A large focus of the group is trying to improve patient information leaflets, omitting the jargon in order to make the studies more understandable to the children, and their guardians. Through the years we have been consulted on several projects, one of these being the RAPID study (Real Time Adaptive and Predictive Indicators of Deterioration . This is one the projects we are most proud of as it’s something we have seen from inception to completion. The aim was to use Formula 1 technology to improve the detection of early Cardiac arrest. We helped design the aesthetics of the technology and also the literature provided to families. We added pictures and made it much simpler. Despite doing similar work on other projects we have also realised that our impact is limited as despite many of our group being experts by experience, we have no medical knowledge. However we are young people so we know what works and what doesn’t so we still always try and input as much as we can on any projects that comes our way.
Our group also looks at how to improve the administration of drugs in children. We have worked closely with Birmingham University to work on how best children and young people should be given medication. During our work with Dr Hannah Bachelor we came to a very important conclusion, one size does not fit all. For example as a group we were completely divided on tablets or liquid, taste and size despite us mostly being in the same age group. We also established that may misconceptions have to be overcome; one common story is when a mother in the hope of having her child finally takes their medication, put it in the mashed potato. However this changed the drug and rendered it useless and increased the amount of potato. The only way these circumstances will not occur is if medicines and research in general is adapted for children using the opinion of children to improve our futures.
#whywedoresearch is because children can’t be continually overlooked.
You can follow this fantastic group on twitter @YPSGWMids. In the meantime here are a selection of recordings you may be interested to watch...