First Aid knowledge-


FACT or MYTH Did you know...? Most accidents to children happen between late afternoon & early evening, in the summer, during school holidays & at weekends.


A hot drink can still scald a child up to 15 minutes after it is made.


FACT Boys have more accidents than girls. FACT FACT


More accidents to children happen in the lounge/living room than anywhere else in the home.


FACT


Around 25,000 under-fives attend A&E departments each year after being accidentally poisoned.


If your child has a nosebleed, you should tilt their head back.


This may cause blood to run into the throat and lead to nausea & vomiting. Instead, tilt their head


FACT MYTH


forward, pinch the soft part of the nose shut & get them to breathe through the mouth. If they’re still bleeding 30 minutes later, go to hospital.


If a child drinks bleach, make them vomit. MYTH


This can cause more damage as the vomit leaves the body. Call 999. Let them sip cold milk or water.


If your child or baby is choking on a foreign object, they’ll appreciate a couple of fingers down the throat.


MYTH


This could actually push the obstruction down further or you could scratch the back of the throat which could cause bleeding & inflammation of the airway. Slap the child on the back between the shoulder blades up to five times. If this doesn’t work do up to 5 abdominal thrusts on a child over 1 or up to 5 chest thrusts on a baby under 1 year.


Your child has suffered a burn - smother it in burns creams / sprays.


MYTH


The best way to irrigate a burn is with cool running water. The important thing is to cool the burn to prevent it from getting worse.


Safety tips for parents


Safe as Houses Did you know that over one million children attend casualty departments every year? By following some simple safety rules, you can help reduce the chance of accidents. Remember that babies are naturally inquisitive creatures (and that’s how you want them to be!) so it makes sense to baby and toddler proof your home.


• Fit safety gates on stairs and window restrictors on low windows


• Lock medicines away, well out of sight and reach


• Ensure all fires have a fireguard in front of them


• Keep all cosmetics and perfumes safely away as some are poisonous


• Fit child resistant catches to cleaning products cupboards


• Tidy plastic bags out of reach


• Clear the floor of small objects a child could choke on


Further Information can be found on the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website www.rospa.com


Carbon Monoxide Young children are particularly vulnerable to the silent, invisible and odourless gas that can leak out from faulty gas appliances. Carbon Monoxide poisoning can be fatal so it’s important that all gas appliances are regularly checked and maintained.


Smoke Alarms Fires are one of the leading causes of death in the home, so installing a smoke alarm should be top of your list to protect you new baby as well as other members of the family. RoSPA can give advice on the best alarms to fit (and some fire services also offer a free service).


First Aid It’s also a good idea for all parents to refresh their first aid knowledge. Locally based courses run by the British Red Cross can help www.redcrossfirstaidtraining.co.uk.


Small Steps 9


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