in the UK, affecting around 1 in 11 young people. Chances are there is at least...

In 2019 Adele Hughes world was turned upside down when she received a melanoma diagnosis. Telling her children and her parents that she had skin cancer was just the start of her journey, which continued with immunotherapy treatment and becoming an Ambassador for Melanoma UK. In today’s episode, Adele tells her story, from her lifestyle before diagnosis to her treatment and beyond. You will hear ab...

Is it normal to suffer with anxiety when you become a parent?  Why do we feel anxious as our children reach particular milestones?  What is ‘normal’ anxiety and when should we worry that it has become something more?  These questions and more are answered in today’s Family Health Podcast episode in which Kate chats with Jaimie Shires, a Counsellor, Self-Development Mentor and Mental Health Educato...

Show Notes:   A 2015 survey showed that nearly a quarter of childcare professionals have seen signs that children aged between 3 and 5 years old, in their care, are unhappy with their appearance or bodies. This is just one of the staggering and upsetting statistics that we hear about in this episode of the Family Health Podcast with Molly Forbes of Body Happy Org. Why do our children feel this way...

Show Notes:   If your child has to have an operation in hospital, it’s likely that they will be anaesthetised pre-surgery, which can be a pretty scary experience for both them and for you as a parent or carer. This episode of the Family Health Podcast is here to arm you with knowledge and allay some of those fears about what happens if your child needs to go under general anaesthetic. We chat with...

Episode 18: Understanding Endometriosis Show Notes:   Around 1.5 million women in the UK are currently living with Endometriosis, a condition that can be incredibly debilitating and sadly still lacks awareness. If you suffer with endometriosis, or know someone who does, you will know how important this conversation is. In this episode of the Family Health Podcast, we hear from Charlotte who has su...

Episode 17: Managing Overwhelm Show Notes:   Parents - particularly mums - this episode of the Family Health Podcast will really strike a chord. Today we chat with Kate, an occupational health therapist, about overwhelm and burnout. If you feel this way and need a virtual hug and to feel completely seen, don’t miss this. This conversation shines a light on all we do in our daily lives and the thin...

Episode 16: Understanding Children’s Burns Show Notes:   At just 15-months old, Michelle’s son Charlie pulled a pan of boiling water over himself at their family home and sustained burns to 10% of his body. This episode tells the story of Charlie’s accident, treatment and recovery. You will hear details of Charlie’s burns injuries and of his mum Michelle’s guilt because of the accident. You will a...

“Women are literally standing on the sidelines of their own lives”   Dragging. Bulging. Heaviness. Sciatica. Groin pain. Hip pain. Trouble going to the toilet, as well as trouble holding it in. All these are signs of a problem with your pelvic floor health. In fact, a whopping 50% of women report pelvic health concerns, with many more suffering in silence. This week, Kate talks to Claire Sparrow,...

Show Notes: Trigger warning: this week’s podcast discusses the death of a child.  We talk about sepsis a lot at Mini First Aid and this week’s episode demonstrates exactly why we feel this is so important. This week, Kate chats with Melissa Mead, Sepsis Trust Ambassador and we hear the story of Melissa’s little boy William, who tragically died of sepsis.  Melissa discusses what happened to her lit...

Show Notes: “It is not uncommon for under 5’s to have their full set of teeth removed”. This is the unbelievable truth we hear in this week’s podcast from Marisa Russell, Mini First Aid trainer and dental nurse.  In this episode, Kate talks to Marisa Russell about oral and dental health. Marisa talks us through why children’s teeth can be so prone to decay and surprisingly, it’s not just about wha...

You have probably heard of Diabetes and that there are different forms of this condition such as Type 1 and Type 2 among others, but do you understand the differences and know what signs to look out for? Are you confident that you would know if you or your child had developed diabetes? Diabetes UK estimates that almost 850,000 people in the UK are living with undiagnosed Type 2 diabetes . If added...

In this episode, Kate chats with Katrina Phillips, CEO of the Child Accident Prevention Trust, and Hollie Phillips (no relation!) who is Mum to Ralphie, a healthy, happy toddler who swallowed a button battery on his first birthday. Hear the story of what happened to Ralphie and how his mum’s tenacity saved his life. Learn more about why these batteries are so dangerous, how to spot the signs that...

In the last episode of our Savlon Scar Prevention Gel sponsored series, in conversation with writer Jacky Burton, Kate discusses the devastating death of her brother from cardiomyopathy when he was just 22. In this emotional podcast, find out how Matt’s untimely death has affected his whole family. Show Notes: The Mini First Aid Family Health podcast is sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel. Sav...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to Nurse Angie Jay. Angie is about to give birth to twins, and as a black woman she is passionate about shining a light on the stark difference in pregnancy related deaths between black and white parents. Join Kate and Angie for this raw & honest discussion and listen to Kate and Angie’s plans for diversity in postnatal educa...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to Mini First Aid trainer Kellie Green about her experience working as a paediatric nurse in A&E. Kellie shares her invaluable knowledge of what families can expect when they visit A&E, helping to take away some of that fear factor.   Show Notes: The Mini First Aid Family Health podcast is sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevent...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to Joanna Jensen from baby and child personal care brand Childs Farm. You’ll probably have a bottle of their baby wash by your bath and you might even sneakily use their conditioner yourself! The brand was inspired by Joanna’s daughter Bella who suffered with sensitive skin and eczema, as did Joanna herself. This podcast is a mus...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to Cat Shehu from the Meningitis Research Foundation. We know from our classes that meningitis is an illness that really frightens families, and it can be confusing to recognise the signs and symptoms. This podcast aims to empower families to feel confident recognising a case of meningitis, as it is so important to act quickly wi...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to Mini First Aid trainer and GP Lowri Hext. We regularly get asked questions from families about when it is appropriate to call a GP versus 111 or 999, and also how to get the most out of your GP appointment. Lowri also discusses some of the weird and wonderful encounters GP’s have to face, and what happens when her own family n...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to Sue Boasman, an advanced nurse practitioner and Ken Dunn, a retired burns surgeon, both of whom have joined Kate on behalf of the Children’s Burns Trust.   It’s a frightening statistic, but in 2021, 7661 children were admitted to hospital having been burned or scalded in England and Wales alone, and this figure doesn’t even in...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to writer Jacky Burton about Kate’s experiences with her dad Graham, who suffered a stroke in 2018. Kate talks about the emotional and physical impacts of stroke on not only the sufferer but the whole family. She also discusses how important quick action is when a stroke strikes, helping you recognise the signs and symptoms so th...

In this episode, sponsored by Savlon Scar Prevention Gel, Kate talks to Paula Hallam, a specialist paediatric dietitian with over 20 years experience. Paula helps demystify the differences between intolerances and allergies, the common foods that cause intolerance and the symptoms of intolerance that families need to be aware of. Kate chats with Paula about secondary lactose-intolerance - a relati...

In this episode, Kate talks to NHS consultant in Intensive Care, Dr Ron Daniels, who is also the Executive Director and founder of the UK Sepsis Trust. A staggering 48,000 deaths every year in the UK are linked to sepsis. Many of these could be prevented with better knowledge and understanding. In a recent survey, over 60% of people said they did not know the signs and symptoms of Sepsis. This pod...