First Aid for Children
Most first aid for children includes doctoring scrapped knees or elbows, sprains and bumps or bruises. Kids play hard outside and can often become injured. They can also participate in sports and other organized activities that could bring harm to them accidentally.
Any parent needs to know the proper way to administer first aid training for children. Some medication should not be given to them such as aspirin. This can lead to Reye's syndrome, and whereas this syndrome can come on those who do not take aspirin, the risk is increased by children under 17 taking aspirin.
Some antiseptics could be too harsh for children's tender skin. The parents need to use mild ones meant for kids. Also, the ones that are for kids will not sting as bad as the adult ones do, so the children will not cry when their wounds are being cleaned. Part of first aid for children is explaining to the kids why their wounds need to be cleaned, some antibiotic or first aid cream applied and then a bandage put on them.
Through explaining this, the parents will be teaching their kids first aid for children. Then, if they are not near one day and the children get hurt they will know how to give themselves first aid for children. The boy and girl scouts learn this all the time. Parents can teach the children on their own if the kids are not in scouting.
What Kids can Be Taught about First Aid
If the children are old enough, they can be taught many things as far as first aid for children goes. They can be taught to clean their own wounds, apply first aid cream and to put on bandages. Even the gauze ones that need to be taped or tied can be shown to the children. They can practice on their parents until they have it right.
CPR can be taught to them after a certain age too. Teenagers for sure can learn how to do the chest compressions which can save a person's life. Parents might even search out some classes either locally or online to help teach them.
Another part of first aid for children that the kids can learn is icing and wrapping sprains. Ice is important to keep the swelling down. Kids can be taught that if the twist their ankle, and it hurts and/or starts to swell, to put ice on it. They need to put it on for at least 20 minutes and then leave it off for at least 20.
Kids can be taught to treat minor burns they get by helping their parents cook as part of first aid for children. It is easy for grease to spatter or a hot pan to accidently get touched. The standard treatment for minor burns is to hold them under cold water. Most minor burns do not need any treatment beyond this others need some burn ointment or cream to calm the pain. Severe burn typically needs treatment from a medical professional.
Kids can become quite self reliant when they learn proper first aid for children. The older they get, they find themselves away from their parents, and in situations where they may have to take care of minor emergencies by themselves. Through knowing various things about first aid, they will be able to do this successfully.
