Beyond Band-aids: Teaching Basic First Aid to Young Children

As many precautions as we may take, some emergencies are unavoidable. Teaching young children basic first-aid tips can go a long way in helping to ensure everyone can enjoy a safe, fun-filled summer.

Amazingly, children seem to recover from minor injuries with the blink of an eye, But even if they’re lucky enough to have supervision of someone with first-aid training, it’s still a good idea to prepare them for worst case-scenarios. Empowering a child with basic first-aid knowledge not only encourages personal responsibility but also fosters self-confidence.  

Reassure them that safety is always first.
If kids were up to no good, they may be hesitant to tell an adult if something bad has happened, for fear of being found out. They need reassurance from you, the parent, that they will never get in trouble for asking for help when someone gets hurt. Acknowledge and thank them for making the right decisions in seeking help for an emergency, and allow the dust to settle before you reprimand them for disobeying.

Give them their own version of 911.
Technology may have eradicated the need for memorizing phone numbers or addresses, but this may not be a good thing for your kids. If an emergency arises, and their cell phone is unavailable, will they know how to get a hold of you? At the very least, they should be able to memorize at least one emergency contact number, in case their yaya, lola, or other guardians are unable to call for help.

Make it fun.
Role-play different emergency situations with your kids, but do so in a way that will capture their attention. Pretend your child is a doctor, wear silly costumes, or act out different types of patients. Make up a game, or create a color book together that illustrates what they can do in specific emergencies. Involve everyone in your family so they too can learn a thing or two about responding to emergency situations.

Don’t underestimate your children.
If you present the information simply, you can teach your child even the most seemingly complex topics. It’s a good idea to start small, such as “If a person falls and can’t move, tell him/her to “freeze” (stay still) while you call for help.” If your child asks, “Then what?”, you may choose to continue teaching more complex tasks. However, remind them that even if they know what to do, they should always tell an adult about the incident, so that the injured person can be examined by a doctor, if needed.

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The following is a list of some common emergencies among children, along with a few useful first-aid tips:

Nosebleeds
If it results from a fall (and you suspect a broken nose), see a doctor immediately. Otherwise, sit the child down and reassure them that they’ll be okay. Call for help. Use a cloth (if one is unavailable, use their T-shirt) to hold the nose shut and tell the child to breathe through their mouth. They can spit out blood if needed. Hold the nose for ten minutes, looking straight ahead or down towards the ground. Converse with the child to help calm them down. If available, ice can be placed on the nose bridge. After ten minutes, release the grip on the nose, and see if the bleeding has stopped. If not, repeat once more. The child should refrain from playing for a few hours, and should avoid picking their nose over the next few days. If bleeding continues after 20 minutes, see a doctor immediately.

Scrapes, cuts, minor wounds
Tell the child not to touch the wound. Comfort them if they’re crying. The person who will clean the injury should wash their hands first. Gently clean the surrounding area of the wound with water and mild soap, and let it dry completely before applying a bandage.

A bad fall
If a person cannot get up afterwards, tell them to stay still while you get help. They may have a fracture. If a person is able to move but has injured part of their arms or legs, tell them to keep that part close to their body and to get into a comfortable seated or lying position, if possible (don’t force it.) While waiting for help to arrive, or until a trip to the hospital can be arranged, ice should be placed on the area of injury, and the injured part should be stabilized by using a towel or rolled up newspaper as a splint or as a makeshift cast. It’s important to keep the injured area from moving, in case of a fracture. The ice should be applied 20 minutes on, 20 minutes off, consistently until the swelling goes down. If the injury is to the legs, elevate the leg to the level of the heart or higher. Go to the hospital immediately to check for fractures.

Burns
Remove the person from the burn source immediately. If the burn is mild in severity, place a wet towel over the area or under running water for fifteen minutes. Do not use freezing water, nor should you apply ice or ointment to the area. Gently pat dry. If the injury is more serious, place a cold towel over the area as well as clean gauze/ dry cloth, and see a doctor as soon as possible to prevent infections

Foreign object in the nose
Tell the child not to pick their nose, especially if the object is deep inside the nostril. Don’t let anyone else “try” to fish it out. Comfort a crying child, and keep them calm by talking with them. Immediately see a doctor who can remove the foreign object carefully.

Photo by are you my rik? from flickr creative commons