Ideally, all parents should know how to conduct first aid treatment for their kids. Having such skills will help them panic less and address the concern promptly and correctly. Unfortunately, not all have enough knowledge on this part. Those who have no experience handling emergencies, such as first-time parents, usually panic, and it is a typical scenario.
However, since almost half of the injuries happen at home, it would help if parents knew a few tips or more about providing kids the urgent care they need. Let this article tell you the essential first aid skills to learn.
When Your Kid Gets an Allergic Reaction
One of the most common and nerve-wracking situations for parents is when their child gets an allergic reaction. When that happens, the kids will experience difficulty in breathing. The allergy will also showcase physical manifestations like swollen eyes or tongue, blotchy skin, and more, making parents more nervous. Here is what you should do when this happens:
- Determine what caused that allergy and remove your child from it.
- Make them lean forward to help them breathe better.
- Allow them to sit down while they catch their breath.
- Should severe symptoms appear, use your EpiPen as directed. Then, take them to the nearest urgent care provider.
When Your Child Get Burns and Scalds
Here is what you should do when your kid suddenly burns or scalds themselves:
- Immense the burnt area in cold water. If you do not have that, running water would be fine.
- Clean the affected area with an antiseptic.
- Once clean, cover it with a non-adhesive dry dressing.
If the burnt area is big, make sure to get a clean, big blanket and wrap the affected area with it. Then, rush your child to the emergency room for better care.
Important Note: Never apply ointments, jelly, powder, or toothpaste to the affected area. Instead of making it better, you are only irritating the skin and further inflicting infection.
When Your Child Chokes
Kids love to eat anything small and colorful, making them prone to choking. The Heimlich maneuver would be the perfect solution for this emergency concern, but make sure to do it correctly. Here are the steps to do it:
- Place your fist slightly above your kid’s navel. Using your other hand, grab that fist.
- With quick jerks, thrust inward and upward into your child’s abdomen. Repeatedly doing this will help the kids throw out the object.
- When all else fails, bring your child to the emergency room quickly.
Keep in mind that the mentioned maneuver only applies to toddlers and up. For infants or children under the age of one, here is what you should do.
- Face them down and make sure that you hold the head in one hand and their torso on your forearm placed against your thigh.
- Locate the middle of their shoulder blades and give them up to five back slaps.
- If nothing comes out of their mouth, roll them until they face up. Make sure to give their head enough support with your hand.
- Place two fingers above their breastbone. That is usually located below their nipple line.
- Give your baby a chest thrust, about 1.5 inches deep. It should be five thrusts every one second.
- Do the cycle of five back slaps and five chest thrusts until your baby can release the blockage.
Conclusion
Babies and even kids cannot completely treat themselves on their own. When accidents or injuries occur, ensure that they are given the proper urgent care they need. Their bodies are more delicate than adults, and they need the right care provided by healthcare professionals. Make sure to take note of these tips above and bring your child to the kid’s urgent care department.
In case your kids suffer from any emergency, bring them immediately to Your Kid’s Urgent Care. We offer superior and convenient urgent care for kids in Orlando, FL. Call us at 407-751-2297 to set your appointment.
