It is only a matter of time before your little one will experience a scrape on their knee or get bitten by an insect. When the time comes, would you know what to do if your child gets injured or suffer from a medical issue?
With kids, injuries and accidents are bound to happen. Knowing how to treat minor wounds and injuries along with basic CPR can go a long way in keeping your child healthy.
Research shows that three-quarters or approximately 77% of parents are not up-to-date with their pediatric first aid. Half of the parents, especially the new ones, did not know how to do CPR on a child. The same survey also found that parents were unsure which steps to take if their child was choking or unconscious.
It is not too late to change that. Parents can now learn the first aid skills to save their child’s life through First Aid training. Here, we outline the most important first aid skills included in the training that every parent should know.
5 Most Important First Aid Skills
1. CPR And Infant CPR
Many reasons could result in a child stopping breathing. For that reason, CPR is the most important skill to have as a parent. Emergency dispatchers may give instructions over the phone, but children need to receive at least a minute of CPR to survive.
CPR training has changed over the years, and some tactics are no longer recommended. Note that an infant in respiratory distress will require different treatment than an older child or an adult.
When doing infant CPR, start by taking a quick assessment by gently tapping the foot or shoulder and calling their name to see if they respond. Look, listen, and feel for no more than seconds for normal breathing. If there is no response, proceed with tilting their head and lifting the child to open up the airway.
2. Choking Management
Check if your child is unable to breathe, cough, or speak – in such cases, your child may be choking. We recommend the “five to five” approach when performing first aid to a choking victim. This approach includes alternating black blows and abdominal thrusts.
For a child, performing abdominal thrusts may require you to kneel behind them than the normal standing approach. Start wrapping your hands above the navel, making a first with one hand. The other hand should grab the fist and press hard into their abdomen to do a quick, upward thrust.
Give 5 back blows between the child’s shoulders, then give 5 abdominal thrusts. This technique is also known as the Heimlich maneuver.
3. Stings And Bites Treatment
Insect bites and stings may be painful for children. If bitten or stung, remove the stinger with the scraping motion using items, such as plastic boards and credit cards. Place a cold compress on the bite or sting area to alleviate pain and swelling.
If your child has trouble breathing, faints, or swells severely, call 000 right away.
4. Head Injuries
Falls are a common injury for children, especially the younger ones. If your child bumps his head from a fall, use a cold compress and apply it to the area for 10 minutes. While doing that, encourage your child to rest.
Monitor your child closely for any signs of sickness or any behaviour out of the ordinary. If your child shows signs of dizziness, change in eating and sleeping habits, or loss of interest in things they enjoy, these could be signs of concussion. Take your child to the nearest emergency room as soon as possible.
5. Minor Bleeding (Cuts, Scrapes, And Bruises)
The first step in treating minor bleeding is to apply direct pressure to the wound. After bleeding is controlled, clean the wound area with mild soap and warm water. Apply antibiotic cream to reduce the risk of infection.
If the blood is spurting and cannot be controlled, seek medical help immediately.
Conclusion
Parenthood is full of many bumps, falls, bruises, and scrapes. Although we try our best to protect our little ones from injury, accidents happen suddenly. The best thing we can do to keep them safe is to know how to react in those situations.
No matter the age of your child, consider getting a First Aid and CPR certification. Brisbane First Aid Courses offers training for adult, child, and infant CPR.
Get Trained and learn how you can help your child in an emergency.
