Basic First Aid Skills that Parents Should Teach their Children | Emergency care

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Basic First Aid Skills that Parents Should Teach
their Children Emergency care
It is a known fact that kids are always hyper and
that they are often prone to injury. A situation
of emergency or injury does not happen in
schools but also in many other places like
playgrounds, parks, and even on a busy road
where kids are walking. In times like these, it
is a blessing to have someone around who knows
first aid. Many think that first aid is not a
mandatory skill to learn unless you are working
in an institution that requires you to learn it.
In reality, a case of emergency could arise for
anyone. It could also be your kid. The best way
to push yourself to learn first aid is by being
empathetic towards others. It could even be your
child who might need first aid assistance at some
point. As a parent, it is good to be aware of
various first aid skills and teach your kids
about the same. This could come in handy in any
emergency. Here are a few basic first aid skills
you can teach your child Contacting the
emergency services While a lot of serious
injuries can be given first assistance with first
aid, they still need professional and medical
help. Help your child memorize the essential
emergency contact numbers. You can also teach
her/him how to call even if the phone is locked.
You can as well fill up a pocket diary with the
emergency contact numbers so its easier for them
to reach out for help. Reaching out for
help Teach your child how to reach out to adults
if they are unable to deal with the injured. You
can make them memorize any immediate family
members phone number to reach out to them for
help in case they find someone in a state of
emergency.
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Understanding various health conditions It is
not only an injury that could be an emergency.
Some kids might be allergic to peanuts or
lactose etc. Teach your child how to identify
such allergies and understand what could be done
in such cases. Knowing other common conditions
like asthma, seizures, bites and stings,
heatstroke, electrocution can also help them be
aware of such emergencies. Preparing a simple
first-aid kit There are a lot of essentials in a
first-aid kit. Prepare your child for basic
first-aid and also a simple first-aid kit along
with it. Ask your child to carry it with her/him
and teach them how to use it effectively. Some
simple items like over-the-counter medicines,
ointment, plasters, sprain bands, cotton balls,
antiseptic talc or liquid, and bandages. Explain
to your child how to use each of these items the
right way. Dealing with common medical
emergencies These are common injuries that
happen to anyone. Learning about these can help
them react quickly without panic. For example,
if someone is bleeding from the nose, then the
first aid could be using a towel or a napkin to
apply pressure on the wound to stop the bleeding.
Applying ice on bumps, tending to burns by
applying a wet cloth are all essential first aid
skills you can teach your child. Kids have
tender tissues and for them injuries like sprains
are common. In such situations, RICE treatment
helps. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression,
and elevation. Once this is done as a basic
first aid, the injured can be taken for medical
help. Also, your child can be taught about the
basic first aid for choking - Heimlich Maneuver
as it is very common among kids. In times of
emergency, being calm and compassionate is very
important. Help your child understand how by
panicking things can become only worse. Teach
them how to stay calm and help the injured and
reach out for help from adults and other medical
support. It is a great thing to learn first aid
for it comes as a blessing in fatal moments. Not
just for others but also for your kid if your
child knows how to deal with basic injuries,
she/he would tend to themselves and stay
safe. There are many NGOs that train people on
basic first aid. ALERT is from chennai, one such
NGO where adults and children are taught about
basic first aid to help them come to the rescue
of those in need. Enrol with ALERTs First aid
course to apply its knowledge anywhere, and at
any given time. Gain skills to feel confident
and help empower one another in emergency care.