As a parent, you will always be concerned about your children’s wellbeing and safety. Kids will be kids, and you will spend a good amount of time applying bandages to a variety of injuries like skinned knees and minor scrapes. However, what if something more serious than a skinned knee happens? Will you be prepared to react properly in an emergency situation?
In the time that it can takes for your to call 911 and wait for help to arrive, a life-threatening situation can become deadly. Parents should know what to do when accidents and injuries happen. You may not be able to prevent accidents when they happen, but you should be as prepared as possible to deal with them when they do.
With so many risks, it’s a good idea for at least one parent in the home to be trained in CPR and First Aid. Gain confidence in your ability to calmly handle an emergency situation and provide care if necessary. Take a look at just some of the things that can go wrong in the blink of an eye and consider that with proper training you could save a child’s life.
Heart Failure
There have been more and more deaths in young people due to heart issues. Many active sports players have been known to suddenly collapse on their playing fields due to their hearts stopping. Many schools have now added a portable defibrillator to deal with these kinds of incidents. If you don’t have one in your home, knowing CPR can help you to keep the heart pumping until emergency help can arrive.
Drowning
For any parent that has a pool on their property, there is always the fear of a child getting into trouble in the water and drowning. Over 350 children under the age of 5 accidentally drown each year in the U.S. Teaching your children safe habits and strong swimming skills is vital to keeping your children safe.
Fever/Convulsions
When the numbers rise up on the thermometer when you have a sick child it can be very concerning for every parent. Not only are you dealing with the many symptoms of infection, your child can be at risk of Febrile Convulsions. These kinds of seizures are not generally damaging themselves, but can cause injury from falling or hitting objects around them. With proper First Aid training you can learn what to do to help your child safely through a seizure.
Heat Stroke
Kids don’t feel the heat of the cold the same way that adults do. You probably remember playing outdoors for hours and not even considering the weather for a moment. You kids will be no different. It is up to each parent to closely monitor their child for signs of heat stroke when you are spending time in the sun.
Choking
In any situation where your child has stopped breathing, being able to administer proper CPR and first aid procedures can be vital in saving their life. With training you will learn to deal with blockage choking as well as resuscitation techniques.
This is a collaborative post. The words and views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of Mommy Ramblings.
