With the warmer weather rapidly approaching and kids wanting to play outdoors and at parks, the need for parents are carers to know first aid basics is essential.
First Aid For You is encouraging parents and carers to learn some easy tips so little ones will be safe out and about.
According to a recent UTS survey, there were 16,828 hospitalisations of children aged 0-14 years as a result of a fall from playground equipment. Injury type varied by age group, but injuries to the elbow and forearm were common for all age groups.
"With kids racing around, and often playing and jostling other children to have ‘their turn’ it’s vital that parents and carers are prepared for a worse case scenario.”
“It’s not always possible to keep an eye on the kids all the time, but if you’re prepared and educated –you’ll be able to take control of the situation” says Director of First Aid For You, Mary Dawes.
To help keep children safe while playing outside First Aid For You offers these tips:
- Check all play equipment prior use, if it doesn’t seem safe, contact local council and notify them and if there’s space play a game in grassed area – away from equipment.
- If a child should fall from play equipment, it is important that you remain calm and work to keep the child calm as well
- Keep a first aid kit in the car or in the pram at all times, basics in this kit should be; bandages / Band-Aids, red hanky (to camouflage blood), an instant ice pack for bumps and “slide burns”, tweezers for splinters and bee stings and a bottle of water on hand to clean wounds as antiseptic can be harsh for kids, finally a plastic bag for waste / illness / soiled clothes.
- Educate children about the importance of sharing and taking turns with picture books or DVDs
Parents can learn how to deal with falls through the “First Aid For You - First Aid for Families Course” which also includes: blood loss, child and baby resuscitation, choking management, allergic reaction and asthma management.
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