Children's Healthcare IE - Q3 2023

Children’s Healthcare Q3 2023 | A promotional supplement distributed on behalf of Mediaplanet, which takes sole responsibility for its content

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“We are combining the three existing hospitals and putting them into one state-of-the-art hospital.”

“Approximately 1 in 10 children under the age of 15 attend their GP with flu-like illness in a typical flu season.”

Julia Lewis, Transformation Director, Children’s Health Ireland

Dr Aparna Keegan, Consultant in Public Health Medicine, HSE National Immunisation Office

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Make a difference to the lives of children with disabilities Our teams are recruiting in Balbriggan, Swords, Clontarf, Clondalkin and Waterford Find out more at crc.ie or email recruit@crc.ie

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What Ireland’s new children’s hospital will offer in paediatric care New technology and state-of-the-art design will help take paediatric care in Ireland to a new level as a children’s hospital prepares to open in Ireland.

C Julia Lewis Transformation Director, Children’s Health Ireland WRITTEN BY Mark Nicholls

urrently 90% complete with the first patients expected to be admitted in 2025, the new children’s hospital will centralise paediatric care in Dublin, bringing 39 specialities together in one centre. Leading the team charged with ensuring the move goes as smoothly as possible is Julia Lewis, Transformation Director for Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), which is a statutory body established in 2018 to oversee the development of specialist acute paediatric hospital services.

and linen to wards and departments.

Wards are designed in pods of eight to give a ‘homely’ feel, and all in-patient rooms will be single ensuites with a parent bed in each. Thirty parent beds have been added to the intensive care unit.

Artwork and images are based around nature and nurture to provide an environment to spark the imagination of the children and provide distractions from clinical procedures. “The importance of play in a paediatric hospital cannot be underestimated, so we also have a lot of play spaces in the building,” Lewis says.

Hospitals collaborating to enhance children’s health Theatre capacity will increase with the hope of Established in 2019, CHI saw Our eradicating operating theatre waiting Lady’s Children’s Hospital Crumlin; lists.

Wards are designed in Temple Street Children’s University “We are also introducing surgical Hospital; and paediatric services daycare and an observation pods of eight to give a at Tallaght University Hospitals unit attached to the emergency ‘homely’ feel, and all integrate into one organisation to department,” Lewis adds. One of the move to a new children’s hospital. aims of the patient and parent-friendly in-patient rooms will be “We are combining the three hospital is to keep stays for children single ensuites with a existing hospitals and putting short and avoid overnight admissions them into one state-of-the-art where possible. parent bed in each. hospital,” says Lewis. “We expect this to be a world-class facility Facilities for children and families and a technologically advanced Co-located on the St James’s Hospital and digitally enhanced hospital — and the first truly Campus, the site will include a paediatric academic health electronic hospital in Ireland.” That sees the introduction sciences centre, with universities providing a centre of of electronic healthcare records, allowing patients and excellence for training and education to provide healthcare families to interact with clinicians in real time. professionals for the future workforce. Lewis says staff are enthusiastic about the new hospital and the switch to Technology and child-friendly design state-of-the-art technology. “That will be transformational Technology in the new hospital — which also includes and release more time to care and interact with children new paediatric outpatient and urgent care centres — sees and families,” she says. automated guidance vehicles delivering meals, medicines

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ARE YOU CHICKENPOX AWARE?

Chickenpox can be unpleasant for your child, but there may be ways you can help them feel better.

To find out more, visit chickenpoxaware.ie This is an MSD website with more information on chickenpox.

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Feeding healthy imaginations: a stronger start for children in DEIS schools Pupils who lack balanced diets may struggle mentally and physically. To counter this, a programme is extending a helping hand to Irish homes by providing healthy food that can boost children’s health.

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ccording to the Central Statistics Office (CSO), 1 in 13 Irish people were at risk of poverty prior to the pandemic, resulting in less disposable income in their household, which means they are unable to afford heating and other necessities.

Leontia Sheridan Home School Liaison Coordinator, St Michael’s National School, Cootehill, Co. Cavan

WRITTEN BY James Martin

Paid for by Tesco

Food programme supporting schools In such restricting economic times, some children might not be receiving balanced meals at home.

Helping to counter this trend is the Tesco Ireland Stronger Starts programme, which is restarting to coincide with the new academic year. The programme, which started in late 2021, delivers healthy and nutritious food packs that include apples, onions, potatoes and carrots (or seasonal produce). This month, Tesco has committed to doubling the reach of the Stronger Starts programme by the end of 2024, aiming to provide food packs to 240 DEIS (delivering equality of opportunity in schools) primary schools.

Being able to help parents and students Leontia Sheridan, home school liaison officer at St Michael’s National School in Cootehill, is in contact with hundreds of parents. As St Michael’s is a beneficiary of the programme, she disburses the food packages to

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25 families each week in term time.

“Food insecurity can dominate people’s lives. People need to know they have fresh fruit and vegetables to make a stew. This programme helps us to take some of that pressure off people’s minds,” she says.

Sheridan, who has been in her role for nearly five years, says her main goal is to support the parents. “You don’t always know which families are having trouble putting bread on the table,” she explains. “If a child comes in hungry, we deal with things discretely. I might pop to the classroom and mention it to the teacher.”

Part of her role is to drop off the food packages to families. “It gives me that personal contact with parents, which is so important as a big part of my role is being visible and available to help parents improve their child’s health and wellbeing outcomes.” She adds that a highlight of her job was receiving a WhatsApp image of a meal a family had made with the package they provided.

Food affects overall health and performance Although there’s no silver bullet for ensuring pupils receive a balanced diet, Sheridan feels that the programme is a big part of the wider conversation. “While I support and educate parents on the importance of breakfast and healthy eating,

I can also signpost them to doctors and dentists if the child might need further support.”

Part of student wellbeing is having a positive and stimulating environment at school. In turn, being in school enables achievement, wellbeing and wider development.

Sheridan recalls a recent visit to the school where Minister for Social Protection, Heather Humphries says: “Healthy eating is at the centre of pupil performance. It actually improves school attendance if schools are offering tasty meals.”

Driven by community support Providing meals goes a long way in helping the community, surpassing balanced diets and improving classroom engagement. It is an effort that helps people in the cost of living crisis and amid global conflicts that have led to food insecurity. It unites the community while alleviating financial pressures. “It’s a great connector,” insists Sheridan.

“There are people moving into the area, for example from Ukraine, who are starting new lives in terms of housing and work but also navigating a different education system. The food support helps us to offer them some practical help while, at the same time, being a way of staying in touch if they need advice in other areas.”

Find out more at TescoIreland.ie

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Why a job helping children with disabilities is rewarding An occupational therapist highlights the many reasons why working in a multidisciplinary team providing treatment and care to children with disabilities is a highly rewarding job.

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ccupational therapist Sheetal Gupta finds her job rewarding as she benefits from collaborating with specialists who share knowledge and expertise to enhance the wellbeing of children with disabilities.

Having a support system Gupta is a member of the Children’s Disability Network Team for the Central Remedial Clinic (CRC), a voluntary organisation and national charity, which helps provide 75% of the disability services in Ireland. She says the ability to share opinions with other professionals is one of the most gratifying aspects of her role. “I also receive support from the clinic’s specialist services. For example, if I am stuck somewhere clinically, I can reach out to them. I feel really wellsupported,” she adds.

Multidisciplinary team of experts Among the specialists she works alongside are social workers, psychotherapists, physiotherapists and speech and language therapists. They cover a wide spectrum of complex diagnoses of autism, Down’s syndrome, and cerebral palsy. Patients may require help from multiple team members, depending on their needs.

“I could be the key worker for a particular patient, overseeing services the child requires and making referrals to other specialist services,” she says.

Rewards of being able to help Gupta recently worked with an 11-year-old boy diagnosed with cerebral palsy. She conducted assessments related to tone and voluntary motor control. “He also had some underlying anxiety issues, as he was becoming aware of his differences from peers, particularly how his hand moved involuntarily,” she explains.

To alleviate his anxiety, Gupta introduced mindfulness techniques focusing on deep breathing exercises, and the results were amazing after the first session. Gupta shares an email from the 11-year-old boy’s mother: “Her aim is to relax my son and help him to train his brain to move his arm in the direction he wants to. Her breathing techniques have proven so effective, and I have not seen my son’s hand and arm as good as it is at the moment…’’

“Receiving feedback like that makes your day,” Gupta concludes.

Sheetal Gupta Occupational Therapist, Central Remedial Clinic WRITTEN BY Sheree Hanna

Heel prick test: how to enable early intervention for rare diseases Newborn bloodspot screening, more commonly known as the ‘heel prick test,’ is designed to screen newborn babies for select rare diseases within the first 72 to 120 hours of life.

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creening at birth, before symptoms even arise, enables early diagnosis and allows for early intervention of conditions that, if left undiagnosed and untreated, would cause severe disability or death. The heel prick test ensures each affected child can live their healthiest and best life possible.

expand the number of diseases included in the heel prick test. Yet, progress is slow. The National Screening Advisory Committee (NSAC) is working through a list of 35 rare diseases requested to be included in the heel prick test panel. One condition, severe combined immunodeficiency, has been recommended for addition by the NSAC, but it has not been fully implemented by the Heel prick test screening for rare HSE. Worryingly, we are told that The heel prick test diseases full implementation and further The heel prick test started in additions must wait until the new is one of the most Ireland in 1966. Ireland was one children’s hospital is open. When successful public of the first countries in the world will that be? to have a national newborn The heel prick test is one of the health initiatives bloodspot screening programme, most successful public health in Ireland, with a with the introduction of a blood initiatives in Ireland, with a 99.9% test to screen newborns for uptake. Each year, the heel prick 99.9% uptake. the rare metabolic disorder test identifies approximately 110 phenylketonuria (PKU). Currently, newborn babies in Ireland with one all newborns in Ireland are offered screening of the conditions included in the panel. Newborn for nine rare (and serious) diseases that can be screening offers an unparalleled opportunity to detected at birth, including PKU, cystic fibrosis, improve the quality of life of all newborns who test maple syrup urine disease and homocystinuria. positive for the rare diseases included in the heel Sadly, Ireland’s leadership position with the prick test. Adding more rare diseases to the heel heel prick test has not been maintained. We lag prick test will transform and save more lives. behind countries across Europe for the number of rare diseases included in the heel prick test panel. Ireland ranks just 23 out of over 30 European countries, according to research published by Charles River Associates. Italy screens for 48 diseases followed by Austria at 31 and Poland and Vicky McGrath Portugal at 29.

CEO, Rare Disease Ireland

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Testing for more rare diseases There is overwhelming support among 86% of adults living in Ireland (Ipsos, February 2023) to

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Product traceability in Ireland: how barcode technology is improving healthcare

the week ahead.” This is possible when every product, location, staff member and patient has a unique identification number.

This is why hospitals, such as Children’s Health Ireland in Dublin, are using the barcode technology to track their infant feeds. Equally, surgical trays and endoscopes across Ireland are tracked using barcode standards to ensure compliance with best practice and full traceability in the event of a recall.

Healthcare providers and patients are increasingly benefiting from more easily traceable medical products, thanks to standardised barcode technology.

W Paid for by GS1 Ireland

ith millions of patients vaccinated against Covid-19 in Ireland, traceability — from manufacturing batches to point of vaccination — became one of the key tenets of a smooth and successful vaccination campaign.

The Global Trade Item Number (GTIN), the unique identifier embedded in the barcode was created 50 years ago and has transformed the way industry and supply chains operate around the world. The GTIN is licensed by GS1, a not-for-profit global standards organisation with membership from retail, healthcare and many other sectors.

Product traceability for safer healthcare “Healthcare providers are now seeing the benefits of Scan4Safety or

point-of-care scanning to enhance traceability. Meaning, once you scan the barcode of a product given to a patient, you have complete traceability, explains Siobhain Duggan, Director of Innovation and Healthcare at the organisation.

GS1 Ireland is working to embed a more standardised approach to Scan4Safety with the Health Services Executive. Patient safety and operational and supply chain efficiencies are key hallmarks of the standardised approach.

Visibility across the healthcare system Amanda Creane, the organisation’s Healthcare Manager says: “The scan of a barcode allows people to exchange data in real time, meaning that there is no wasted time looking over patient lists during product recalls or even when planning for

Siobhain Duggan Director, Innovation and Healthcare, GS1 Ireland

Enabling quick response for patient safety “Hospitals need to know what is happening to make informed decisions. If they can monitor activity in real time with Scan4Safety, they can quickly react to any issue,” explains Siobhain Duggan. For instance, clinical staff at Tallaght University Hospital (TUH) were spending a large proportion of their time per week managing inventory.

This was taking valuable clinical time away from patient care, and they found that they had little visibility into what item was used and with what patient. This posed a significant risk to patient safety. Scan4Safety has now been rolled out to all theatres in TUH, which is both saving significant clinical time and enabling safer care for patients. The clinicians now have the information they need at the touch of a button.

Amanda Creane Healthcare Manager, GS1 Ireland

WRITTEN BY James Martin

Find out more at gs1ie.org

Protect your child and keep the community safe: why children should get the free flu vaccine With autumn’s arrival, school routines and after-school activities are back in full swing. Unfortunately, this also means a higher likelihood of the winter flu spreading among children.

W Stephen McMahon Chairman, Irish Patients’ Association

hen children get sick, it disrupts not only in their system longer than adults do. Therefore, it can their education and hobbies but also impacts spread easily to other children — like those in daycare parents’ work schedules and daily routines. centres and schools — and to older and vulnerable people The solution? The children’s flu vaccine will around them. be available free to all children aged 2–12 in Ireland in early October. Those aged 3–17 who have an underlying Don’t be left on the bench condition are also eligible. The Irish Patients Association This year, the IPA ‘Flunited’ campaign is back to highlight (IPA) is urging parents to book a slot with their GP or local the importance of the children’s flu vaccine this winter. pharmacy and avail of the vaccine, so The campaign is encouraging parents fewer children and adults will be at and guardians of children aged 2–12 Vaccination is key when and those aged 3–17 with an underlying risk of getting sick in the community. condition to join the Flunited team it comes to protecting Complications from flu infection and make a collective effort to give flu others, like siblings, Children are twice as likely as adults to the red card. Vaccination is key when get the flu. While most children who it comes to protecting others, like parents, grandparents get the flu will have mild symptoms, siblings, parents, grandparents and and those vulnerable to those vulnerable to infection. some can develop complications — such as pneumonia, ear infections or infection. bronchitis — which require GP visits, Book your children’s flu vaccine antibiotic prescriptions. Children, The children’s flu vaccine will be especially younger children, are also more likely than available in Ireland in early October. Parents are urged to adults to suffer severe flu complications. Which could lead pre-book their free appointment now with their GP or local to hospitalisation in some cases. pharmacy to ensure protection throughout the season.

Flu can cause serious illness in children, and especially those with chronic health conditions are most at risk of severe flu complications. Children also carry the flu virus

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Learn more at irishpatients.ie.

The ‘Flunited’ flu awareness campaign has been sponsored on an unrestricted basis by AstraZeneca.

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Chickenpox advice: signs, symptoms and how to care for your child Chickenpox is a common infectious disease in childhood, caused by a virus. For most children, it is unpleasant, but they can be cared for at home.

C Dr Abigail Collins HSE National Clinical Lead, Child Health Public Health

hickenpox is often well-known for its typical itchy red rash, which can blister.

At first, the rash looks like small red spots. These later become itchy blisters full of fluid. The rash usually first appears on the chest, back or face. New spots can keep appearing for three to five days after the rash begins. Most children with chickenpox are unwell for about five to seven days. After one to two weeks, the scabs fall off naturally. Other common symptoms include: • • • •

Fever Feeling tired and irritable Aches and pains Loss of appetite

How chickenpox is spread Chickenpox is very infectious, so it can easily spread to others. It spreads by the fluids that are coughed or sneezed into the air and from contact with fluid from the blisters.

A person with chickenpox is infectious from two days before the rash appears until the last blisters have dried up.

During this time, your child should stay home from school or crèche until all scabs are crusted over.

weak immune systems. You should also avoid contact with pregnant women. If your child has chickenpox and you are pregnant, ring your GP/midwife for advice. Most women have had chickenpox as a child, so it is unusual to get it when you are pregnant, but your GP/midwife can discuss it with you further.

Chickenpox treatment and vaccine Because chickenpox is a virus, it cannot be treated with antibiotics. Treatment is about controlling the itching and other symptoms — and making sure your child drinks enough fluids. There are medications and creams available from your local pharmacy to help soothe the itching, and you can speak to your pharmacist about this.

You should keep your child’s fingernails clean and short.

You can put socks on their hands at night to stop them from scratching. Taking paracetamol can help, but do not give your child aspirin. Hot baths can make the itch worse; use lukewarm water instead.

Most children with chickenpox can be cared for at home.

There is a vaccine to protect against chicken pox. It is not part of the routine childhood vaccination but is available at a cost from many GPs.

Avoiding contact with vulnerable people You and your child should avoid coming into contact with other people, especially babies and people with

Dr Ellen Cosgrave Specialist Registrar in Public Health Medicine, HSE National Child Health Public Health

For more information on chickenpox, including signs and symptoms and when to seek help, visit hse.ie/conditions/ chickenpox/ For trusted child health advice, including further advice on coughs, colds and viral infections, visit MyChild.ie

Five ways to cope with going ‘back to school’ after the holidays Nobody likes going back to school after the holidays — and no adults really like going back to work after their break either. Luckily, there are a few tips you can follow.

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f you’re feeling down about going back to school or are worried about exams, here are a few things you can do:

Victoria Howson Community Engagement Manager, Childline by ISPCC

Paid for by Calpol

Focus on the positive rather than the negative It’s easy to list all the things you’re going to miss about being off school. Instead, write out what you’re looking forward to about going back to school. For example: seeing your friends again; having a daily routine; getting back to a class you really like; after-school activities; or even just your lunch break.

Know what you need to do to have a good day Everyone is different, so it’s a good idea to find out what makes your day great. It might be getting a good night’s sleep the night before, making sure you have all your homework done by 6 pm, packing a specific type of sandwich for lunch or maybe having a morning ritual with a few minutes of mindfulness, for example.

Plan a fun or relaxing after-school activity each day If school and homework are not your idea of a good time, factor in some time during the day to do something you’re passionate about. All you need is 30 minutes to do what makes you happy — reading, cycling, playing football, painting, singing or doing karate. Whatever it is, it will help make every day better.

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Talk about what happened at school If the thought of going back to school fills you with dread, you’re not alone. It’s okay to feel those feelings; you don’t need to ignore them. Bottling them up might make them feel worse than they actually are. Why not make a habit of sharing what happened during your day with your parent, sibling or friend? Alternatively, you could keep a diary and try to match any bad incident with something good that also happened.

Take it one day at a time It might feel like school is never going to end and that the next holiday is a million miles away. Trust us, it’s not.

Halloween and Christmas are just around the corner. Make the best of every day you have — you’ll be surprised at how much better you’ll feel.

ISPCC is a national charity dedicated to enhancing the lives of children and young people. Childline.ie provides a full suite of child-centred services, programmes and supports for children and young people. Those aged 18 or below can contact Childline’s 24-hour support line via live chat on Childline.ie or by calling 1800 66 66 66.

Calpol is proud to support Childline by ISPCC and all the important work that they do.

JNTL Consumer Health I (Ireland) Limited will donate €27,000 to the Irish Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Children CHY5102 & RCN 20007225 in relation to this charitable campaign. No purchase necessary.

CALPOL® Infant and CALPOL® Six Plus contain paracetamol. For pain and fever relief.

ALWAYS READ THE LABEL. Ask your pharmacist for advice.

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Test your teens for type 1 diabetes today if any symptoms are spotted

Dr Aparna Keegan Consultant in Public Health Medicine HSE National Immunisation Office

Nasal spray flu vaccine: the best way to protect children this winter

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition, which can be diagnosed at any age, including late adulthood. In children and adolescents, it can develop rapidly and be very dangerous if symptoms are not recognised early.

Christina Hamilton Diabetes Nurse, Education and Support Co-ordinator for Diabetes Ireland, Registered General Nurse (RGN) Registered Children’s Nurse (RCN) and Registered Nurse Prescriber (RNP)

As we head into winter, it is important that children are protected from the flu. Flu can be dangerous in children, especially the younger ones. The nasal spray flu vaccine will give children the best protection from flu.

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hildren aged 2 to 12 will be able to get the free nasal spray flu vaccine from participating GPs and pharmacies from October. HSE teams will also be visiting schools to offer the vaccine to senior infants.

Children are twice as likely to catch flu as adults Flu is highly infectious, and anyone can catch the virus. However, we know that children are twice as likely to catch the flu as adults and can be very sick with flu. Younger children, in particular, are at an increased risk of serious illness.

While most children who catch the flu have mild symptoms, it can sometimes lead to serious problems such as pneumonia or bronchitis. Children, especially younger children, are also more likely than adults to develop severe complications of flu.

Symptoms and consequences of flu in children Common symptoms of flu in children include high temperature,

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Type 1 diabetes common symptoms With no insulin, the body starts to starve and a person experiences TEST: • Thirst • Exhaustion • Sudden weight loss • Toilet trips increased Delayed diagnosis can lead to medical emergency A delay in the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes can result in a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), which is very dangerous and can be even fatal if not treated on time. The symptoms of DKA include dehydration, vomiting, abdominal pain and difficulty breathing.

DKA is classed as a medical emergency; in addition to that, research is now showing that presenting in DKA at the time of diagnosis can result in poorer metabolic control and an increased risk of diabetes-related complications in the future.

muscle pains, headache and fatigue. We tend to see the highest incidence rates in younger children.

Approximately 1 in 10 children under the age of 15 attend their GP with flu-like illness in a typical flu season. Children who are sick with flu, even with mild symptoms, can miss days in crèche, childcare and school. They can also miss out on their usual hobbies and sports.

Safe, easy and pain-free vaccine Getting the nasal spray flu vaccine is a safe, easy and pain-free way to protect your child from flu this winter. The vaccinator will give the nasal flu vaccine by spraying it once into each of the child’s nostrils.

The nasal spray flu vaccine helps your child’s immune system produce antibodies that fight infection. It cannot give your child the flu. If your child has had the flu vaccine, and they come into contact with a flu virus, these antibodies will help them fight the flu and reduce the risk of them getting sick or needing to go to the hospital.

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or reasons not yet fully understood, the body attacks and destroys pancreatic cells that produce insulin — a hormone, which makes your body able to produce energy from glucose.

Diabetes Ireland, in collaboration with the Irish Childhood Diabetes National Register and support from Novo Nordisk, aims to raise awareness of type 1 diabetes signs and symptoms as part of the TEST campaign to encourage earlier presentation and reduce the risk of DKA at diagnosis.

For further information, visit diabetes.ie

Importance of recognising signs early Ireland has a high incidence rate of type 1 diabetes in children and adolescents; on average, 25 children/ adolescents are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes every month. According to the Irish Childhood Diabetes National Register, in Ireland, we observe very high rates of DKA at the time of diagnosis, too — 40% of children and adolescents learn about diabetes diagnosis while being hospitalised for DKA. This could be avoided if diabetes symptoms are recognised early.

The main symptoms of type 1 diabetes are extreme thirst, passing large volumes of urine, weight loss and lack of energy. In smaller children, symptoms might be harder for parents and carers to catch, so they should be aware of other, less common symptoms: bedwetting, constipation, increased hunger and irritability. These symptoms can be easily confused with other common childhood illnesses, which may lead to delayed diagnosis.

Getting tested for diabetes The test for diabetes is easy — a simple urine and/or blood test can be done to confirm a diagnosis or suggest further steps. Most children/adolescents presenting to a GP with symptoms of diabetes will be diagnosed quickly. If you notice the symptoms of type 1 diabetes, contact your GP immediately.

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Children with intellectual disabilities engage in sport and competition to improve health Children with intellectual disabilities in Ireland are being offered a unique opportunity to achieve proficiency in fundamental movement skills and compete.

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he Young Athletes programme, part of Special Olympics Ireland, is aimed at children aged 4–12 and could ultimately see them compete at the highest levels. Alongside it, new initiatives to enable coaches to better deliver fundamental skills are being introduced.

Hayley Kavanagh Young Athletes Research and Development Co-ordinator, Special Olympics Ireland WRITTEN BY Mark Nicholls

decreases. The effort is now on to change that culture and close the skills gap between typically developing children and children with intellectual disabilities.

Driven to see more children join the Young Athletes programme, Kavanagh says: “We had a team of 73 athletes participate in the World Games in Berlin, so we want to give these children the best opportunity to participate at this high level. The key is for them to stay involved in sport because we see an increased risk of non-communicable diseases including cardiovascular disease and obesity among people with intellectual disabilities.”

Sports for children with intellectual disabilities Hayley Kavanagh, Young Athletes Research and Development Coordinator for the national governing body of sport for people with intellectual disabilities, says: “Through the programme, we strive to improve all of the basic skills associated Specialised coaching and parental support We want with being able to participate in sport and Research also highlights gaps in providing physical activity. children to stay sports coaches with relevant training and “The aim is to provide children with the qualifications to deliver these skills. As a involved in fundamental movement skills to enable result, a new Young Athletes-specific course them to move into one or more of the sports is being developed for coaches. sport for life. that Special Olympics Ireland offers once Parents also have a role to play in sessions they reach 12 years of age.” Some examples as some children need additional support. of the sports available include football, basketball, golf, “That means the coach can focus solely on improving the swimming, athletics, bocce and floorball. fundamental movement skills,” she says. “It also builds the relationship between child and parent, and their Improving health and competitiveness perceptions of children change because they see the ability Kavanagh says there is evidence of low levels of and competitiveness.” fundamental movement skill proficiency in children, Across Ireland, there are currently 22 Young Athletes potentially down to increases in sedentary behaviour clubs and a further 189 community clubs for these children and screen time. She warns that if young children do to progress into any sports. “We want these children to stay not develop these skills, the likelihood of them staying involved in sport for life, and Special Olympics is a vehicle involved in sport and physical activity into adulthood in which to achieve this goal,” says Kavanagh.

Accessing treatment in Ireland Treatment is limited in Ireland, however, HSE investment in 2023 is a positive step towards implementation of the HSE Model of Care for the Management of Obesity. The National Complex Obesity Service treats those with complex obesity in Children’s Health Ireland, and the service is an accredited European Centre for Excellence. Community services are also being developed.

Over time, all children in Ireland will be able to access care when needed.

Access to obesity treatment is limited: how we can help children and adolescents Researchers want to hear from parents regarding child and adolescent obesity. By sharing their experiences, they can help improve the design and delivery of obesity services for children and adolescents in Ireland.

O Dr. Grace O’Malley Senior Lecturer, School of Physiotherapy, RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences

besity is a chronic relapsing condition where there is excessive build-up of fat tissue in the body, causing health complications. Fat tissue is stored in many different cells and organs in the body, which can sometimes damage the health and function of those organs.

We screen for childhood obesity using child growth charts. A diagnosis is given following a clinical assessment to determine whether, or how, the health of the child or adolescent is impacted.

Child and adolescent obesity in Ireland It is estimated that around 9% of children and adolescents in the Republic of Ireland are living with

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obesity. Many require treatment to improve their health during childhood and to prevent the progression of health problems and disability into adulthood.

Around 48% of children and teenagers with obesity accessing care have high blood pressure.

Around 10% have high blood sugar levels, and over 70% have difficulties with joint pain or movement.

Treatment requires a long-term approach and involves nutrition, exercise and behavioural therapies.

Some adolescents also require pharmacotherapies and access to surgical therapies, which are considered life and sight-saving.

Improving healthcare response to obesity The LANDSCAPE Project is supported by a Health Research Board-applied partnership award between Dr Grace O’Malley, RCSI and Sarah O’Brien, HSE Health and Wellbeing Division. The project aims to map current clinical practices in Ireland related to the treatment of obesity in children/adolescents.

The project is providing valuable insight on how to improve obesity treatment services in Ireland by collaborating with frontline health professionals, healthcare managers, carers, parents and their children.

We are currently recruiting parents, carers and teenagers in Ireland to learn from their views and perspectives via online questionnaires and interviews.

We need the help of all parents in Ireland.

Paid for by Special Olympics Ireland

Find out more at specialolympics.ie

Paid for by Royal College of Surgeons Ireland

Please scan the QR code to complete our survey, or visit the survey at the address below: survey monkey.com/r/ LandscapeParent CarerSurvey For more information on the LANDSCAPE project: rcsi-landscape.eu

READ MORE AT HEALTHNEWS.IE