Education:
CUPS runs various symposiums, lectures, interactive activities and sessions for members throughout the year. The focus of our education is supporting members towards a career in paediatrics.
Efficient care of a paediatric patient requires input from a wide variety of medical specialities. We run evening symposiums, each focussed on a specific topic or pathology, and invite professionals from an array of disciplines to teach our members about each topic, from the perspective of their particular role. These speakers share key clinical knowledge, experiences, career advice and discuss case studies. This enables our members to learn from professionals from other career paths, and to understand the contributions and importance of each. Our goal is to learn FROM a multidisciplinary team, AS a multidisciplinary team. This complements the career-focussed teaching that Cardiff University excels at providing.
As well professionals from each of our disciplines, we promote the importance of research by inviting individuals from the university, as well as students, to present their research and discuss how it contributes to paediatrics.
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Furthermore, we also invite patients and parents to speak about their experience of the pathology of choice, which offers insight into undoubtedly the most important perspective of the treatment and care of the child.
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We also invite representatives from local charities and hospices to talk about the services they offer to the field, and this encourages the success of our philanthropic endeavours, which is often in aid of such charities.
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Finally, on occasion, we invite students to give talks about their knowledge, which encourages self-dependent learning, public speaking and communication confidence.
Our Symposiums and Teaching Sessions
Paediatric Cardiology Symposium
Earlier this year CUPS hosted their first ever joint symposium with the Cardiovascular Society- aimed at collaborating not just between disciplines but also between specialities within medicine. The evening was a great success with over 100 attendees, talks from consultatnts, nurses, scientists carrying out research in the field and parents of children affected by cardiac conditions. Topics covered included research into new treatments for cardiomyopathies, pathways into a career in cardiology in the paediatrics world and the effects of cardiomyopathies on the lives of the child's family. The events also raised over £70 for the Children's Heart Foundation through a bake sale.
Paediatric Emergency Medicine Symposium
This symposium was hosted by CUPS to give memebers on insight into the roles or doctors, nurses, OTs, physios and pharmacists in the setting of Paediatric Emergency medicine. Dr Zoe Roberts, a Paediatric Emergency Medicine Consultant spoke about the challenges faced in Paediatric A and E and discussed some interactive cases with our members- providing examples of real cases and management for different conditions. She was joined by Emily, a nurse in the department who gave a fabulous account of her work in Paediatric A and E and the things to consider when thinking about a career in any branch of emergency medicine- it's challenges and rewards.
Development Symposium
Cystic Fibrosis Symposium
Introduction to Makaton Course
The course consisted of 20 students, all wanting to improve their communication skills for their future placements and career. A speech and language therapist from Heath hospital took the session. Basic Makaton signs were taught as well as the basic principles of Makaton, its origin and who it can be used with. All of those who attended reported to have enjoyed the session and learnt valuable skills for the future. Certificates were given and resources/information explained if anyone wanted to pursue the learning further. Overall an intense, interactive session covering key skills for those who want to work with children - Becky Perks, OT rep.
Obesity Symposium
Obesity
We had two great speakers for the obesity symposium. The first to talk was Dr David Tuthill, a Paediatric Consultant, explained to us how in his clinics how to identify and measure whether a child is obese. He also educate student who attended, the possible route causes of obesity in children and how we can try to manage such children in their everyday lives. Wendy Cumines, Occupational Therapist Lecturer, highlighted the important role of OT's with children in particular those with ancillary conditions such as obesity. Wendy focused on Developmental Co-ordination Disorder discussing her experiences of children who may struggle to exercise for sensory and social reasons. Her message was to keep an open mind with those who suffer with obesity and to address the other issues such as: sensory, social and medical instead of having a prime focus on obesity as she feels this would be more beneficial and effective. Wendy highlighted the importance of the OT role as well as having an MDT collaborated approach in order to tackle this recent problem at young age preventing the risk of other related conditions when older such as: stroke, heart conditions and cancer. Together we managed to raise £17.29 in LOW FAT cake sale for HENRY (Health Exercise and Nutrition for the Really Young) charity.
Specialised Seating
We arranged a free seating and postural management training session hosted by ‘Seating Matters’ and endorsed by the college of Occupational Therapists. Although occupational therapy-focused, the training was relevant to many practice settings. The training focused on the principles and goals of effective seating, on identifying postural abnormalities and their causes as well as pressure care management, risk assessments and how to conduct a basic or detailed seating assessment. Two years of Clinical research findings conducted by Seating Matters and The University of Ulster, was also discussed.
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The taping course was an interesting two-day event where students were taught about the benefits and precautions of using elastic therapy tape, something that isn't taught on the normal curriculum here in Cardiff. Over the weekend participants learnt different methods and uses for the tape that can be applied to all aspects of physiotherapy. It was really interesting and there was some fun making the tape as creative as possible, which is always useful when working in paediatrics.
Taping Course
Elastic Therapy Taping Course
Adolescent Mental Health
This was the first symposium of the academic year 2014 and was a huge success! We had roughly 120 attendees and got great feedback! We had talks from a CAMHS nurse, John, two psychiatrists, Rhys and Tony, and psychologist, Becky. Together they covered depression, self harm and eating disorders, and taught our members about the service and treatment that affected adolescents receive. We also had a really useful Q&A session!
Furthermore, during the break we sold a huge selection of delicious cakes and cookies and raised an impressive £57.20 for YoungMinds!!
We had speakers Dr Julian Forton and Dr Dawn Lau deliver two fascinating talks on the pathophysiology, complications, investigations and treatments of Cystic Fibrosis. We learnt a range of fascinating things, ranging from key and relevant info about the condition (a need to know for exams!), to new research into the treatment and monitoring of CF that they are undertaking! We also had Paediatric Pharmacist, Lucy Wheeler, take us through the cornerstones of CF pharmacotherapy, as well us discussing with us the psychological effect that stringent and overwhelming drug therapy has on young patients, and how this affects compliance. Attendees also watched a CF trust educational video directed at young sufferers! A half way bakesale raised nearly £30 for the CF trust and as a first, member Jeanette Tan very kindly baked for us!!! Thanks Jeanette!
ASD and ADHD
(Autism Spectrum Disorder
and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder)
The evening began with a spectacular talk by a trio of ASD specialists: Julie (Speech and Language Therapist), Jenny (Occupational Therapist) and Anne (Specialist ASD Teacher). They taught a basic overview of ASD, the problems encountered, the important aspects of treatment and how their roles complement eachother in the clinical setting. Dr Sian Moynihan then gave her talk: 'ASD: What's happening at the coal face?', that importantly gave us an idea of topical issues and areas of investigation. After a short break, Dr Elspeth Webb gave a lively and engaging talk about ADHD, addressing the issues of public conception of the condition, as well as some shocking epidemiology statistics about ADHD, Poverty and Maltreatment. Finally, Dr Miriam Cooper and Dr Olga Eyre concluded the evening by presenting their research. Dr Cooper described the relevance of neuroimaging in both conditions, and Dr Eyre discussed the relationship between Depression and ADHD. Another great evening, and relevant to all courses who will all in future encounter patients with both conditions. A very rewarding symposium!
Breathing Easy Education Scheme
Last year CUPS launched a very exciting new scheme called the Breathing Easy KS2 education project- aimed at educating children in local primary schools about Asthma. The scheme covers what asthma is, how to recognise a asthma attack and what to do if someone has an asthma attack. The original Breathing Easy scheme was designed by UCL medical students who received a grant to set up a UK wide think tank about asthma and designed the original KS2 education presentation. To continue with the success of the scheme two members of the CUPS committee: Caitlin peers and Rhys Hughes have created a new KS1 education scheme called Asthma Aware to educate the same messages but in a simpler way to younger children in the area. This new Asthma Aware KS1 scheme has equally been a huge success with many classes already educated across Cardiff. The Asthma Aware scheme is hoping to be expanded this year and there are many exciting advancements with the scheme including projects with UCL such as a spacer for the developing world. There have been articles published on the C21 page, Asthma UK, STEM NET and Public Health Wales about the new Asthma Aware scheme and we're very excited to see where this will go in the future.
INTRODUCTION AND EPILEPSY
So How Do I Get Involved?​
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We're always looking for keen members of CUPS to help out with teaching the asthma scheme.
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To teach the scheme requires an hour of training from the current creators of the project, which we shall be carrying out throughout the begining of next academic year.
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Look out on the CUPS facebook page or keep an eye on the EVENTS section of this website for updates on training dates.
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For any questions on the scheme please fill out:
