NHS Lothian has developed a range of videos focused on what do if a child has a cardiac arrest or a breathing emergency. The videos are primarily designed for families whose children have conditions where they regularly have difficulty breathing or it stops altogether, however knowledge of Basic Life Support (also known as CPR) is an important skill for all parents and carers to have.
Recognising how vital these videos are, the team recently worked to have them all translated into Lothian’s most common alternative languages; Arabic, Bengali, Bulgarian, Cantonese, Mandarin, Polish, Romanian, Spanish, Urdu. Alongside these, the team also developed British Sign Language (BSL) versions as well. The videos are available to watch on NHS Lothian’s Children’s Services website – children.nhslothian.scot and were funded by the Edinburgh & Lothians Health Foundation (ELHF), NHS Lothian’s official charity partner.
For many families, these videos alongside the support and training the hospital teams provide are a critical lifeline that enables children to step down from hospital care and return home. For children whose conditions mean they have ongoing difficulties with their breathing, or who may be more likely to experience sudden emergencies, it’s vital that their families are equipped with the knowledge and tools to respond before additional help from the emergency services arrives.
NHS Lothian’s hospital teams work closely with these families, providing specialist training, which is tailored to the child or young person’s health needs. This training empowers parents and carers by providing them with the knowledge and skills needed to support their child. Knowing how to respond in an emergency gives parents and carers confidence and reassurance, allowing them to feel more relaxed about their child returning home from hospital.
For two-year-old Omar, who has spent his whole life in hospital, the specialist training and accompanying videos have been a key step in preparing for his discharge home. Dad Adam explained that the family have been receiving ongoing training from a Specialist Nurse to help manage Omar’s breathing and to help them feel more confident taking him out in a buggy.
He said, “Watching the training video in Arabic is much better than reading leaflets that have been translated into the language. We can watch and hear the exact instructions and there is no chance of misunderstanding the medical words. Video is more practical and easier to use when life is stressful or busy. It is more accessible, and we can go back and watch it multiple times.
“Omar is a happy, playful boy, who enjoys spending time with his brother and sister. We are looking forward to bringing him home as soon as we can, knowing that we have the skills and confidence to support him in the best way possible.”
Allister Short, Service Director, Women’s and Children’s Services, NHS Lothian said, “Across the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People we already provide specialist support to parents and carers, like Adam, to give them the skills and knowledge to support their child’s health needs once they have been discharged home.
“Many of the skills that our teams teach parents and carers, are things we believe everyone should know, such as what do if a child is choking, or how to provide CPR. This is why we felt so passionately about making these resources available to everyone via our Children’s Services website. For many people, they will thankfully never need to use these skills, but for the small numbers who do, they could save a child’s life.”
NHS Lothian’s Children’s Services website was designed in collaboration with children and young people, their families, the Royal Hospital for Sick Children Family Council and NHS staff and is packed with useful information to help support the health and wellbeing of children and young people, while also providing vital information for those accessing NHS Lothian’s Children’s Services. The site was launched in March 2021 and since then then has attracted over 42,000 visitors accessing over 132,000 pages.
