Tots To Teens: Get your child vaccinated against flu

"We all have a responsibility to do our part to stop the spread of flu and not get left on the bench this winter," says Marty Morrissey

Marty Morrissey and Laura Dowling at the launch of Flunited

Winter is coming and medics are predicting an upsurge in flu cases this year. This is why the Irish Parents Association has joined forces with sports pundit Marty Morrissey and pharmacist Laura Dowling (aka the @fabulouspharmacist), to launch Flunited, a campaign highlighting the importance of getting the flu vaccine.

While most children who get the flu have mild symptoms, some can develop complications.

In the past 10 years, almost 5,000 children were admitted to hospital with flu in Ireland.

At the launch, Mr Morrissey said: “As someone who travels the country to various games and sporting events, I see the benefit sport brings to kids and their communities.

“Everyday life is disrupted when children are sick for long periods, out of creche and school, along with hobbies and activities. This impacts parents in terms of work and routine. We all have a responsibility to do our part to stop the spread of flu and not get left on the bench this winter. Get your child vaccinated against flu.”

The flu vaccine is available free of charge for children aged from two to 12. Ask your pharmacist or GP for details.

Jenel Sanders with some of the toys available from Clever Tots

Clever Tots proves a hit

We’ve all seen it happen. Children get a new toy and are delighted with it for a few days, only to then grow bored and cast it aside.

This is something that bothered Jenel and Didier Sanders after their son Orlando was born in Dubai. They wanted a more sustainable alternative to buying new toys, and discovered a toy rental service that delivered new toys every month.

When they moved back to Cork at the beginning of the pandemic, they missed this service and decided to set one up here. www.clevertots.ie is the result, a monthly subscription service that delivers four eco-friendly and developmentally appropriate toys for children aged from one to 36 months, all for a monthly fee of €39.99.

They take away the old toys that your child has tired of, sanitise them, and redistribute them to other families.

The service is popular with parents as it allows them to save on buying toys, while reducing the amount of plastic going to landfill. It’s also popular with children as they get to experience the excitement of looking forward to new toys every month.

Camilla Marks from Toddler Talk

Speaking up

Approximately 60,000 children are born in Ireland every year, and 10% will experience a significant speech, language or communication difficulty. Help for those children can be hard to access, with more than 30,000 on waiting lists for speech, language, and psychology services.

This can have a huge impact on their lives, affecting their ability to make friends, progress at school, and develop a healthy self-esteem.

This is where www.toddler-talk.com can help. Founded by education and behavioural consultant Camilla Marks, it’s a digital platform that offers resources and supports to parents who have questions about their child’s early development. It’s full of practical information, simple suggestions for day-to-day activities, and advice on where to get additional professional help. There’s also a useful toddler tantrum toolkit with tips on how to handle those dreaded meltdowns.

Circus classes

Many children grow up dreaming of running away to join the circus. If your child harbours such fantasies, you can make their dream come true by signing them up for classes at the Circus Factory in Cork, www.circusfactorycork.com.

Located on Centre Park Road in the city, the factory is run by a group of circus performers who teach classes and workshops that are suitable for all the family, from children aged seven to grown-ups.

In these classes, participants get to learn everything from juggling and hula hoop, to acrobatics, tight rope walking and trapeze.