Paediatrics

Katherine Gridley reports from the inaugural Don’t Forget the Bubbles conference in Brisbane in 2017. Her review brings together paediatric evidence, simulation and difficult conversations, with reflections on compassion, clinician wellbeing and the perspectives of children and families.

Starting ST3 brings new clinical responsibilities as well as portfolio demands. Drawing on a year in paediatric emergency medicine, this post discusses listening to parents and nurses, working with uncertainty, building relationships and making space for life outside the department.

Good paediatric communication involves more than breaking bad news. This dasSMACC teaching post explores cultural assumptions, preparing children and families for procedures, and listening directly to young patients, with practical ways to make consultations more inclusive and honest.

Natalie May continues her reflections on a year with Sydney HEMS, focusing on paediatric retrieval, drowning and airway care. These personal clinical lessons explore equipment, communication and the compromises involved in delivering critical care outside the hospital.

Whose assessment counts when a child is in pain? This 2017 appraisal of paediatric pain scales examines agreement between children, nurses and doctors, questioning whether disagreement justifies dismissing children’s reports and what a single pain measurement can really tell us.

Could a simple cold-water stimulation technique shorten the wait for an infant’s urine sample? This 2017 appraisal of Quick-Wee examines the randomised trial, collection success, uncertain contamination findings and the practical challenge of providing uninterrupted attention in a busy ED.