First Aid Skills You Can Teach Your Child at Home

Amongst the most important skills to be prepared with whenever any form of emergency arises is first aid. This will determine whether one lives or dies, especially when one cannot easily seek emergency help. Though one can go for the most comprehensive First aid is a key skill to have in case of any emergency situation. It can make the difference between life and death, especially when help is not readily available. While you can take the best first aider training course anywhere, such as Alertforce training, to become a certified first aider, teaching your child basic first aid skills at home is also crucial. This will inform them and boost their confidence in dealing with emergencies and hence train them on how to be responsible, showing care for others in case of an accident.

This article discusses some of the first-aid skills you can instruct your child at home. You will come to understand how to guide your child on how to prepare for an unexpected situation by the end of this discussion.

Basic First Aid Skills for Children

Here are some of the basic first-aid skills that you can teach your child at home:

Recognizing Emergency Situations

Early steps for first aid begin with determining an emergency exists. Train your child to recognize some of these common indicators, during which if someone was choking, they have fainted, had bleeding, or was unable to breathe. Make sure them when to dial the help number and who they should call. They need to understand the nature of their problem and not wait too long to seek assistance.

Calling for Help

It should be made aware how to call for help when an emergency arises. Teach the child to dial emergency services like 911, provide correct information regarding the situation, such as name, age, place, and a short description of what happened. Also, ensure they know how to remain calm and speak clearly over the phone.

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

CPR is a lifesaving technique used in situations of heart attack or drowning. It would involve chest compressions and rescue breaths that help keep blood flow and the supply of oxygen to the brain within an expanded time before medical assistance could be made available. The necessity to administer CPR does not fall on children, but learning to do CPR on infants or small children would be helpful.

Staying Calm

Among the most important first aid skills a child should learn is to stay calm in an emergency. Children will probably be scared and frightened, but simple breathing exercises and simple techniques, such as counting to 10 or deep breaths, can help them remain calm in stressful situations. Role-play this skill during pretend minor injury or accident. Allow the child to be the one leading and acting. This will make them more confident and in control of an emergency situation. Basic Wound Care

Basic Wound Care

The most common wound is minor cuts, scrapes, and bruises-the children may experience at home or in school. An essential first-aid skill is teaching your child how to properly clean and bandage these wounds. Show them how to use soap and water to clean the wound, apply antiseptic, and wrap it with a sterile bandage or gauze. Always emphasize maintaining the cleanliness of the wound to ensure prevention of infection.

Related reading: Top Must-Know First Aid Tips For Mums

Recognizing Allergic Reactions

Many children suffer from allergies. Teach them the symptoms of an allergic reaction early in life. Explain, for instance, food, bug bites or drugs that cause an allergic reaction. Demonstrate to them how to identify signs such as hives, swelling, difficulty in breathing, or other reaction symptoms. Let them know to report to a trusted adult the moment they go through those reactions.

Treating Burns

Burns can be caused in several ways in the home, like touching hot surfaces or spilling hot liquids. Teach your child what to do with minor burns, based on severity. Teach the child what to do for minor burns: take the area under cool running water for some minutes and dress it using a sterile bandage or burn cream. Teach them how to seek medical care immediately without delay in case of more serious burns. Professional care probably becomes necessary if treatments are not effective for delays that easily lead to complications and further delay healing.

Dealing with Choking

One of the most common occurrences with little children who put a small object into the mouth is choking. Educate your child on how to identify when a person is actually choking and practice simple first aid maneuvers such as the Heimlich on someone to dislodge an object from their airway or perform back blows. Also, let them know never to put objects in the mouth and always to chew correctly.

Related reading: How Do You Make a Homemade First Aid Kit for Kids?

Final Thoughts

The teaching of these basic first aid skills to your child is preparation in the aspect of capability toward emergencies while instilling in them a sense of responsibility and strength. Their skills should therefore be repeatedly refreshed and kept up to date with any new information and techniques on the subject. And they’ll surely thank you as they grow older for the knowledge and skills used in saving life in emergency situations possibly.