Keep cleaning products away from children

We came across an article in the Irish Independent on 31st August 2012 about a toddler in the UK who is in a serious condition in hospital after drinking oven cleaner.

This is just another sad  reminder how quickly accidents with small children can happen.

Callum Blackshaw, a 2 year old boy from Orsett, Essex managed to climb onto the kitchen table where his granny left a bottle of oven cleaner which she bought for her daughter. He managed to open the child lock of the product and drank several mouthful.

He is now in Great Ormond Street Hospital where he is being treated for severe internal injuries. Doctors say that he may need an oesophagus transplant in the future as a result of his injuries.

If you have small children or look after toddlers please take your time and look at your home from a child safety point of view:

• Keep anything that may be poisonous (all medicines and pills, household cleaners and garden products) out of reach, preferably in a locked cupboard.
• Use containers that have child-resistant tops. But be aware that by the age of three, many children are able to open child-resistant tops.
• Keep all dangerous chemicals in their original containers. For example, do not store weedkiller in an old drinks bottle as a young child may mistake it for something safe to drink.
• Dispose of unwanted medicines and chemicals carefully.

For more information on how to “child proof” your home please visit our First Aid tip “Safety in the home”.

Please also take some time to visit the website of the Irish National Poisons Information Centre. You will find valuable information about poisons, prevention as well as treatment.

If you want to find out how to deal with poison accidents and the appropriate First Aid measures we encourage you to take part in one of our First Aid courses. We run regular First Aid courses in Dublin where poisoning is just one topic of many accidents that can happen and where First Aid skills are required.

Calling all Mums, Dads, Grandparents & Minders

Would you like to learn how to deal with the most life threatening medical emergencies in children and infants while at the same time raising much needed funds for a very worthy cause, Crumlin Children’s Hospital?

First Aid For Everyone is proudly supporting an upcoming fundraising event for Crumlin hospital.

The event – a 3 hour presentation on First Aid for children will take place at 7pm on Tuesday 15th May 2012 in Bewley’s Hotel, Leopardstown, Co Dublin.

This comprehensive 3 hour course is a must for parents/carers or anyone involved in caring for babies and young children. The topics that will be covered include

• CPR demo
• Choking
• Burns
• Meningitis
• Poisoning
• Head injury
• Temperature/febrile seizures
• Accident prevention in the home
• Calling the emergency services
• The First Aid kit

The course is delivered via Power Point presentation and there are lots of visual aids and video clips. There will of course be plenty of opportunity for participants to ask questions and there will be a selection of handouts such as fire safety, poisons and child safety.

In addition there we will have a special guest on the night who will give some firsthand insight into the fantastic work of Crumlin Children’s Hospital!

There will also be some great raffle prizes to be won with raffle tickets being sold both in advance and on the night. Details to follow!

To find out more and to book your place please click here.

Please book your place soon. All proceeds will go to buy vital equipment and toys for children hospital in Crumlin. It’s a very worthy cause.

Please share this post with all your friends and on Facebook.

After teaching several classes my wife also had to practice her skills in the real world. Within the last 6 days we had to deal with a smashed face which included a broken nose, a 7 month old baby having a febrile seizure which lasted over 20 minutes and to top it up a suspected broken finger.

It all started on Monday when my wife and two of her friends met to check out one of the local secondary schools. One of the girls got delayed with the school run. So she ran towards the car where my wife and the other friend waited.

As she almost reached the car her heels slipped on the footpath (thanks to the gravel). She tried to hold onto the car but didn’t get a grip. Instead she went down face first and skidded on the gravel.

They got out of the car and there was blood everywhere. As you can imagine this scene attracted some local attention including some passing Garda who offered her to bring her to hospital.

Instead Siobhan took over. Well equipped with our First Aid kit in our car she cleaned her up as much as she could and drove her to our house. There an icepack was immediately applied and some more cleaning up carried out.

After about an hour, plenty of coffee and reassurance that she didn’t look “too bad” the girls brought her home. One of the last things Siobhan mentioned to her was to keep an eye on  the swelling of her face, headaches, drowsiness and potential vomiting. If in any doubt she should go to the hospital.

At 11pm that night we got a text saying that she was admitted to casualty with a broken nose and suspected head injury as the doctor thought spinal fluid came out of her nose.

After a CT scan it showed there was no apparent skull fracture.

So what did we learn:

• never ever underestimate a facial injury
• also monitor for signs of head injuries, i.e. dizziness, drowsiness, headaches, vomiting, fluid exiting from nostrils or ears
• apply an icepack to minimise swelling
• if in any doubt attend an A&E department
• attend one of our Basic First Aid courses which we hold in Dublin every month and be prepared

Our next call of duty came on Wednesday afternoon. Our children were just in the door after returning from an Easter camp. They all sat quietly on the kitchen table (quietly doesn’t happen very often in our house) when the phone rang.

A friend of ours who has also 4 children asked – surprisingly calm – for some First Aid advice for her 7 months old baby who was twitching and became very floppy.

Siobhan ran out of the house and just shouted to me “the baby is having a seizure”.

And she was right. As it turned out the little boy had a bit of the temperature that morning and wasn’t himself. Out of the blue he had a febrile convulsion.

Siobhan timed the event from the second she got the call from the mother. As the seizure lasted for more than 5 minutes she decided to call an ambulance.

The ambulance station is only down the road so the wait was short enough. However when the paramedics arrived the baby had an oxygen saturation of less than 50% (you and I have at least 95%).They administed anti convulsion medication via the nose. Mother and child were brought to hospital for tests and observations.

Thankfully it turned out to be related to the temperature and nothing sinister was found. They were discharged the next morning.

You can read the mother’s own account of what happened on our Facebook page.

What do you take from this story?

• if your child has a temperature monitor it closely
• young children can’t express themselves and can take a turn for the worst very quickly
• a febrile convulsion can be life threatening if you don’t intervene
• if the seizure lasts for more the  5 minutes call an ambulance
• attend one of our Paediatric First Aid courses held in Dublin and be prepared

The third event of the week was at a local holiday camp for children. One of the children fell backwards and hurt her fingers. One of the leaders asked Siobhan to have a look “just in case”. They were sore but the child was not in any apparent distress.

Siobhan taped the fingers together to give them support and applied an ice pack to reduce the swelling. She told her mum to keep an eye on the swelling and if in any doubt to go to hospital to get an xray done.

As the pain and swelling did not ease after 3 days the mother brought her to Casualty. The xray revealed that one the fingers had a hairline fracture – which is very common in children as their bones are still relatively soft.

Even though this was the most minor incident this week you can still learn something from it.

It’s called RICE – the classic treatment for sprains and strains.

R – rest

I – ice

C – compression

E – elevation

If you are interested in learning more essential First Aid techniques then come and join one of our 1 day First Aid courses in Bewleys Hotel Newlands Cross, Dublin.

This week has proven one more time why we always teach “it’s better to know First Aid and not need it than to need it and not know it”

You never know when you will be asked to perform First Aid on a family member or friend!

Popcorn can be dangerous for toddlers

A TODDLER choked to death on a popcorn kernel she found at her creche, an inquest heard yesterday.

Lauren Meehan-O’Byrne was just 18 months old when she died at Temple Street Children’s Hospital on March 19 last year, having never recovered from the incident five days previously.

Dublin coroner Dr Brian Farrell is calling on the HSE to ban popcorn from all pre-school facilities in the wake of the incident.

Lauren and a number of other infants had been making their way from the toddler room to the dining room at the creche for playtime when childcare assistant Sabrina Bennis noticed that the 18-month-old was coughing.

She patted her on the back but the cough became worse and then Lauren suddenly inhaled as though she could not breathe. Co-worker Carol Blake attempted the Heimlich manoeuvre but this did not work.

Paramedic Mark O’Sullivan told the court that when he arrived Lauren was unresponsive and pulseless.

Several attempts were made to clear her airway before he decided to insert a tube. This was successful and Lauren was then transferred to the Midwestern Regional Hospital in Limerick. An operation was carried out to remove a popcorn kernel, which was lodged so far down Lauren’s trachea that it was not visible to the naked eye.

Lauren was transferred to Temple Street that evening. However, she had suffered extensive brain damage having been deprived of oxygen, and never recovered. She died five days later when life support was withdrawn.

The court heard that there were currently no regulations preventing creches and pre-schools from giving popcorn to young children. HSE guidelines only recommend that snacks like popcorn are not given to children under five years old to prevent the possibility of choking.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has issued a very stern warning regarding the health risks that popcorn poses to young children.

The American Academy of Pediatrics undertook an extensive study about popcorn and children. The study revealed that time and time again, popcorn posed an extremely serious threat to the safety of younger children. The popcorn kernel and the popcorn hull both pose a major risk of choking when they are consumed by young children.

The choking risk associated with popcorn kernels and hulls and small children is so significant that it does lead to death in some instances.

When it comes to feeding popcorn to children, infants naturally should never be given popcorn as a food. This applies even to those infants who otherwise have started eating solid food products. The fact of the matter is that many parents hand off little bags of popcorn to their toddlers. The American Academy of Pediatrics strongly condemns this practice. A significant number of toddlers have ended up choking on popcorn, some of these children even dying as a result.

There is not absolute age at which younger children should be permitted to eat popcorn. The size and maturity of a particular child plays a role in making this determination. But again, it is far better to play it safe than be sorry.

Sources:

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/courts/coroner-seeks-popcorn-ban-at-creches-in-wake-of-toddlers-tragic-death-3031285.html

http://dev.3klabs.com/crazzles/popcorn-young-children.html

The NHS are launching a safety campaign in the UK about the dangers of nappy sacks, after 11 babies suffocated having pulled the bags over their faces.

Commenting on the campaign, Children’s Accident Prevention coordinator and campaign founder Beth Beynon states ‘If we can take this campaign out to communities and reach parents, grandparents and carers we will have achieved one giant step towards preventing any more babies from needlessly dying.’

Katrina Phillips, Chief Executive at Child Accident Prevention Trust who support the campaign, says that ‘Because nappy sacks are seen as an essential piece of parenting kit, parents don’t realise that they are as dangerous to babies as plastic bags are to small children. They are often kept nearby, within easy reach, for nappy changing.’

She also goes on to note that ‘This campaign will remind parents that nappy sacks need to be kept out of reach of babies, particularly in the bedroom. Young babies are most at risk because they naturally grasp things and pull them to their mouths, but then find it difficult to let go. Nappy sacks are small and flimsy, and cling to babies’ faces so they can’t breathe.’

To avoid danger of suffocation and choking:

Always keep nappy sacks and other plastic bags and wrapping away from babies and young children

Never place nappy sacks in a baby’s cot or pram.

Our First Aid courses will give you vital tips how to make your home a safe place for your children. For more information on the dangers of blind cords please click our here. It will bring you to one of our First Aid tips.

sources:

http://www.injuryobservatory.net/nappy_sack_article.html

http://www.big-wife.com/dangers-of-nappy-sacks-revealed-as-11-babies-suffocate-in-the-uk/

http://www.mummypages.ie/dangers-of-nappy-sacks

First Aid For Everyone gives you the chance to win a great selection of essential First Aid products worth €75.

Our “First Aid hamper” contains a large family size First Aid kit which every household should have. It contains all the important ingredients from plasters and bandages to eye irrigation and CPR mouth shields. There is also a small brochure with essential First Aid treatments included.

You will also get the following:

• a travel size First Aid kit, ideal for car and your suitcase.
• an audio CD which teaches you First Aid. Perfect for listening in the car on your way to work.
• an instant ice pack a burns dressing and burn gel.
• triangular bandages
• a foil blanket to treat hypothermia.

In order to learn how and when to use all these items we will provide a Paediatric First Aid book as well as a child safety DVD which contains plenty of tips for parents.

To be in with a chance to win please register on rollercoaster.ie by the 7th December.

If you are interested in booking a place on one of our public Paediatric First Aid courses or if you want to organise a First Aid for Mums & Dads course in your own home please contact us.

It is less than 5 weeks till Christmas. The car parks in shopping centers are already packed. The conversation of more and more people becomes focused on the all important question “Do you know what you will give for Christmas?”

Are you one of these people?

Are your friends and family already sorted with hats, scarfs, socks and ties?

Why don’t you buy them a Gift Voucher from First Aid For Everyone? A voucher for one of our 1 day First Aid courses will give one of your loved ones the opportunity to learn potentially life saving skills. In an emergency these skills can make the difference between life and death.

She didn’t think much about it as this is not uncommon. However this changed quickly when she overheard the mother talking to a bystander. She mentioned that the girl fell about an hour ago and hit her head.

Siobhan offered her help. Once the mother found out that Siobhan is a First Aider and a nurse she was relieved and handed over.

It turned out that the little girl aged 3 stood in her buggy, lost balance and fell head first on the pavement. After the usual crying the child got sleepy and dozed off. Again there was nothing unusual about that as it was her regular nap time.

However when she woke up she complained of headaches. Minutes later she vomited. That was the point when Siobhan got involved.

The child was very agitated at this stage. She was brought into a small room away from the gathering crowd. Siobhan managed to calm the child down by lying her on a make shift bed and got her mother to lie behind her. That way she was always in control and was able to observe her closely.

Soon after the child calmed down another woman made herself known and offered her help. As it turned out she was a nurse in an intensive care unit in a Dublin hospital.

It didn’t take long before the two of them got worried. The little girl seemed to get drowsy and it became more and more difficult to wake her up. A decision was made to call an ambulance. It arrived within minutes. The paramedics took over. At this stage the child did barely react to a hard pinch at her arm. She was transferred to a large Dublin hospital from where the mother rang that evening. She told Siobhan that her daughter was kept as an inpatient for observation and potentially further investigation.

What can you learn from this real life story?

• Never underestimate a head injury!
• You don’t necessarily see the impact straight away! It can take several hours before a casualty shows symptoms.
• If the person involved starts vomiting after a head injury seek medical advice! It is a cardinal sign for a concussion (severe shaking of the brain)
• Watch out for any unusual signs up to 48 hours after the event. Should the casualty start vomiting within that time keep the head injury in the back of your mind.
• Check for bloody or clear fluid coming from the nose or ears – don’t hesitate and call an ambulance
• If the victim becomes drowsy or even unconscious call an ambulance. If that happens stay with the victim as they can vomit at any stage and aspirate. Life threatening!
• If necessary put the casualty into the recovery position.

For more detailed information please read our First Aid tip for head injuries.

We wish the little girl and her mum all the best and hope that they will both recover from the shock.

(P.S. The picture is not the child we are talking about. It’s a little boy who came off his bicycle. The bump on the head – would you use an ice pack? Why or why not?)

We would love to hear your opinion.

Attend one of our 1 day First Aid courses to learn how to deal with head injuries and many other medical emergencies.

We have been asked recently what the main things are a parent will gain from doing a First Aid course.

The main point we are teaching parents is that it is better to do something than nothing. We focus to make parents confident that they can handle a First Aid situation. We tell parents that First Aid is not open heart surgery. It starts with holding the child’s hand and reassuring her/him that everything will be okay.

It is amazing and sometimes scary how little many parents know about safety in the home as well as very basic First Aid techniques.

Our catch phrase we use in our classes is “It is better to know First Aid and not need it than to need and not know it!” I think it sums it up nicely.

Here are a few tips for parents on what to do in an emergency:

The first and most important piece of advice is “stay calm”. Most parents’ instinct in an emergency situation is to panic. No parent would want to see their child hurt or injured.

However it is crucial that the parent keeps their nerves and reassures the child. Otherwise the situation can further escalate as you might not be able to treat child appropriately.

• Don’t run to the child – this might even put the parent in danger
• Check if the scene of the accident is safe – an injured parent can’t help the child
• Talk calmly to the child and play down any injury
• Reassure her/him that everything will be okay

Don’t be shy to ask for help! Many parents are well able to look after other children when they get hurt. However this ability disappears for many when it’s their own child.

Ask friends, neighbours or by-passers for help.

We have regularly “visitors” from the neighbourhood with injured kids. That ranges from nosebleeds, bee stings, and high temperatures to broken glass in the foot.

All of these situations could have been handled by the parents themselves but they felt the needed some help.

So don’t be afraid to ask help. There is no point to try to be the hero parent if you feel you can’t handle the situation.

All parents should talk to their children about potential emergency situations and what to do. It is important that even very young children know at least the emergency numbers and what to say if they have to use them. Don’t forget it could the adult who is in need of help!

• Use roll play as part of your family dinner, i.e. “What is number for the ambulance?”, “Can you tell the lady on the phone where you live?”
• Make sure children know the address where they live off by heart.
• Ask your child if they would know a landmark where they live, i.e. “our house has bright red shutters” – this could be vital to direct an ambulance especially in modern housing estates where all houses look the same

Even young children can be taught how to put somebody into the recovery position and how to open somebody’s airway. This can easily be taught through play and can be a potential life saver.

If you have any other tips please let us know as we are always eager to learn.