Prevention, Prevention, Prevention!! With spring here, every responsible parent should be especially vigilant around pools, paddling pools, dams, rivers, and the seaside, but also remember that even the home is fraught with dangers! It is possible to resuscitate a drowned victim if you get to them soon enough, but as the age-old saying goes…Prevention is better than cure!
A Baby or toddler can drown in just a few centimeters of water, as they panic and often don’t know how to (or are not strong enough) to lift their heads out of the water.
No parent likes to think about the possibility of an accident or emergency involving his or her children. But in an emergency every single second counts. The actions taken during the first few minutes are critical to the survival of the infant or child.
More than 90% of deaths from choking occur in children under 5 years. Young children often put small objects into their mouths. Be careful with small toys, bouncing balls, sweets and deflated or broken balloons. Always watch your baby or child when he is eating. If a child’s airway is blocked, it is essential that you remove the blockage immediately, so that he can get air into his lungs.
NB! Parents and child care providers should be taught that, toys small enough to fit through a standard toilet paper roll, may cause choking in young children.
Handling An Emergency Situation
In an emergency, you have to decide whether to call your family doctor, pediatrician, take the child to the emergency room or call the emergency services!
Here’s how to make that decision:
- If your child is not breathing, start CPR immediately
- Lay her down and check for breathing.
- DO NOT TRY TO ‘SHAKE’ OR FORCE WATER OUT OF THE CHILDS LUNGS.
- Be prepared to begin CPR according to the child’s age.
- Open AIRWAY, begin BREATHING, check CIRCULATION (ABC)
- Get someone to call the emergency services.
DID YOU KNOW? If you are alone with an infant or child you need to perform ONE-MINUTE OF CPR, BEFORE CALLING THE EMERGENCY NUMBER.
If your child is in great pain, even if the injury is not life threatening, call an ambulance. Paramedics are highly skilled personnel that carry pain-relieving and sedating drugs with them. Driving with a hysterical child (and driving while you, as the parent, are very upset) is a great danger to both of your well-beings.
If there is any chance of a spine, neck or back injury, DO NOT MOVE the child.
Trust your instincts. Parents have the inborn instinct and know when ‘something is just not right’. Don’t be embarrassed to act on your instincts, and dial the emergency number or take your child to the emergency room.
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Spring Tips - How To Handle Emergencies At Home