Thankfully, we’ve managed to escape relatively unscathed in the accident department but my First Aid training was called into play recently when my 7year-old sustained a head injury in a fall.  My training enabled me to remain calm and feel relatively confident in knowing what to do, even while looking at my child’s skull!

Recent research commissioned by the Irish Red Cross indicates that 80% of adults fear dealing with first aid emergencies such as head injuries, the ingestion of harmful substances or anaphylactic shock.  It further suggests that the majority of adults do not believe that they would be able to respond correctly to eight out of thirteen emergency first aid situations.  Household emergencies involving children can occur at any time.  From falls, burns and choking to the danger of electrical shocks, there are any number of unexpected occurrences that can injure a child. Head of First Aid Training with the Irish Red Cross, Danny Curran, says that “lives can be saved when you are able to treat injuries and illness quickly”. 

There are lots of first aid kits on the market, from basic right through to more advanced kits, but if you don’t wish to invest, you can always gather your own supplies. 

So, what should your household First Aid Kit contain?

• Plasters for treating small, everyday cuts.
• Bandages for larger cuts. Bandages can also help secure an injured limb.
• Safety pins to keep the bandage in place.
• Sterile wound dressings to help prevent infection of an exposed wound. 
• Non-alcoholic disinfectant wipes to clean wounds. 
• Scissors to cut away clothing and to cut bandages to size.
• Examination gloves should always be worn as a barrier to infection.
• Sterile water to clean wounds.
• Pocket face mask for carrying out CPR.
• Burns dressings, which act as a cooling method and also help prevent infection.

Every member of the family should be familiar with where the First Aid Kit is kept and children should be taught how to phone emergency services and aask for help.

We were recently joined at The Baby Room by Ciara Dowling of Early Years First Aid, where her 2hour Baby First Aid and 4hour Paediatric First Aid classes were an incredible success.  Both courses cover CPR, choking, wounds, head injuries, fractures, sprains and strains, burns, temperature control, allergic reactions, seizures, childhood illnesses and lots more and offer a 2-year certification.  We look forward to working with Ciara in the future to bring skills, confidence and lifesaving knowledge to parents and care givers in Carlow.