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5 First Aid tips that could save a child’s life

1 September 2016 - 0 comments

This week we caught up with Spotlights parent Sam Jones who offers first aid training for families.  Through her company First Aid 4 Staff Sam has helped lots of families be more confident about what to do in an emergency.

 

Did you know 80 children attend A&E EVERY day due to a choking incident?

That’s over 29,000 per year !

The majority of children are attending because parents/ carers are unsure what to do.  Would you know what to do?

Here Sam shares her top 5 tips for what to do if a child is choking:

Choking treatment (over 1 years old) if they can cough, speak and breathe

  1. Encourage the child to cough and keep coughing until the obstruction has cleared If they are unable to cough, breathe or speak then…
  2. Lean them forward (gravity helps)
  3. Give up to 5 firm back blows in between the shoulder blades using the heel of your hand
  4. If back blows don’t work then give up to 5 abdominal thrusts (lean well forward, put your arms around the upper abdomen of the child, make a fist with your hand and place this in between the bottom of the breastbone and belly button, pull sharply inwards and upwards up to 5 times. If the obstruction clears then stop giving abdominal thrusts. If the obstruction has not cleared call for an ambulance 999 and continue to give 5 x back blows, 5 x abdominal thrusts.  Continue this sequence until the obstruction clears.
  5. Always be prepared with a choking child that they might go unconscious or stop breathing and CPR would then be needed.

It’s also good to be aware that many of these incidents can be avoided by thinking about what type of food children are given.

For example we often give young children (and we’re talking up to the age of 8 years old) grapes to eat, thinking they are a safe food.  A whole grape, can become lodged in a child’s airway, preventing them from breathing.  Always cut a grape lengthways before giving to children to eat.

Did you know Hot Dogs, Carrots, Apples, Grapes, Nuts, Peanut butter, Marshmallows. Chewing gum/ boiled sweets and Popcorn are the top 9 foods that children choke on, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

We take first aid training very seriously at Spotlights.  At least one member of our team at our performing arts classes has completed recent first aid training.

If you would like to learn First Aid to keep your family safe, or perhaps you work for an organisation that requires First Aid training, please register your interest by emailing info@firstaid4staff.co.uk or calling Sam on 07807 691191

First Aid 4 Staff is offering a 10% discount to all Spotlights Theatre School parents and children over the age of 14 years who wish to learn First Aid.

 

 

 

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