Teaching Kids First Aid
Summer is just around the corner which means you and your family will be spending more time outside, exploring, playing, and enjoying the long, warm days. As kids get older, they gain a sense of independence and adventure. As much as we want to be there with them wherever they go, we still want to give them confidence in their decision-making and grow socially and emotionally. Kids can surprise us with how intuitive they are. As they begin to reach the age where they can start venturing off on their own, it’s time to have a conversation with them to ensure they know what to do if an injury occurs to them, a friend, or a caregiver! Here are a few tips when teaching kids first aid.
Starting Early
If you still have toddlers at home, it is never too early to start teaching first aid and basic care. Toddlers are bound to get cuts, bumps, and scrapes. When tending to a minor injury, narrate everything! For babies and toddlers, narration is key to helping them learn processes and make connections between words and actions. When a toddler gets a scratch, it is the perfect opportunity for teaching.
You can say, “You scraped your knee outside and it is bleeding. First, we have to clean the wound to make sure there is no dirt. Next, we can apply pressure to help stop the bleeding. Finally, we can apply a bandage to keep the wound safe until it heals.”
Basic First Aid
Younger children, mostly elementary-aged, are not quite ready for complex, life-saving maneuvers such as CPR or the Heimlich. This does not mean that we can’t equip them with knowledge when it comes to basic first aid. Some things that you can teach that will be easy for them to grasp would be:
- Applying pressure to a wound
- Cleaning a wound – A clean wound helps the healing process. Clean a wound with soap and water if available
- Applying Ice for Swelling – Make sure you do not apply ice directly to the injury, always wrap the ice or ice pack in a cloth to protect the skin
- Pinching a nosebleed for 10 minutes while leaning forward
- Apply a cool, damp cloth to a burn instead of running it under cold water
Look out for Family Health
Every family is unique when it comes to family health history. Talk with your children about the conditions that may be existent in your family. For example, if you have a child who has a severe allergy to peanuts, talk with your other children about what an allergic reaction looks like and how to administer an EpiPen. Making sure your children know what emergency situations look like is a huge step in making sure proper procedures can take place.
Other Safety Topics
While on the topic, depending on the age of your children, it may be a great time to introduce other safety topics that your child may encounter. Some of these topics include
- Fire safety
- Water safety
- Poison safety
Remember, teaching kids first aid is an important part of their independence. It gives your child confidence when it comes to outdoor play and empowers them to make the right choices when they encounter an injury!
If you need to seek emergency medical assistance, visit the Drewry Family Emergency Center at Comanche County Memorial Hospital
Resources
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/firstaid-safe/#catemergencies
Disclaimer
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