Children will get injuries from time to time, and that is why it is important to be able to give proper first aid. There are many common injuries in children that you should be able to address when your child gets a minor accident. Knowing first aid procedures to follow is imperative to preventing the injuries from occurring again. Many parents will do anything to protect their children from getting hurt, but we are all too aware that this is an inevitable stage of childhood. Of course it is heart wrenching to watch your little one injured, but the best thing you can do is know how to treat the injured area.
Common injuries in children range from minor injuries to serious injuries which require immediate medical attention. Even before we delve into what these injuries are, it is important to know what age group of children is more pre-disposed to injuries. Typically, kids who are four years and below will likely get these injuries. This happens because kids in this age group are only starting to learn their world. Consequently, they will put anything into their mouths and poke their little fingers just about everywhere.
[youtube url=”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lk2kLiRgZdM” width=”200″ height=”220″]Add to this their underdeveloped motor skills and you have a perfect cocktail for the probability of injuries. These injuries range anywhere between falling, burns, choking and poisoning. The scope of these childhood injuries means that you should take active steps to prevent this from happening. Baby proofing the house is the first step to first aid in this regard. Make your house ideal for the baby by sealing sockets, reducing the gap between stair rails as well as keeping harmful chemicals out of the child’s reach. You should also be present during playtime. While this may not be possible all the time, always make sure that there is a baby sitter to attend to your child. The baby sitter should be someone who is responsible and well trained to deal with common injuries in children.
Even with the steps outlined, accidents will still occur. Proper first aid requires that you act promptly when the child gets injured. This involves knowing what first aid procedures to give, when to call for professional medical help. Consequently, parents, guardians and baby sitters must learn basic first aid procedures for handling a choking accident, attending to an unconscious child as well as preventing bleeding. The importance of learning child CPR in this regard cannot be overlooked, and there are numerous training centers which offer these services.
This is not to say that it is easy to look at your child suffer, but it certainly gives you comfort to know that you are in a capacity to handle common injuries in children. Quick thinking, prompt action and first aid skills go a long way in giving you peace of mind as well as ensuring that at the very least, your child is protected from occurrence of accidents, whether at home or at the playground.