It is normal for parents and carers of children with complex conditions to remain in hospital with their children for long periods of time. This can be challenging for their own wellbeing, so the paediatrics team now runs 'Baby Social Club' - enabling families to enjoy supported quality time together outside the hospital walls.
The inspiration for the club came from one very committed mother, as paediatric intensive care unit (PICU) deputy sister Rebecca McKeever explains: "Our longest ever stay in PICU was a little boy, Zach Islam, who was here for 21 months. His mum was very good at entertaining him and taking him out with his portable ventilator.
One day she was ill and couldn't come in, and we noticed a real change in his behaviour, so we asked if we could take him out. We just went to the library but it made a difference to his whole demeanour and his mum was very pleased.
"After that, myself, play specialist Romilly Cuthbert and family liaison, Laura Karlsen sat down to discuss how we could make life better for other patients here, especially our hypoplast babies who are with us for at least six months and miss out on many normal experiences.
"We knew from specialist neurological consultant, Naila Ishmailya, how important social experiences are for children's development and were supported by senior medical and nursing staff including consultant intensivist Dr Margarita Burmester and PICU matron Claire Buckle."
Portable monitors supplied by the Brompton Fountain charity enable the nurses to organise trips such as story time at bookshops and libraries, social coffee shop outings, picnics, baby yoga, and visits to their 'secret garden' (a walled garden within the hospital's grounds). In total around 150 children and their carers have joined the trips.
Zach Islam's mum Jushna said she was delighted that her efforts to keep her son entertained during his stay on the ward had inspired a resource that is helping other patients.
"It's amazing," she said. "I can't tell you how important it is when you and your child are stuck in hospital for a long time, to have the opportunity to do 'normal' things. I feel really happy that this can benefit other people."
Rebecca McKeever added: "Patients tell us that every day in hospital can feel the same, and Social Club gives them something to look forward to - or in one mum's case something to put her makeup on for! It's a really important project for our team, and I think it makes a real difference to patients and their parents."
"I can't tell you how important it is when you and your child are stuck in hospital for a long time, to have the opportunity to do 'normal' things. I feel really happy that this can benefit other people."
Young patient raises money for babies in paediatric intensive care unit
The portable monitors used by Baby Social Club were donated by the Brompton Fountain, a charity that focuses solely on supporting our paediatric wards and - like all our charities - is able to make a difference thanks to the generosity of patients, their families and members of the public.
One such supporter is 13-year-old respiratory patient Ramandeep Kaur, who raised money for the charity while staying on the children's ward for treatment after collapsing in the outpatients' department.
Ramandeep had been attending an appointment to manage an underlying condition, obliterative bronchiolitis, which causes the lungs to become scarred and lose function. The paediatric respiratory and intensive care teams rushed to outpatients to resuscitate her, before admitting her to PICU. She has since made a good recovery.
Ramandeep, who raised the money by selling cookies that she hand-decorated with heart and lungs motifs, said: "I really wanted to do something for the babies here."
Dr Louise Fleming, consultant respiratory physician, said: "Ramandeep is an absolute joy. She has such a positive outlook and is very determined.
"It was an incredible team effort to resuscitate her. The outpatient staff, intensive care unit and respiratory teams worked seamlessly. It is a credit to them that Ramandeep has made such a good recovery."