Useful campaigns and apps
The SmilesBack App: Recommend SmilesBack to families to help you diagnose and manage cows’ milk allergy (CMA)*
SmilesBack has been created to help families and caregivers to support their healthcare professional to shorten the journey to appropriate CMA diagnosis and management.* SmilesBack is an easy-to-use mobile app, developed with allergy experts that allows parents to keep track of their baby’s symptoms and feeds, share a summary of the relevant information with their doctor, and learn more about CMA signs and symptoms, path to diagnosis and management. Visit here for more information or search “SmilesBack” on the Apple and Android App stores.
* SmilesBack is not a diagnostic tool
ROYAL COLLEGE OF PAEDIATRICS AND CHILD HEALTH
CHILD HEALTH MATTERS - THE 100-DAY CHALLENGE
The RCPCH has a vision for children’s health and wellbeing and aims to raise awareness amongst the public and politicians of the need to improve child health in the UK. This also includes securing policy commitments from political parties and the Government that will improve the health and lives of children and young people.
You can find each of the manifestos, an outline of the work to be done in each devolved nation and the progress achieved by following this link: www.rcpch.ac.uk/news/child-health-matters-100-day-challenge
The RCPCH's #childhealthmatters campaign aims to get child health on the political agenda, securing policy commitments from political parties that will improve the health and lives of children and young people. It was launched earlier in the year. Find out more about this and how to get involved at www.rcpch.ac.uk/news-campaigns/campaigns/childhealthmatters/childhealthmatters-getting-child-health-political-agenda. You can also follow the #childhealthmatters action and get involved via Twitter.
Baby Symptom Checker to encourage informed conversations between parents and healthcare professionals
The online tool is designed to help facilitate informed conversations between HCPs and parents about infant feeding problems. The Baby Symptom Checker gathers information on the baby’s symptoms via a series of quick and simple multiple choice questions based upon the widely respected Rome IV Criteria for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders in Infants and Toddlers, then offers practical advice that may help alleviate symptoms.
The Baby Symptom Checker can be found on the Aptaclub (www.aptaclub.co.uk/article/baby-symptom-checker-start) and C&G Baby Club websites (www.cgbabyclub.co.uk/baby-symptom-checker).
PHE launches their new ‘Be Food Smart’ app
In January, PHE launched a new app for parents to use, helping them to be more aware of sugar, saturated fat and salt in everyday foods and drinks. Part of the ‘Change for Life’ campaign, this app is free and available to download from the iTunes store or Google Play. A full press release can be found at www.gov.uk/government/news/new-change4life-campaign-encourages-parents-to-be-food-smart.
The app can be found at https://www.nhs.uk/change4life-beta/be-food-smart#hdt1GQLEvkOGwH24.97
Coeliac UK and Food Maestro bring you the Gluten Free Food Checker App
As well as identifying all gluten-free foods, including those which are naturally gluten-free, the new app also gives additional options to tailor search results to include additional dietary preferences and allergens. It also lists all products that carry the Coeliac UK Crossed Grain symbol which is internationally recognised by those who need to follow a gluten-free diet.
Couch to 5K campaign
Encouraging increased activity levels is a key part of weight management and healthy living advice. Couch to 5K is a running plan, which has been designed to support complete novices to take up running. Josh Clark developed the plan for his 50-something mum get off the couch and start running. The plan involves three runs per week, with a day of rest in between, with a different schedule for each of the nine weeks. The campaign ties in with PHEâ€â„¢s One You campaign and promotes the wealth of benefits which running provides.
www.nhs.uk/Livewell/c25k/Pages/get-running-with-couch-to-5k.aspx
The DIET-COMMS training package is now live and can be accessed via
http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/toolkits/play_13244
The package is designed to support student dietitians and qualified staff to develop their communication skills further. It is completely free to access and most materials are downloadable as pdfs and be copied and used to support learning. It contains videos, a validated assessment tool (DIET-COMMS), feedback sheets and guidance sheets. You can also test your ability to assess by submitting your scores on the assessment tool to find out the expert view.
Public Health England has developed a Change4Life Sugar Smart app to raise awareness of how much sugar is contained in everyday food and drink. The app works by scanning barcodes and revealing total sugar in cubes or grams. https://www.nhs.uk/change4life-beta/campaigns/sugar-smart/home
Public Health England launches 'One You' campaign
PHE have launched a ground-breaking new campaign to help adults across the country avoid future diseases caused by unhealthy lifestyle and diet choices because of modern life. Eating too many unhealthy foods, excessive alcohol consumption, limited physical activity and smoking are all responsible for approximately 40% of all deaths in England, with a cost of more than £11 billion each year to the NHS. The â€ËœOne Youâ€â„¢ campaign aims to encourage adults, particular middle-aged adults, to make healthy lifestyle and dietary changes to enjoy health benefits both not and in later life. A new online health quiz called â€ËœHow Are Youâ€â„¢ is available to provide personalised recommendations based on a personâ€â„¢s results. It will direct people to tools and advice to help them take action where it is needed the most. www.nhs.uk/oneyou