First Aid Doesn't Have to Be Scary

First Aid Doesn't Have to Be Scary

The spookiest day of the year is upon us, and your little ones may be practising riding their broomsticks or trying on their fangs! Learning first aid doesn’t have to be scary. By learning a few simple skills, you can feel confident that you’ll know how to help the little pumpkins in your care if they need it.

If a child in your care has a bump to the head

1. Get them to rest and apply something cold to the injury: for example, frozen vegetables wrapped in a tea towel. Applying something cold to the injury will reduce the swelling and pain.
2. Call 999 if they become drowsy, vomit or their condition gets worse. This could be a sign of a serious injury to the head. If you can’t call 999, get someone else to do it.

Parents/guardians should be informed of any accident or injury sustained by the child whilst in your care, and any first aid treatment given.

If a child in your care is choking

If they are over one year:

1. Encourage them to cough, give up to five back blows. Hit them firmly on their back between the shoulder blades. If back blows do not dislodge the blockage, move on to step two.
2. Give up to five abdominal thrusts; hold the child around the waist and pull inwards and upwards above their belly button.
3. Call 999, if the blockage does not dislodge. Continue repeating cycles of 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts, until the blockage dislodges, help arrives, or the child becomes unresponsive. If you can’t call 999, get someone else to do it. 

Blended Paediatric First Aid training

Our blended paediatric first aid training course is now available. This course combines the benefits of online and face-to-face training to qualify you as a paediatric first aider.

Find out more.

The information in this article is provided by the British Red Cross and does not represent Morton Michel.