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👩🏼‍⚕️ Heidi - Paediatric Allergy Nurse | 25 yrs
🩵 Helping allergy parents feel confident.
👇🏼 FREE Guide +Join The Nest ($37/mo)
🪺 Daily answers to YOUR allergy Q’s
Find it all at 👉🏼 thefirstaidnest.com.au

16/03/2026

The order you introduce common allergy foods actually matters, and the new ASCIA guidelines (just updated January 2026) now specifically call out well cooked egg to prioritise first, as soon as your baby starts solids.

So here’s the order I recommend, as a paediatric allergy nurse:
🥚 Egg (well scrambled) first. The research on early egg introduction is strong, especially for reducing risk in babies with a family history of allergy.
🥜 Peanut, straight after. The LEAP study showed early introduction can reduce peanut allergy risk by up to 80%. The guidelines are clear on this one.
🥛 Cow’s milk dairy, yogurt, cheese, milk in cooking. If your child has formula, it’s likely got cows milk in it.
🌾 Wheat, earlier than most people think. Weetbix with milk is genuinely one of the simplest introductions there is.
🫘 Sesame, tahini thinned with water, or hummus. Simpler than it sounds.
🫘 Soy. tofu, soy yogurt, edamame.
🌰 Tree nuts — and yes, there are 8 of them. Almond, cashew, brazil, walnut, pecan, hazelnut, macadamia, pistachio. One at a time. Smooth butters or ground powder only, never whole nuts.
🐟 Fish, well cooked, boneless, flaked, mashed.
🦐 Shellfish, prawns are the easiest starting point.

Introducing them is only half the job. You’ve got to keep them in the diet at least once a week or the tolerance can be lost.

That’s 9 foods. 8 tree nuts. Weekly maintenance for all of them.

Save this so you’ve got the order when you need it. And follow for more allergy and baby safety content every week. 🩵🪺

14/03/2026

I spent the day at a big healthcare conference this week and came away feeling really fired up about something 🩵

Because amongst all the big healthcare conversations happening in that room, all I could think about was your kids in childcare.

Here's what I know after 25 years working in children’s nursing and allergy.

1 in 10 babies have a food allergy. And the educators looking after those children every day are wonderful, caring people who are doing their absolute best.

But they are only trained for the worst case scenario. The emergency. The EpiPen moment.

Nobody is teaching them what a mild reaction actually looks like. Nobody is explaining why some allergy parents are really laid back and others are absolutely terrified, and why both responses make complete sense. Nobody is helping them understand what daily life with a food allergy actually feels like for your family.

And that's not their fault. They just haven't been given that training.

As a mum and a paediatric nurse I find this really hard to sit with. So I'm doing something about it.

More on that very soon 👀

But in the meantime, how do YOU feel about the allergy awareness at your childcare centre?

Drop a comment, I'd genuinely love to know ❤️

03/03/2026

“Introduce allergens early!” they said.

“But only one per week!” they said.

Okay, let me do the math…
🥚 Egg = 1 week
🥛 Milk = 1 week
🥜 Peanut = 1 week
🌰 Tree nuts = 8 different nuts = 8 weeks
🌱 Sesame = 1 week
🫘 Soy = 1 week
🌾 Wheat = 1 week
🐟 Fish = 1 week
🦐 Shellfish = 1 week

That’s 16 WEEKS.

But I’m supposed to introduce them all before my baby turns 1 year?!

Make it make sense. 😅

Here’s the truth: The “one allergen per week” confusing AF.

You CAN introduce allergens faster than that, safely and systematically.

You just need a proper plan that actually works in the real world.

Not vague advice that makes you feel like you’re already behind before you even start.

I’m breaking it all down soon with a clear, step-by-step timeline that makes sense.

👉🏼 Follow me for more allergen introduction tips coming soon 🎉

💬 Comment PHONE for my free Phone-Sized Allergy Reaction Cheat Sheet (with real images so you know exactly what to watch for)

25/02/2026

You’ve given the EpiPen. You’ve called 000.
Now watch the clock for 5 minutes. ⌚️

Why:
Adrenaline starts working within 3-5 minutes. At the 5-minute mark, check if symptoms are:

✅ Improving: breathing easier, swelling reducing, hives fading, more alert

❌ Not improving or worsening: breathing still difficult, wheeze, swelling continues, new symptoms appearing

If symptoms haven’t improved or are getting worse at 5 minutes 👉🏼 give the SECOND EpiPen.
This is why we always carry two.

What to do during those 5 minutes:
🪺 Stay with your child
🪺 Keep them lying down (legs elevated if possible)
🪺 Monitor breathing, skin, behavior
🪺 Have the second EpiPen ready
🪺 Watch the time

If symptoms are the same or worse? Give the second dose.

You can’t harm them with too much adrenaline in this situation if given as per your action plan. Undertreating is more dangerous.

Many anaphylaxis cases need a second dose.

Even if symptoms improve, they MUST go to hospital to be monitored. Reactions can return hours later.

📲 Want a visual guide saved to your phone?

👉🏼 Comment PHONE for my FREE Phone-Sized Allergy Reaction Cheat Sheet with images

💾 SAVE this so you remember

📲 SHARE with anyone who cares for allergic children
The 5-minute rule could save a life 🩵

What Allergy Training Do Childcare Workers Actually Get?The Reality Every Parent Should KnowIf you're sending your child...
24/02/2026

What Allergy Training Do Childcare Workers Actually Get?

The Reality Every Parent Should Know

If you're sending your child to daycare with food allergies, you need to know what training the staff actually receive.

The answer might surprise (and concern) you.

In this video, I'm pulling back the curtain on the mandatory allergy training requirements for childcare educators in Australia, not to criticise the incredible people working in early childhood education, but because parents deserve to understand the reality.

What's actually required (mandatory training):
✓ First aid certificate (including CPR)
✓ That's it.

What that module covers:
Basic allergy definitions
Action plans exist
EpiPens exist
General emergency principles

What's NOT covered:
❌ The difference between reactions in young babies & older children
❌ Real-time reaction recognition
❌ Cross-contact management
❌ Label reading for allergens
❌ Decision-making with unclear symptoms
❌ Communicating with scared parents

The comparison that matters:
Schools have RAMOAP (structured allergy management frameworks). Childcare centers? Not required, even though they care for younger children who can't always communicate symptoms.

This is a systemic problem, not an educator problem.

Childcare workers are caring professionals doing their best with minimal training. The system is failing them AND our children.

I created Beyond Compliance to fill this gap, practical, scenario-based training that gives educators genuine confidence. But more than promoting my course, I want to hear YOUR experiences.

💬 Tell me in the comments:

Did you know how basic the mandatory training was?
What's your childcare experience been?
Has your center gone above and beyond?
What would make you feel more confident?

The more we talk about this openly, the more pressure for change.

Full Video, Blog & Poddy 👉🏼 thefirstaidnest.com.au/blog👈🏼

🎁 Get your FREE Phone-Sized Allergy Reaction Cheat Sheet, infographic you can save for quick reference. here https://thenestcpr.systeme.io/phone-infographic

🪺 The Nest Allergy Membership - support for new mums and allergy parents at every stage. Join us here https://thenestcpr.systeme.io/the-nest-allergy-membership

23/02/2026

I asked early childhood educators: “What’s the hardest part of supporting children with severe allergies in your center?”

Here’s what they told me (in their own words):

💬 “We do mandatory first aid & CPR every 1-3 yrs, which covers basics of anaphylaxis. But not a lot around what to look for reaction-wise.”

💬 “A lot of our training is bumps & bruises & how to follow an allergy action plan. But not what early signs look like or when to observe vs panic.”

💬 “A lot is about removing the allergen rather than learning ways to support educators about how to manage allergies and keep children safe when meals contain their allergen.”

💬 “Educators definitely jump to worst case scenarios which then freaks the parents out & causes grief for the educators who are then terrified of a child having an allergic reaction to something.”

Educators receive regular first aid and CPR training (every 1-3 years).
That training covers:
✅ Basic allergy and anaphylaxis information
✅ How to follow an action plan
✅ Medication administration
✅ Emergency response

It doesn’t cover:
❌ What reactions actually look like in very young children
❌ Early warning signs to watch for
❌ When to observe vs when to act immediately
❌ How to manage situations where allergen is present
❌ all the nuances that come with allergy life from diagnosis through to anaphylaxis
❌ How to talk to parents without causing unnecessary alarm

This creates a cycle:
Educator isn’t confident → jumps to worst case scenario → panics → sends child home unnecessarily → parent becomes more anxious → educator becomes more terrified → repeat.

The real issue:
Training focuses on complete allergen removal and emergency response.

It doesn’t teach the nuanced daily management:

They’re working with the training they’ve received.

I’m working on something to bridge this gap:
Training that goes beyond emergency protocols,
not to replace first aid training, but to complement it.

I want to know about your experience with daycare the good the bad and the ugly. Let me know in the comments 👇🏼

👉🏼 Comment ‘QUICK’ for my free Your Phone-Sized Allergy Reaction Cheat Sheet with real images of real reactions.

19/02/2026

A medication trolley. Adrenaline needles. A blood pressure machine. A hospital corridor.

If you’re an allergy parent, these objects will likely look very familiar to you.

This is the reality that sits in the back of your mind more often than it should.

This is what “just eating something they’re allergic to” can look like:
🏥 Emergency department admission
🏥 IV cannulas
🏥 Adrenaline injections
🏥 Repeated blood pressure monitoring
🏥 Oxygen saturation checks
🏥 Hours of observation
🏥 Possible overnight admission
🏥 Medical teams surrounding your child
🏥 Steroids, antihistamines, fluids
🏥 A scared child

And terrified parents watching it all unfold.

The part people don’t see:
When someone says “it’s just a food allergy,” they’re picturing avoiding a food.

This is why allergy parents are hypervigilant.
This is why you read every label twice.
This is why you say no to food at parties.
This is why you wipe down tables before our child sits.

Because this hospital scene? This is what we’re trying to prevent.

Not because we’re overprotective.

Because we know exactly what “just eating the wrong thing” can look like.

And we’ll do absolutely anything to avoid putting our child through it again

I’ve created a FREE phone-sized infographic with real photos showing what allergic reactions look like.
👉🏼 get it here & thenestcpr.systeme.io/phone-infographic

Save it to your camera roll. Share it with caregivers, grandparents, teachers.

19/02/2026

👋🏼 I’m looking to speak to Childcare educators in Australia. Let me know in the comments!
I have a question for you.
Or DM me.

17/02/2026

Your childcare center has less allergy training than you think.

And we need to talk about it 👇🏼

The mandatory allergy training for childcare educators in Australia?

20-30 minutes. Every 3 years. That’s it.

Minimal scenario training, if any at all. No real-time decision making. And unlike schools, daycares aren't required to have structured allergy management frameworks like RAMOAP.

Which is ironic considering there are statistically more allergic children in daycare than there is in school.

Staff have your action plan. But understanding food allergy, let alone reading an action plan under pressure is completely different from knowing it instinctively.

That gap is where hesitation lives. And in allergic reactions, hesitation matters.

This is exactly why I created Beyond Compliance: Confident Allergy Management for Childcare Educators, a course designed to take early childhood educators from "I think I know what to do" to "I've genuinely got this."

🎧 Full breakdown in this week’s episode here 👉🏼 thefirstaidnest.com.au/2026/02/17/childcare-center-needs-allergy-training/. Read 📕 Watch 📺 or listen 🎧

16/02/2026

Whether you’re introducing allergen foods to your baby for the first time OR reintroducing a food your child previously reacted to, this gradual method is a good option!

* it is not to be used in place of specific instructions from your Dr.

The Process:
🥄 1/8 teaspoon → wait 20 minutes
🥄 1/4 teaspoon → wait 20 minutes
🥄 1/2 teaspoon → wait 20 minutes

Then continue monitoring for 2 hours.

Why this works:
Starting tiny means IF a reaction happens, it may be milder.
The waits let you catch symptoms before giving more.
The increases help identify reaction thresholds.

You may want to use this method for:
✅ First-time allergen introduction in babies
✅ Reintroduction after previous reactions
✅ Post-food-challenge home continuation

What to watch for:
⚠️ Hives or welts
⚠️ Swelling (face, lips, eyes)
⚠️ Vomiting
⚠️ Breathing changes
⚠️ Unusual behaviour

If you see symptoms: STOP. Remove the food. Follow your action plan (if you have one)

Tips:
🩵 Do it when calm, not rushed
🩵 Have another adult present (if you wish)
🩵 Morning introduction (not bedtime)
🩵 Watch them for 2 hours after
🩵 Action plan + EpiPens ready

Most introductions go smoothly. This method is just insurance.
After success: Keep the food in diet at least 1x/week to maintain tolerance.

📲 Want a visual guide to what reactions actually look like?

I’ve created a FREE Your Phone-Sized Allergy Reaction Cheat Sheet with photos showing:
✅ Hives in babies vs toddlers vs older kids
✅ Facial swelling examples
✅ Mild vs severe signs
✅ When to use antihistamine vs EpiPen

Find it here 👉🏼 https://thenestcpr.systeme.io/phone-infographic

15/02/2026

They tell you about the EpiPens. The emergency plans. The label reading. The hospital visits.

They don’t tell you about the guilt.

The guilt when he can’t have the birthday cake.

The guilt when you say no to the playdate because you don’t trust the food safety.

The guilt when other kids are eating freely and yours can’t.

The guilt when something as simple as washing dishes makes you think about allergen contamination.

That’s the part they don’t warn you about.

It’s the emotional weight. The constant vigilance. The inability to just… relax into normal parenting moments without the allergy anxiety creeping in.

If you’re feeling this too: it’s not just you. It’s not “too much.” It’s the reality of keeping a child with food allergies safe in a world that doesn’t always understand.

You’re doing better than you think you are.

👉🏼 get my free Your Phone-Sized Allergy Reaction Cheat Sheet - thenestcpr.systeme.io/phone-infographic

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Sydney, NSW

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The Nest, Kids CPR & Allergy

In 17 years of paediatric nursing, Heidi Young has treated children with all kinds of injuries and illnesses. She has also seen parents come through the doors of the Children’s Hospital, upset in the knowledge that they didn’t know what to do for their child when it mattered most.

She says “When I became a mother, I finally understood how all those parents really felt. As a Paediatric nurse, I rest easy in the knowledge that I know exactly how to help my boys, should the dreaded situation arise.”

“Every parent, expectant parent and carer should be armed with the knowledge, and the confidence and security that come with it. I deal with parents every single day that, when it mattered most, did not have the immediate skills to act quickly”

CPR and Allergy advice is something that I have been passionate about for a long time now, and it is time to share my knowledge.