As the year winds down, it feels like a good moment to pause.
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Not to rush into resolutions or bold declarations — but to look back, briefly, at what quietly accumulated over the past twelve months.
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In 2025, DFTB published more than 75 blog posts, reaching over 1.5 million readers around the world.
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Those numbers still feel slightly unreal when written down.
Behind them were early mornings, late nights, shared drafts, careful edits, generous reviewers, and a community that keeps showing up. Curious, thoughtful, and committed to caring well for children.
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Many people arrive at DFTB without realising the scale of what’s here.
It’s still just a website to some.
But for others — clinicians on night shift, trainees finding their feet, educators looking for clarity - it’s become a companion.
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Some of the most-read new pieces this year reflected exactly that breadth:

• Updates from the Resuscitation Council, helping teams stay aligned with best practice
• A deep dive into Functional Neurological Disorders, tackling a topic that’s often misunderstood
• Practical guidance on dexmedetomidine, quietly demystifying a tricky drug
• Clear explanations around POTS, where uncertainty is common
• And a back-to-basics piece on adrenaline, still one of the most essential tools we use

None of these posts went viral in the flashy sense.
They were read because they were useful.

On a more personal note, this year also brought a moment that made me stop and reflect.
I was awarded Associate Professor by the Department of Paediatrics at the University of Melbourne.

It’s the kind of milestone that can stir up impostor syndrome just as easily as pride.
Because when you look back, it rarely feels like a single achievement — more like a long arc of quiet, incremental work: writing, teaching, learning, getting things wrong, trying again.

In many ways, that’s the same story as DFTB itself.

And that’s why the next chapter matters.

In 2026, we’ll gather in person again at DFTB26 in Glasgow — bringing together the same spirit that’s powered the blog all these years: curiosity, generosity, science, story, and community.

👉 Join us in Glasgow:​
​https://dftb26.com/​

Thank you for reading.
Thank you for sharing.
And thank you for being part of something that continues to grow — one post, one conversation, one child at a time.