Why first aid is so important.
- What if?
- What could I do?
- How would I cope?
These are the questions that only a First Aid Course can give you the answers to.
By attending a first aid course for as little as two hours you could gain the confidence, knowledge and practice the skills required to make a real difference in the event of an accident. And according to the statistics, being prepared is vital.
Childhood accidents cost the NHS over £275 Million pounds a year and accidental injury is one of the biggest killers of children in the UK with, in an average year, one million children under the age of 14 visiting A&E as a result of an injury in the home; 35,000 under 4’s fall down the stairs and 3,000 injuries are caused by tripping over piles of laundry or toys around the house*.
It’s difficult not to feel emotional when thinking about treating our children or a loved one when they suffer potentially life threatening injuries or conditions, but many of the people that we talk to and teach believe that it is better to be forewarned and forearmed.
To have the confidence and knowledge when these incidents occur can literally save a life.
A bit like Chinese whispers, the line between myth and reality blurs in the case of First Aid with people hearing somewhere that you must not do something just in case you make a situation worse. A prime example is ‘Do NOT ever move a child who has fallen from a height’.
That statement on the face of things, people would read and say yes, that’s correct! But look a bit deeper and it isn’t as simple as that. If that child is unconscious lying on their back then the tongue could block their airways causing them to stop breathing. So you would have to move them into the recovery position (as long as they are breathing) keeping their head and spine aligned as much as possible.
Another very staggering statistic is that 50,000 children a year under the age of 14 go to A&E because of a burns or scalds**.
Every parent should know the most basic of treatment as to preventing a child suffering severe scaring from a burn. A minimum of 10 minutes of cold running water can make that difference. Many people we have taught removed their child from the water for fear of skin removal or because the child is crying too much. They are crying because of the burn and will continue to cry through their treatment but it is so important to take the heat out of the burn. Be aware however of hypothermia when treating the young, cover them up as much as possible with dry warm towels during treatment as this can prevent severe body temperature loss.
The most serious accidents are caused in the kitchen and 30,000 children are treated in A&E each year with signs of poisoning. If a child does consume a poisonous product, your immediate reaction might be to induce vomiting, but avoid this as the liquid will potentially burn the child’s throat when they vomit. Call an ambulance and keep the child seated – do not walk them around as this will make the heart pump faster and enable the poison to circulate the body faster. Always take a sample of any vomit and the poison they swallowed to the hospital.
Accidents do happen but having the confidence to deal with an emergency can literally save a life.
First aid training in a friendly environment can give you the all-important skills that you may need.
For more information on all of our First Aid courses, please contact us via info@abclifesupport.co.uk or call on 0800 0467 410.
* CAPT (Child Accident Prevention Trust) – www.capt.org.uk
** Child Alert