First aid for babies and children





As a parents you will inevitably need to cope with accidents, cuts and bruises as your child grows up. That is the reason you should know the basic first aid techniques to deal with accidents quickly, effectively, and calmly.

The first steep is get a family first aid kit and keep it in a accessible  place in a marked box with airtight lid but out of your child's reach.





A good first aid kit must have:


  • Triangular bandage
  • Crepe bandages
  • Antiseptic wipes
  • Open-weave bandages
  • Calamine lotion
  • Gauze dressings
  • Cotton wool
  • Wound dressings
  • Plasters Surgical tape
  • Dumbell plasters
  • Thermometer
  • Scissors
  • Safety pins
  • TweezersInfant, children or adult  paracetamol 

In a accident case a prompt action can be lifesaving and because of this you must get your priorities right.

WHAT IS CONSIDER A SEVERE ACCIDENT?

Accident with the loss of much blood or other body fluids which can precipitate shock.
Shock is always serious.
Chocking or other very severe respiratory tract infection that blocks airways drowning, and unconsciousness.

Before you call an ambulance answer the questions below

Is your child in danger?
If is, remove her from the danger if you can or the danger from her but don't put yourself at risk and don't move your child unless you are in danger.

Is she concious?
Keep calling her name clearly and loudly.

Is her airways blocked?
Open your child's airways by tilting her head back, clearing any obvious obstruction, and lifting her chin.

Is she breathing?
Lean close to your child's mouth to listen for breathing and feel it against your cheek.
Look at her chest to see if it is rising and falling.
If there are no signs of breathing after ten seconds give two effective rescue breaths.

Does she have a signs of circulations?
Look for breathing, coughing, or movement for no longer then ten seconds. If there are no signs, give alternate chest compressions and rescue breaths for one minute, call an ambulance.

Call an ambulance if your child is having breathing difficulties or is unconscious, then call an ambulance, or get another adult to do so. Try not to leave your child unattended and be ready to carry out resuscitation.



RESUSCITATION 


Resuscitation is necessary if, for whatever reason your baby or child has stopped breathing or if her circulation has stopped.

It is important that we have a continuous supply of oxygen in our body for vital organs as brain function normally. If any part of the process by which oxygen is carried to body cells and tissues goes wrong, the person can become  unconsciousness.

If the brain is deprived of oxygen for more than three minutes, it will begin to fails, death will occur unless emergency action is taken.

When a child has lost the consciousness and isn't breathing, she is at risk of brain damage and heart failure.. A fast assessment of her condition need to be done in order to know what first aid treatment to give.
If she is unconscious but still breathing and has circulation, then you should call for help and place her in a recovery position.
If she is unconscious and not breathing but has a signs of circulation, you will need to give a rescue breaths.
If she is not breathing and has no signs of circulation you must give chest compressions combined with rescue breaths immediately.

These procedures will differ if is a baby or child.


ASSESSING A BABY


Call your baby's name, tap and scratch the sole of her foot for signs of conscious. If there is no response with in 10 seconds, call for help.











CLEAR THE AIRWAYS

Resuscitation : Infant dummy first aid demonstration series - First aid instructor showing how to position infant head before proceeding to mouth-to-mouth resuscitation Stock PhotoOpen the airway by lifting the chin with one finger and tilting the head back very slightly.
Look inside your baby's mouth for signs of obstruction, remove it with your fingers, but be careful not to poke it further in.










CHECK FOR BREATHING


Resuscitation :  dummy first aid demonstration series - first aid instructor demonstrating how to check  life functionsTry to listen and feel your baby's chest and abdomen to see if they are moving up and down. Give  2 rescue breaths and look for signs of circulation if your baby still not breathing after 10 seconds.

















CHECK FOR SIGNS OF CIRCULATION


Resuscitation :  first aid series - First aid instructor showing how to check pulse on  dummy Stock Photo

You can look for signs of circulation on arms or legs trying to feel the pulse.Look for breathing, coughing, or movement for no longer than 10 seconds.
If there are no signs, call an ambulance and give chest compressions and rescue breaths for one minute.


 first aid series - First aid instructor showing how to check pulse on  dummy Stock Photo - 3130379

RECOVERY POSITION



BABY RECOVERY POSITION

Cradle the baby in your arms with her mouth facing slightly towards you, with the head lower than the body in order to keep the airway open.




CHILD AND ADULT RECOVERY POSITION
Unconscious Recovery Position Breathing
If is a child or the person is over the age of 1, or adult you should;
  • Place the casualty onto their side.
  • Open the airways by lifting the casualty's chin forwards, and put their hand under their cheeks as required.
  • Ensure that the casualty will not roll forwards or backwards.
  • Breathing and pulse must be turned on to their other side. Ensure the casualty's injuries do not prevent this.

In case exist possibility of a spinal injury, use the jaw thrust technique which is; with your hands on either side of the casualty's face, open their airways by gently lifting their jaw. Be careful  for do not tilt their neck, as this could cause damage should the casualty have a spinal injury. 


RESCUE BREATHING ON A BABY:


  • Tilt the baby's head back and lift their chin up.
  • Seal your lips tightly around baby's mouth and nose.
  • Fill your checks with air and give 2 slow breaths. Breathe until the chest gently rises.
  • Check for pulse.

Stock Illustration - rescue breathing 
in infant rescuer's 
mouth covers infant's 
nose and. fotosearch 
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eps graphics imagesIf there are signs of circulation (pulse), continue to give rescue breaths and checkfor signs of circulation every minute. Call the ambulance anyway.



RESCUE BREATHING FOR CHILDREN 

  • Lay your child down on a firm surface if she has stopped breathing.
  • Tilt her head back. 
  • Check there is nothing obvious obstructing the mouth. If yes, removed it carefully but don't stick your finger down her throat. 
  • Place two fingers under her chin and lift the chin.
  • Give rescue breaths by using your fingers and thumb, pinching your child's nostril closed. Inhale, put your mouth over her mouth, making a complete seal, and breathe out until her chest rises. Remove your mouth and watch the chest fall. Give two rescue breaths. One every three seconds.
  • After two rescue breaths, check for signs of circulation, coughing or movement for no more than ten seconds. 

If there is no signs of circulation, give chest compressions combined with rescue breaths for one minute and call an ambulance.

If there are signs continue rescue breaths and checking for circulation every minute.

CHEST COMPRESSION FOR BABIES


  • CPR is Cardio-pulmonary resuscitation it means chest compression combined with breaths. It is use when baby has no signs of circulation, and is not breathing.

  • Lay baby down on a firm surface and place two of your fingers only in the middle of the chest just below an imaginary line between the nipples.

  • Press down sharply on the chest with the tips of your two fingers. You should give five compression during a three second period and you should push down to a depth one third of the depth of the chest carefully for not to thrust too vigorously or too deeply for not  harm your baby.

  • After five compressions give one breath.

  • Alternate chest compressions with breaths: for every five compressions over a three-second period, give one breath.

  • After one minute of this, send for an ambulance and continue the resuscitation until ambulance arrives.


CHEST COMPRESSION FOR CHILDREN

  • Place your child on a firm surface onto her back.
  • Put the middle finger of one hand on the tip of the breastbone (bone in the middle of her ribs) and the index finger above it. 
  • Position the heel of your other hand so that it rests just above the index finger.
  • Take your fingers away from the breastbone and using the hell of the other hand, press down sharply to a depth one third of the depth of the chest and give compressions in three seconds.
  • After 5 compressions give one breath.
  • HERE YOU DON'T STOP TO LOOK FOR CIRCULATION SINGS unless she shows signs of reviving.
  • Alternate five compressions every three seconds with one breath. Call an ambulance after one minute and continue.