We are pleased to bring you our second podcast. Dr Gale Pearson, Clinical Director of Child Health for CEMACH and Dr Martin Ward-Platt, a member of the Child Health Review Committee and ADC Deputy Editor, discuss the findings from the Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health. Using a unique methodology, the intent of CEMACH is to uncover issues that contribute to the death of children – with the ultimate intent to improve the health of babies and children. In this wide ranging discussion, highlights from the recent CEMACH report are discussed.

Related link: http://www.cemach.org.uk/

We are delighted to offer you our first podcast. Harry Baumer, a consultant paediatrician from Plymouth, UK who writes about guidelines for ADC, and Ian Balfour-Lynn, a consultant in paediatric respiratory medicine at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London and an ADC associate editor, discuss the new asthma guidelines from both the British Thoracic Society and the National Institute of Health. In the podcast they discuss:

1. Use of inhaled cortical steroids (ICS) in infants
2. What are the side effects of ICS?
3. Are long-acting beta agonists safe in children?
4. What are the differences between the NIH and BTS recommendation regarding environmental approaches to asthma?

We have posted both a short (18 minutes) and long version (28 minutes) of their discussion. Please email us your thoughts about this podcast (howard.bauchner@bmc.org) and suggestions for future ones.

Professor Howard Bauchner
Editor

See also this related article http://ep.bmj.com/cgi/content/extract/93/2/66