Epilepsy Awareness Workshop

Today, our Junior Carers took part in a special visit to the hospital, where they had an engaging and informative session led by Jackie Short, the Epilepsy Advanced Nurse Practitioner. The focus of the session was on raising epilepsy awareness. The children learned what epilepsy is, what causes seizures, and how the brain is involved. Using balloons, they drew and labelled the different parts of the brain to help understand its functions. They also explored how different types of seizures are linked to different areas of the brain. The session included real-life videos showing a variety of seizures, which helped the children understand what a seizure might look like and how best to support someone experiencing one. They also learned about treatment options and ways to care for people with epilepsy. It was a brilliant and thoughtful session that helped them feel more confident about understanding and supporting people with epilepsy.

They also learned how to CARE for someone having a seizure:

• C – Comfort: Cushion their head with something soft to protect them from injury.

• A – Action: Start timing the seizure and clear the area of anything harmful.

• R – Reassure: When the seizure has stopped, place them in the recovery position and reassure them as they come round.

• E – Emergency: Know when to call for emergency help.

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You can find more detailed information on seizure first aid here: https://www.epilepsy.org.uk/when-someone-has-a-seizure-care.

Resuscitation Training

After the epilepsy workshop, they had a fantastic resuscitation training session. They started by watching a video about CPR, then the hospital’s Resuscitation Officer talked them through the key steps to follow if someone ever needs CPR. They learned how to check for danger, see if the person responds, call for help or dial 999, check their airway and breathing, and – if they’re not breathing – how to perform CPR. They got to practise chest compressions on resuscitation dolls while listening to Staying Alive or Baby Shark to keep the rhythm! Finally, they learned how to put someone safely into the recovery position. It was such a valuable experience and made them feel even more prepared to help others in an emergency.

Medical Device Doctors

After lunch, the Junior Carers were met by the Medical Devices team, including Dr Maria Benedicta-Edwards. She introduced them to a poster showing the different types of medical devices used around the hospital, before focusing on wearable devices and how they help patients. Then it was time to get hands-on! The children had the chance to test and explore how various medical tools work – including a suction machine, a thermometer and an obs machine (used to check pulse, oxygen levels and blood pressure). Not only did they learn how these devices help keep patients safe but they also had to put their thinking caps on to solve problems when a device wasn’t working properly. It was a fun and fascinating way to finish the day and a great chance for the Junior Carers to see the science and care behind hospital life in action.