It's a good idea for parents to be versed in some basic first aid in the case of an emergency, and to have a stocked kit ready to go.
Bumps and bruises can often happen around the house or when the kids are out and about – they’re balls of energy and stuck in everything so is it any wonder accidents occur from time to time?
With that in mind, are five important basic first aid skills all parents should know about:
1. Stopping minor bleeding
Firstly, before cleaning it, apply gentle but firm pressure to the wound to stop the flow of blood. When it ceases, wash your hands and clean the wound with warm water soap. Finish by applying an antibiotic ointment, which will stop the wound from becoming infected. If the wound doesn’t stop bleeding, it may need stitches so visit your doctor as soon as possible.
2. CPR
If your child is unresponsive or not breathing normally, position them on their back, and begin with chest compressions at the rate of about 60 per minute, pressing down around a third of the depth of the chest. You’ll want to be doing these in the middle of your baby’s chest under the nipples. After each set of compressions, gently tilt the chin upwards to open the airway, cover your baby’s mouth and give two breaths for a second at a time. You should see you childs’s chest rise with each breath.
3. Making a splint for a broken bone
The signs of a break can be obvious to the eye like swelling and a bump or change in shape of the bone, or in some cases harder to tell. If the bone is coming through the skin do not wash the wound or touch the bone and call for an ambulance – but if it’s less serious, stabilise the bone while you’re waiting for the emergency services by placing a ruler or a rolled up magazine next to the injury and wrapping with gauze,
4. Burns
For minor burns, cool the area by running cool (not too cold!) water over it for around ten minutes until the intensity of the pain lessens. Make sure you don’t apply ice to the affected area. Once it has soothes somewhat, cover the burn with a sterile bandage. However, if the burn area is large, swollen or covered in blisters, seek professional help right away.
5. Choking
Try the “five and five” approach – five back blows between the child’s shoulder blades with the heel of your hand and five abdominal thrusts (also known as the Heimlich manoeuvre). Here, you stand behind the child and wrap your arms around their waist, tipping them forward slightly. Then, make a fist with one hand and place it above their bellybutton, and grasping with your second hand press hard into their abdomen as if trying to lift them up. Alternate between the two techniques until the object is coughed up or dislodged.
For more first aid advice visit the NHS website HERE.
