The Family Tribe

RSV season is here, and Ireland’s infant RSV immunisation programme is now in its third winter.
In this episode, Afif and Anne explain what RSV does to babies, why some develop bronchiolitis severe enough to need hospital care, and revisit their own experience when their 4-week-old son was admitted with RSV.
They also look at nirsevimab, the long-acting antibody now used to protect babies through RSV season, and the latest evidence showing substantial reductions in RSV-related hospitalisations in both Australia and Ireland.
They discuss who is eligible in Ireland, how the immunisation works, side effects, and why preventing RSV admissions matters for both families and the wider hospital system.
Useful links
HSE: RSV immunisation for babies
Queensland nirsevimab study

Botox, lip filler and “salmon sperm” treatments are everywhere. But what can they realistically achieve, what are the risks, and how do you choose someone you can trust?
This week, Afif and Anne are joined by Dr Grace Daly, a dentist working in facial aesthetics, for a frank conversation about cosmetic treatments and the pressure to change how we look.
Grace explains the differences between Botox, hyaluronic acid fillers and polynucleotides, why results don’t always match expectations, and when she tells a patient that more treatment isn’t the answer.
We discuss:
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding, including why evidence and clinic policies can differ
• “Preventative Botox” and the pressure to start younger
• Filler complications, migration and how long results can last
• Teenagers, social media and conversations about changing their appearance
• Checking a practitioner’s credentials and looking beyond the cheapest offer
• Why a consultation should leave room for saying no
There’s also Afif’s unexpected Camino tattoo, Anne’s response, and a skincare confession involving Head & Shoulders.
Find Grace on Instagram: @agewithgrace_
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BT: RSV: The Injection Keeping Babies Out of Hospital
RSV season is here, and Ireland’s infant RSV immunisation programme is now in its third winter.
In this episode, Afif and Anne explain what RSV does to babies, why some develop bronchiolitis severe enough to need hospital care, and revisit their own experience when their 4-week-old son was admitted with RSV.
They also look at nirsevimab, the long-acting antibody now used to protect babies through RSV season, and the latest evidence showing substantial reductions in RSV-related hospitalisations in both Australia and Ireland.
They discuss who is eligible in Ireland, how the immunisation works, side effects, and why preventing RSV admissions matters for both families and the wider hospital system.
Useful links
HSE: RSV immunisation for babies
Queensland nirsevimab study

We spend plenty of time worrying about children’s screen time. But what happens when the adults are the ones reaching for their phones?
Following our recent Family Tribe discussion about children and technology, Afif and Anne turn their attention to parents’ device use and the small attempts at communication we can miss while checking a message.
A new study from Calgary examined 107 parent-child pairs, with toddlers aged 13 to 18 months. It found that parental technology use during play was associated with more missed communication cues, alongside small associations with language scores. Crucially, it did not establish that phone use causes language delay.
We explore what these findings mean in everyday family life, including:
• How pointing, sounds, gestures and play become conversations before fluent speech.
• What “technoference” means and what the research can actually tell us.
• Why nappy changes and ordinary routines offer opportunities to connect.
• Parental exhaustion, independent play and the pressure to be constantly available.
• Why this study cannot give parents a prescribed number of phone-free minutes.
• Practical ways to protect shared attention and return to an interaction after an interruption.
There is also an escaped toddler, a cold coffee and an uncomfortable question about whether adults follow their own screen rules.
Study discussed
Keskin G, McArthur BA, Marsh A, et al. Missed Child Communication Cues During Parent Technology Use and Child Language Development. JAMA Pediatrics. Published online 4 October 2026.
Read the study
If this episode resonates, share it with another parent and explore our recent Family Tribe episode on children and technology.

Why can pregnancy leave you utterly exhausted before there is even a visible bump? How does your body adapt to support a growing baby? And why might your favourite shoes never fit quite the same way again?
This week on The Family Tribe, Prof Afif EL-Khuffash and Dr Anne Doherty explore the extraordinary changes happening throughout a woman’s body during pregnancy.
Anne shares her experience of first trimester exhaustion and pregnancy sickness, including why years of demanding hospital shifts had not prepared her for how tired she would feel. Afif reflects on what partners can miss when so much of that work is invisible.
Together, they discuss changes in the heart, circulation, breathing, kidneys and metabolism, alongside the less glamorous realities of reflux, constipation, pelvic discomfort, acne and changing feet. They also explore research into the maternal brain and why pregnancy deserves greater understanding and respect.
You can be amazed by what your body is doing and still feel sick, sore, exhausted or completely fed up. Needing treatment, rest or support does not diminish that achievement.
We finish with symptoms that deserve medical assessment, mental health support, and practical ways families can help during pregnancy and after birth.
Useful HSE information
Pregnancy and birth information

Warning signs in pregnancy and when to seek help

When to get medical help after birth

Share this episode with a partner, friend or family member who would benefit from understanding what pregnancy asks of a woman’s body.

Afif and Anne examine a new Swedish study of almost 3.7 million people exploring associations between diagnosed congenital infections, autism and intellectual disability.
They explain what TORCH infections are, why comparing siblings strengthens the research, and why an association still cannot establish the cause of an individual child’s diagnosis. They also discuss a crucial limitation: clinically recognised infections do not represent every baby who acquires an infection before birth.
With CMV as the main focus, the conversation separates maternal illness from congenital infection and explores what families can take from the evidence, including practical prevention advice, antenatal screening and hearing and developmental follow-up.
Throughout, the message is clear: this research cannot tell a parent why their child is autistic, and it should not become another source of guilt.
Study discussed
Sjöqvist and colleagues. Congenital TORCH Infections and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes. JAMA Pediatrics, published online 21 September 2026.
Read the paper and access its supplementary tables
Useful information
HSE: Understanding the different types of CMV infection in pregnancy

HSE: Reducing your risk of CMV during pregnancy

HSE: Vaccines before pregnancy, including rubella protection

HSE: Infectious disease screening during pregnancy

HPSC: Toxoplasmosis and pregnancy precautions

CDC: Congenital CMV and hearing follow-up

If you have a specific concern about an exposure during pregnancy or your child’s development, speak with your maternity team, GP or paediatric team.