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Image 1 Safe Baby

A Reference Manual to Ensure Child Safety

Instructions for Emergency Childcare and Making a First-Aid Kit

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A Reference Manual and Guide to Ensure Child Safety

Instructions for Emergency Childcare and Making a First-Aid Kit

By: Biannca Holmes

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Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………….3 Part 1: Prepare for Disaster; How to Create a First-Aid Kit for Children…………………………………………………………………………………………….…..4 Materials for Creating First-Aid Kit……………………..…….…………………...…6 Tips for Shopping for a First-Aid Kit………………………………………………....7 Part 2: Respond to Emergency…………………………………………………………......9 Tips for Responding to Emergency…………………………………………….……10 Part 3: Administering Emergency First Aid in Minor and Critical Situations……………………………………………………………………………………………..11 Minor and Critical Situations List……………………………………………….……12 Minor Situations…………………………………………………………………………….12 Burns…………………………………………………………………………….……..13 Cuts……………………………………………………………………………………..14 Splinters……………………………………………………………………………….14 Nosebleeds………………………………………………………………………..…15 Critical Situations………………………………………………………………………..….16 Allergic Reaction………………………………………………………………..…16 Asthma………………………………………………………………………….……..17 Bleeding Heavily…………………………………………………………………..17 Choking Baby………………………………………………………………………..18 Choking Child………………………………………………………………..………18 Poisonous/ Harmful Substances………………………………….………..19 Index…………………………………………………………………………………………………….20References……………………………………………………………………………………….…..21

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Image 2 Introduction

Many unpredictable and serious injuries occur to babies and children every day.

Caregivers need to know how to correctly perform first aid and procedures but

unfortunately many people are unaware of basic first aid skills and proper childcare

technique to keep children and babies safe. Basic first aid knowledge might enable

someone to help until medical care in available if the situation calls for professional

attention. An instruction manual will enhance the safety of children by educating the

people supervising them.

This Reference Manual to Ensure Child Safety provides information for emergency

child care and instructions to make a first-aid kit for babies and children. This

manual is separated into three parts. Part 1 gives tips to prepare for disaster with

instructions to create a first-aid kit and provides a list of materials needed. Part 2 is

devoted to instructing caregivers on ways to respond to emergency, ways to deal

with stressful situations, and offers stress management tips. Finally, Part 3 provides

a list of the most common emergency issues with babies (newborn to one year old)

and children (one year old to puberty) as well as instructions on how to administer

first-aid in both minor and critical situations.

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Part 1: Prepare for Disaster; How to Create a First-Aid Kit for Children

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Part 1: Prepare for Disaster: How to Create a First-Aid Kit for Children

Congratulations, you are a responsible caregiver! Since you have picked up this

manual, you have taken the first step in preparing for disaster. It is imperative that

all persons in care of babies and children are prepared to effectively take control of

any emergency situation that may arise while in care of babies and/or children.

Parents, teachers, nannies, and baby-sitters are just a few caregivers. All of which

should be prepared to handle any emergency issue that may arise while taking care

of young ones. In order to prepare for disaster, caregivers must have the proper

materials needed to deal with these emergency situations. Those materials will be

present in a first aid kit and it is very important that you have one nearby while in

care of babies and children as you may never know when emergency will strike.

You have the choice to either buy a prepackaged first-aid kit or create one by

purchasing the necessary materials and packaging them yourself. Below is a list of

pediatrician recommended materials needed to create a first-aid kit.

Image 3 First-Aid Kit Supplies

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Materials needed to Create First-Aid Kit

Emergency names and numbers

Family doctor or pediatrician

Local hospital

The American Association of Poison Control Centers’ national

Emergency hotline: (800) 222-1222

Local police and fire departments

Closest relatives

Closest neighbors

Materials needed to fill the kit.

Infant and/or child thermometers

Children’s and/or infants acetaminophen and ibuprofen, as

recommended by your doctor to relieve fever and mild pain

Antihistamines, as recommended by your doctor, for insect bites,

hives, and allergic reactions

Topical calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream (.5%) for insect

bites and rashes

Rubbing alcohol swabs to clean thermometers, tweezers, and

scissors

Petroleum jelly to lubricate rectal thermometers

Antibiotic ointment for cuts and scrapes

Irritating eye wash to rinse irritants from eyes

Saline nose drops to clear stuffy noses

Aloe gel for burns

Tweezers for removing splinters and ticks

A pair of sharp scissors

Child-safe sunscreen

Child-safe insect repellent

Nasal aspirator bulb

An assortment of adhesive bandage strips in various sizes and shapes

(for children’s sensitive skin, get the less-sticky kind

Gauze rolls (1/2 to 2 inches wide)

Gauze pads (2 by 2 inches and 4 by 4 inches)

Adhesive tape

Sterile cotton balls

Cotton-tipped swabs

Non-latex gloves

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Mild liquid soap (most antibacterial and deodorant soaps are too

strong for babies’ sensitive skin)

An oral syringe or calibrated cut or spoon for administering

medicines

A package of tongue depressors for checking sore throats

A hot water bottle and an ice pack

A small flashlight to check ears, nose, throat, and eyes

Blanket (space blanket)

This Reference Manual to Ensure Child Safety

This first aid shopping list is provided online (Baby Center Medical Advisor Board).

If you decide to purchase a first-aid kit instead, make sure it is pediatrician

recommended. Prepackaged may contain all of the items listed above by may lack

needed personal items. Here are some tips provided by Walmart First-aid for

purchasing a first-aid kit.

1. Consider the need. All first-aid kits come in different shapes and sizes.

Different kits are packed with different items depending on the need (home,

travel, etc.).

2. Do a headcount. Be aware of how many people the first aid kit is expected to

treat and make sure it is well stocked.

3. Look for first aid kits with easy refills. Some kits can be replenished while

some can’t.

4. Take first aid with you. Remember that it is important to be prepared

wherever you go.

5. Keep your kit fresh with materials that haven’t expired such as

medicines and ointments. Bandages may lose their elasticity and stickiness.

Dispose of products that are too old and re-supply them.

6. Mix medications carefully. Some medications shouldn’t be mixed, talk to

your doctor or pharmacist in order to find out if you are unsure.

7. Be prepared. Make sure you have family first aid kits available for any

emergency.

** NOTE: If recommended by your doctor:

Rehydration fluids to rehydrate children with diarrhea

Epinephrine injector, asthma inhaler, or other prescription medication

if your child is allergic to bee stings, peanuts, shellfish, or has some

other type of life-threatening allergy

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8. Get help if you need it. Know the limits of what you and your first aid kit

can handle in emergency situations. Seek medical attention by calling 9-1-1

in critical emergency situations.

Keep in mind that more than one first-aid kit may be needed depending on the

amount of children cared for and the circumstances in which the kit will be used. A

large one may be necessary for home, or a small one for travel. Just to be safe, all kits

should be stored in cases that will close securely and out of reach of babies and

children. These items can pose a threat to child safety if left within reach of them.

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Part 2: Respond to Emergency

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Respond to Emergency

If a child suddenly collapses and the parent

or guardian doesn’t know how to respond to

emergency situations, the may react

irrationally. This is why it is important to

learn how to react under stressful

circumstances. Although strong feelings of

tension can make relaxation more difficult, it

is important to learn to relax during events

that provoke stress, especially in emergency

situations. As a caregiver, it is up to you to

handle the situation responsibly and in a

timely manner. Rather than have an anxiety

attack or panic, it would be more beneficial

to learn stress management techniques to

effectively respond to emergency. The stress management tips below will help to

alleviate stress and allow you to react rationally in critical situations. Be sure to

apply these commonly used tips to any stressful and emergency situation:

1. Take a couple deep breaths before you respond. This will allow you to

mentally regroup and also lower your blood pressure taking you out of

panic-mode.

2. Tell yourself that everything will be fine. Assuring yourself that

everything will be okay will keep you calm.

3. Be realistic. Realize that you can’t control everything and know that you can

only do as much as you know how. If you need help, as for it.

4. Be mindful of your attitude. Your attitude influences the way you see

things. Being optimistic can help you to make the best of a stressful

circumstance.

Other stress management tips like these can be found online on sites such as

women-health-info.com and kidshealth.org. It is always good to be informed on

different ways to handle stress and many sources offer different techniques.

Remember to apply these stress management techniques when administering first-

aid.

Image 4 No Stress Just Relax

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Part 3: Administer First-Aid in Minor and Critical

Situations

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Administer First-Aid in Minor and Critical Situations

Now that you have been informed on ways to prepare for disaster by obtaining a first aid kit, and you’ve been given stress management tips that will help you respond to emergency in a stress-free manner, it’s time to apply it. The last step is learning how to administer first aid in minor and critical situations. The difference between minor and critical stations is the level of emergency. Minor situations are moderate and typically allow more time needed to deal with the emergency. Critical situations, however, are more urgent as they can be life threatening. These critical situations must be handled in a timely manner. Below are common minor and critical emergency situations including information of what the situation is, and instructions on how to apply first-aid techniques to handle the emergency.

Minor situations Critical Situations Burns Allergic Reactions Cuts Asthma Attack Splinters Bleeding heavily Nosebleeds Choking Baby/Child

Poisonous/harmful substances

Image 5 Administering First-Aid

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Image 6, Figure 1 Layers of the skin

Minor Situations Burns

If a baby (under 1 year) is burned, they should be taken to the hospital. If the child

(over 1 year) is burned, depending on what type of burn it is, you can treat the burn yourself. There are four types of burns which affect the 3 layers of the skin (shown in figure 1), and if severe, muscles and nerves. The four types of burns are:

1. First-degree burn: a minor burn affecting only the outer layer of the skin causing redness and pain. This type of burn can usually be resolved with first-aid measures.

2. Second-degree burn: burns that affect the first and second layer of skin causing redness, pain, and swelling. These burns often appear wet or moist and blisters may develop. Scarring usually happens from these types of burns. First-aid can also resolve these burns. 3. Third-degree burns: burs that affect

all three layers of the skin. Skin may appear waxy, white, leathery or tan. These burns can destroy nerves and cause numbness. Seek medical attention.

4. Fourth-degree burns: the most severe and painful burns because they affect all three layers of skin as well as surrounding muscles and bones. The skin will appear blackened and nerves will be damages. If the burn is severe enough, there will be no pain at all. Seek medical attention.

Seek medical attention for:

Burns that fail to heal in several weeks Increased pain and swelling or discharge Chemical or electrical burns Difficulty breathing or burns that block the airway

Emergency First-Aid

1. Remove any clothing that may be stuck to the burn. 2. Run cool water over the affected area for 10-15 minutes to help the

swelling go down and cool the skin.

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Image 7 Cuts

3. Dress the burn with a sterile, clean, and non-fluffy cloth found in your first-aid kit.

Cuts

If your baby or child has cut themselves badly, wash and dry your hands before treating their cut. Use the emergency first-aid below to treat their cut:

Emergency First-Aid

1. Lift the wound so that blood goes back to the heart instead of

draining out. 2. Look at the wound to see if there is an object stuck inside. If there is,

use tweezers to take it out. If the object is too large, you may need to dress the wound and take the child to the hospital.

3. If the wound is very deep and the child is bleeding excessively, they may need to get stitches at the hospital.

4. If the object is small or if there is no object present, use a clean cloth to clean the cut or antibacterial wipes in your first-aid kit.

5. Dress the wound with a bandage fitting the size of the cut.

Splinters If your baby or child has gotten a splinter, no worries, this is easy. Use the following tips to relieve them of their splinter:

Emergency First-Aid

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Image 8 Splinters

1. Clean the wound with mild soap and water. 2. If it is a small splinter, try using sticky tape to remove it. 3. If it is a large splinter, use the tweezers in your first-aid kit to

remove it. 4. Go to the hospital if you cannot remove the splinter because and the

wound is bleeding heavily.

Nosebleeds Nosebleeds are caused by many factors ranging from a dry environment to a bump to the nose. Whatever the cause may be it is important to stop the bleeding as soon as possible because the baby or child can become dizzy which may lead to unconsciousness. Follow the directions below to treat the nosebleed:

Emergency First-Aid

1. Sit the baby or child down and tilt their

head forward, allowing blood to drain from their nose.

2. Encourage them to breathe through their mouth while you gently pinch the soft part of their nose below the bridge for about 10 minutes. This will form a blood clot and stop the bleeding.

3. When the bleeding stops, clean them up using antibacterial wipes in your first-aid kit.

4. If it is a child, tell them not to talk, cough, or sniff because this might disturb the blood clots and make the nose start bleeding again.

5. Be sure not to tilt the head back because they will swallow the blood and begin to feel sick.

6. If the bleeding persists, continue to pinch the nose to help form a blood clot.

7. If the nosebleed persists for longer than 30 minutes, you should take them to the hospital so that they don’t lose consciousness from excessive blood loss.

Critical Situations

Allergic reactions

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Sensitivities to specific substances called allergens trigger immune response and cause an allergic reaction. Allergic reactions should be You can tell that a baby or child is having a severe allergic reaction if they show these symptoms:

Anxiety Abdominal pain High pitched breathing sounds Cough Chest discomfort Difficulty breathing Dizziness or light-headedness Flushing or redness of the face Nausea or committing Swelling of the face, eyes, or tongue Unconsciousness Wheezing Difficulty swallowing

Common allergens include:

Bee stings or stings from other insects Foods, like nuts, shellfish, and fish Medications Insect bites Pollens Plants

Emergency First-Aid

1. Calm and reassure the child having the reaction that everything will be

okay. Anxiety can make symptoms worse. 2. Try to identify the allergen and help them avoid further contact with it. 3. If the allergen is a bee sting, scrape the stinger off the skin with

something firm such as a fingernail. Do not use tweezers; squeezing the stinger will release venom.

4. If the allergic reaction is itchiness or a rash, apply the over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream from your first-aid kit, which will decrease inflammation.

5. Check the child’s airway, and breathing. A key sign to a dangerous throat swelling is a wheezing sound and a hoarse voice or low whisper

Image 9 Baby Allergic Reaction

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6. If they have emergency allergy medication on hand, help them take or inject the medication. Avoid oral medication if the child is having difficulty breathing.

Call for immediate medical emergency assistance if:

The baby/child is having a sever allergic reaction—always call 9-1-1 The bay/child has a history of severe allergic reactions

Asthma attack Asthma is an inflammatory disease that affects the airways that carry air to and from your lungs. Symptoms of asthma include:

Coughing Wheezing Breathing problems Wheezing

Emergency First-Aid

1. Keep the child calm and reassure them,

suppressing anxiety 2. If they already have an inhaler, help them use it. If it is their first attack

call an ambulance 3. Sit them upright and slightly forward 4. Encourage them to take slow breaths 5. If the inhaler has no effect, if they’re finding it difficult to talk, or if they

are becoming exhausted call an ambulance

Bleeding heavily Heavy bleeding is usually due to large cuts or gashes from an accident. If your baby/child hurts themselves badly and begins to bleed heavily, it is important to act swiftly to prevent too much blood loss. Follow the directions below to help a bleeding baby/child.

Emergency First-Aid

1. Apply direct pressure over the wound with your hand

Image 10 Inhaler

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Image 11 Bleeding

2. Maintain pressure while you’re getting the proper materials from your first aid kit to suppress the bleeding

3. In your first-aid kit there should be gauze pads and adhesive tape, use these to suppress the bleeding but keep applying pressure

4. If the cut is too deep and bleeding excessively to wait for the police after calling 9-1-1, take the child to the nearest hospital after applying proper dress to the wound

Choking baby (under one year) Sometimes babies pick up small objects and put them in their mouths. That’s why it is very important to keep small object out of reach of babies. If a baby under your care is choking their airways will be blocked and they will show the following signs:

Inability to cry Inability to cough Inability to breathe

If these symptoms are present apply choking first-aid for babies.

Emergency First-Aid

1. Lay his face down along your forearm so

that his head is low, and support his back and head while giving five back blows with the heel of your hand.

2. Check the baby’s mouth using your fingertips to remove any obvious objects. Be sure not to sweep the mouth with your fingers because this may push the object further down the throat.

3. If the back blow fails to clear the object from the throat, turn the baby on his/her back and give chest thrusts using two fingers to push inwards and upwards against the baby’s breastbone (one finger’s breadth below the nipple line).

4. If the object still has not cleared, take the baby with you and dial 9-1-1 for emergency help. Repeat the steps above until the ambulance arrives or the infant loses consciousness.

Choking child (aged over one)

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Choking children will present the same symptoms as a choking baby except different actions need to be taken to treat a choking child. The following first-aid instructions will help you to help the choking child:

Emergency First-Aid

1. Encourage the child to cough. If this doesn’t clear the object, support his upper body with one hand and help them lean forward

2. Give up to five back blows between their shoulders with the heal of your hand

3. If the object has not cleared, stand behind them and put both arms around the upper part of their abdomen, clench your fists and pull sharply inwards and upwards.

4. If this doesn’t work, repeat backslaps and abdominal thrusts. 5. If the object does not clear, call 9-1-1 for emergency help and continue

the steps above, until help arrives.

Poisonous/harmful substances Poisonous and harmful substances should be kept out of reach of babies and children at all times. Poisoning can lead to vomiting, impaired consciousness, abdominal pain, seizures and/ or and irregular or slow heartbeat.

Emergency First-Aid

1. If the baby or child is conscious, try reassuring them 2. Dial 999 for an ambulance 3. If the poison looks like it is burning their lips, try giving them small

sips of water 4. Never attempt to induce vomiting, further damage could occur 5. If they become unconscious, open the airway and check breathing. 6. If they are breathing, sit them upright. 7. If they are not breathing, you need to start CPR and call 9-1-1 for an

ambulance

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Index burn, 13, 14 emergency, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 17, 18,

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first aid kit, 5, 7, 8, 12, 18

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