Mini First Aid Belfast

20/11/2025

How to ensure your baby is safe in their car seat this winter👇🏻

🚗 Do not strap your child in while they are wearing a bulky coat or sleepsuit - the material of the coat and any air trapped in it will mean that the straps are not tight enough against the baby’s body to stop them being shifted around in an accident.

🚗 Do the “pinch test” - pull the harness straps to a snug tightness which means if you try to pinch the harness horizontally you cannot pinch the material together.

🚗 Make sure the car seat harness straps are not twisted, this may distribute the weight incorrectly and cause injury.

🚗 If your child is in a rear-facing car seat, the harness straps should be in the slots at or below your child’s shoulders.

🚗 If your child is in a forward-facing car seat, the harness straps should be in the slots at or above your child’s shoulders.

For lots more advice about the law around car seats and what type of seat is right for your child’s age/weight, please take a listen to episode 24 ofthe Family Health Podcast episode in which we chat with an expert from Graco UK about car seat safety 🎧 We’ll link to this in the comments.

13/11/2025

🟢 Childhood diabetes 🟢

It's World Diabetes Day on 14th November, so this week we're talking about diabetes in children - what it is, the signs to look out for, and what to do if you’re worried. With expert advice from a paediatric diabetes nurse and Diabetes UK, it’s a must-read for any parent or carer. We explain the simple 4Ts - toilet, thirsty, tired, thinner - to help you spot the early symptoms. Diabetes can be serious, but knowing the signs means you can get help fast. Read the blog or listen to the podcast episode to learn more and feel confident in what to do.

https://www.minifirstaid.co.uk/blog/understanding-childhood-diabetes-what-every-parent-needs-to-know

06/11/2025

How do you know when your child has a cold or the flu or something even more serious?

Children regularly pick up coughs and viruses and it can be tricky to understand when to worry, how to soothe symptoms and when to keep your child at home - this week’s episode has the answers!

We chatted to Dr Lillie Parker, an NHS paediatrician, about winter colds and flu and about the RSV virus which can cause the more serious condition of bronchiolitis.

Filled with tips, advice and information, we know this episode will be super helpful and strike a chord with every parent or carer this autumn/winter season!

Listen in full here
https://www.buzzsprout.com/2184565/episodes/16098085

06/11/2025

How do you know when your child has a cold or the flu or something even more serious?

Children regularly pick up coughs and viruses and it can be tricky to understand when to worry, how to soothe symptoms and when to keep your child at home - this week’s episode has the answers!

We chatted to Dr Lillie Parker, an NHS paediatrician, about winter colds and flu and about the RSV virus which can cause the more serious condition of bronchiolitis.

Filled with tips, advice and information, we know this episode will be super helpful and strike a chord with every parent or carer this autumn/winter season!

Listen here

https://www.buzzsprout.com/2184565/episodes/16098085

06/11/2025

RSV infections are very common. Almost all children get them at least once before they're 2 years old.

They're not usually serious, but babies under 6 months old have a higher risk of getting seriously ill as do young children who were born prematurely and babies and children with a weakened immune system, or long-term lung or heart conditions.

In babies, RSV is a common cause of bronchiolitis, a chest infection that can cause breathing problems and may need to be treated in hospital.

Symptoms of an RSV infection usually start within a few days of getting infected.

Most people only get cold-like symptoms, such as:

- runny or blocked nose
- cough
- sneezing
- tiredness
- high temperature

Babies with RSV may also be irritable and feed less than usual.

If RSV leads to a more serious infection, such as bronchiolitis, it may also cause:

- a cough that gets worse
- shortness of breath
- faster breathing or long gaps between breaths
- difficulty feeding (in babies) or loss of appetite
- noisy breathing (wheezing)

Head up to our Stories today to find out more about RSV and bronchiolitis

30/10/2025

👻 Super Scary Halloween Treat Choking Hazards 👻

At Mini First Aid, we love Halloween as much as you do, but some Halloween treats like hard candy lollipops, popcorn, nuts and marshmallows are all choking risks and not recommended for toddlers and small children.

Hard lollipops and boiled sweets are a popular trick or treat gift but they can easily become detached from their stick and lodge in a child’s throat.

Nuts like peanuts/monkey nuts which are popular at Halloween are hard for small children to bite into and chew, and Popcorn with its sharp edges and kernel flakes can also be a choking hazard.

Marshmallows are sticky and hard for small children to safely chew. They can stick in a child’s windpipe and restrict their airway.

There is the added risk of your child eating these while running around, having fun trick or treating in the dark, not concentrating on chewing or eating, and you not noticing that they might be choking.

Stay safe this Halloween and keep sweet treats like this away from your small children and toddlers.

And have lots of spooky fun! 👻 🎃

24/10/2025

24/10/2025

No-one wants to be the ‘fun-police’ at Halloween but some Halloween costumes, including wigs and masks, can be highly flammable and are not always subject to the same fire safety checks as normal clothing as they can often be classed as toys.


Halloween is a time where lots of lit candles in pumpkins are on the doorsteps that trick-or-treaters visit and congregate on.


Excited children gathering for sweets are not looking at where their costumes are trailing or candles that they might be standing too close to.


Tips:


🎃 Be careful if buying from cheaper unknown brands online


🎃 Look for the UKCA or CE mark, if you’re in England, Scotland or Wales; if you’re in North Ireland, look for the UKNI symbol along with the UKCA or CE mark.


🎃 Look for the En71-2 mark. All costumes, including wigs and masks, should also be flame-retardant in accordance with EN71-2 (the safety standard for flammability of toys).


🎃 Look for labelling that indicates the costume’s undergone additional British Retail Consortium (BRC) checks. This will mean the costume is likely to have been made to a higher standard of fire safety.


🎃 Use battery operated lights instead of candles


🎃 Be vigilant when out trick or treating or at Halloween parties 🕯️

22/10/2025

If you live in the UK, this weekend is clock change time, and if you have a toddler or small child, you might be feeling anxious about how this will affect their sleep pattern. Fear not! We chatted with sleep expert Leanne from Little Dreams Consulting Birmingham to get some top tips on navigating the clock change ⏰

Scroll for info and check out Leanne's socials and Little Dreams Consulting for more support and resources.

22/10/2025

22/10/2025

👶 Learn how to save a life 💚
CPR, choking, head bumps and more

Baby & Child First Aid
📅 Sun 26th Oct | ⏰ 10–12noon
📍The Mummy Physios, Moneymore
Perfect for parents, grandparents & carers!
👶 Babies welcome
👉 Book now: belfast.minifirstaid.co.uk