Summer Time and The Living Is Easy…..or so they say!
So it’s that time of year again and if you are anything like me, it is a frantic time, what with trying to sort out childcare, juggle work with holidays, just the general hustle of a working mothers life!
But what has this to do with FIRST AID I hear you say?
Well, a lot actually. Take holiday time for example. How many of you pack for an emergency? Do you take a first aid kit?
At a course the other day, we were asked what THE must take items should be for taking on holiday (or day trip). I thought this was a fantastic question and one that had never been asked of me before.
So I got thinking………” I remember a couple of years ago, a little boy was stung on a rather attractive (award-winning actually!) beach which my family and I were visiting for the day. It was beautiful, sunny, hot and full of families enjoying some much needed bonding time (from what I could see from my sun tent for 1, hey somebody has to look after the bags!). I heard a scream, saw a mother comforting the little boy and the father being sent off to look for ANYTHING that would help the situation. A passerby thought she would help by spraying the little boy liberally with some ‘bee and wasp reliever” in a can. The little boy continued to scream……some help that was…The father passed me by, I piped up from inside my tent looking like a dodgy dealer selling my wares….” Hi, sorry to interrupt you, was your little boy stung?” I said. “Yes” he said “Do you have anything with you?” I said, “No but I have to go check the car my, wife said” He said. “Well, I have some antihistamine and pain relief as well as a bottle of water if you would like?” I said. “Oh thank you very much, that would be great!” He said.
I discarded my head protecting appendage (towel) and walked over to the mum and a very distressed little boy. I introduced myself and asked if she would like to use my medicines for her little boy. She gratefully accepted once I had asked her if she had given her little boy Chlorphenamine Maleate before (Piriton for those brand lovers out there) and she said yes, the same applied for the infant ibuprofen. I also wanted to check that he wasn’t allergic. I then passed the medicines to her to administer. She took them, gave them to the boy and gave them back to me. I walked back to my tent and thought about how many families were as prepared as me.
Armed with this memory, the lady on that course who asked me what to take was given the following list:
- Antihistamine of your choice (check the labels for age appropriateness)
- Pain relief (across the range of ages, for you and them!)
- A basic first aid kit
- Knowledge of the telephone number for the Emergency Services at your destination (112 across Europe!)
- A bottle of sterile water (unopened bottle of own brand water)
- A Blanket (I know its summer but I like how it sounds!)
Are you prepared for your holidays?
What about you? Are you prepared for your holidays? Are there items that you can’t live without and which makes for an easy (easier) life?
Right, back to work, now, I must remember to book that holiday club, and plan lunches, confirm day trips….etc…etc….etc…. J