Background Allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (ARC) is a prevalent allergic condition in the pediatric population. Microbial dysbiosis has increasingly been recognized to influence on host immunity and allergic diseases. However, the microbial profile of ARC has not been characterized. This cross‐sectional study aims to evaluate the changes in nasal and ocular surface microbiome of children with ARC. Methods Ocular and nasopharyngeal swabs were collected from controls and pediatric ARC cases for 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The bacterial community profile was analyzed. The correlation of the microbial diversity with the ARC‐related clinical scores was studied. Results A total of 23 patients with ARC and 17 healthy controls were recruited;30 were ocular samples (15 controls vs 15 ARC), while 40 were nasal samples (17controls vs 23 ARC) The alpha diversity of nasopharyngeal microbiome was significantly higher in ARC patients than healthy controls (P < 0.01), but not for ocular microbiome. The clinical scores in all subjects were negatively correlated with the Shannon diversity for ocular (P = 0.014) and positively correlated with nasopharyngeal (P = 0.010) microbiome. While the ocular microbiome remained significantly distinct from nasopharyngeal microbiome in terms of both alpha and beta diversity in both healthy subjects and ARC patients, significant differences of relative abundance of certain phyla (Bacteroidetes, Cyanobacteria, and Deinococcus‐Thermus) and genera (Dolosigranulum and Moraxella) between nasal and ocular surfaces were only detected in healthy controls, but not in the ARC subjects, suggesting the microbial composition at both body sites becoming more similar at disease state. Conclusion This study reported (a) a higher alpha diversity in ocular than nasopharyngeal microbiome in both ARC patients and controls, and (b) nasopharyngeal microbiome became more diverse in ARC patients than in controls. Our results suggested an interaction of the microbiome between ocular and nasal compartments in patients with ARC.

Prior to the pandemic, parents met weekly for 1.5 hours over 16 weeks. 63 recorded visits: 34 parents on NICU and 29 from home. The majority were mothers -three with triplets/twins; three fathers joined. Prematurity, surgery, breastfeeding, milk, sleep, siblings, medication, equipment, jobs, income and illness were the main topics of discussion. Anxiety, separation and loss of normality were all shared feelings with empathy, reassurance and coping strategies expressed. Psychotherapy was offered to several parents.Senior staff presence enabled parents' problems to be raised with confidence and suggestions promptly implemented. Eight underwent practical resuscitation, choking, breastfeeding and cot death prevention training with great feedback. During lockdown, meetings continued virtually. Parents use WhatsApp and set up a closed Instagram group. Conclusions Community outreach, peer support and meeting thriving NICU babies can offer unparalleled hope and inspiration to families thrust on a challenging journey.Support groups can easily complement the formal psychological therapy that NICU parents receive and are an inexpensive way of providing truly family-centred care. Listening to parents and walking in their shoes, inspired us to build upon our ambitions for parent education. Engaging parent advocates has helped sustain peer support and strengthened our service improving the confidence and mental-wellbeing of future NICU families.

Case 2: Mother was 34 years old smoker and multiparous. Antenatal ultrasound scan showed a left sided 25 × 33 mm intracranial arachnoid cyst.Postnatal cranial ultrasound performed on day 3 of life showed a large arachnoid cyst 37 × 47 mm in size on the left posterior area of the brain. At the Neurosurgical follow up clinic MRI showed the cyst was stable in size with mild mass effect noticed. The baby remains under close follow up and monitoring by the neurosurgical team, with conservative management until the present at age of 16 months. Objectives Methods Results Review & Discussion: Arachnoid cysts are benign cysts that occur in the cerebrospinal axis in relation to the arachnoid membrane. They are most commonly developmental anomalies, however some are acquired and they represent 1% of all space occupying lesions in childhood.