I’m an ex-paramedic – here’s exactly what you should do while waiting for an ambulance to arrive for your child
WHAT you do in the minutes between calling for an ambulance and it arriving can mean the difference between life and death.
If the medical emergency involves a child, there are 15 things every parent should try to tick off during those “crucial moments”, according to an ex-paramedic.
These actions mean responders can reach you as quickly as possible, and your youngster has the best chance of survival.
There will also be less stress for everyone involved.
Nikki Jurcutz, who runs children’s safety page Tiny Hearts Education, said: “Fifteen minutes – that’s how long on average it takes an ambulance to arrive at your house in an emergency (and even longer for our rural parents).
“Those 15 minutes where it’s just you and your child are the crucial moments.
“Knowing what to do and staying calm will make all the difference.
“Share this life saving information with another parent.”
She listed 15 things that should be done in that all-important period.
- Clear the path to your child.
- Keep one parent with your child at all times.
- Turn on lights outside your house for paramedics to find you quicker.
- Open gates and doors.
- Get information to hand over to the paramedics ready – medical info, allergies etc.
- Have medications in a bag for the paramedics to take.
- Put pets away.
- Discuss which parent will ride in the ambulance.
- Prepare your wallet.
- Make plans for other kids you have.
- Continually reassess your child for any changes.
- Update the emergency call taker of any changes.
- If they become unconscious and are not breathing normally, start CPR.
- If breathing normally, put into the recovery position (rolling the child onto their side).
- Keep reassuring your child.
Some mums and dads asked what they should do if they were the only adult at home at the time.
Nikki, from Australia, said: “If there is no one else, staying with your child is the priority so that you can watch for any changes and start first aid treatment if necessary.
“Moving things out of the way isn’t a necessity, but if you have the extra resources and time on hand, these actions might save the paramedics those extra seconds.”
When it comes to giving CPR alone, she added: “The most important thing at this time is keeping blood flowing to their vital organs.
“If your child requires CPR, that will take priority over moving furniture etc.
“The other things can wait.”
For people facing wait times of longer than 15 minutes, Nikki suggested considering the following.
“There’s a lot of factors that you should consider, like what you’ve called the ambulance for, what your child’s condition is like, how far from the hospital you are, if you have someone else who can be in the car watching your child while the other person drives,” she said.
“Another thing to remember is that when the ambulance arrives, they’ll be able to start treating your child and there’s also equipment in the ambulance that they can use if your child needs it during the drive, whereas you won’t be able to during the drive over to the hospital.”
The 4 ‘S’ rules that could save your child’s life
THOUSANDS of children each year are rushed to hospital after choking or swallowing something dangerous.
Instead of waiting for a horrible and often traumatic choking incident to happen, first aid experts from CPR Kids have shared four ‘S’ rules to follow which could prevent the accident in the first place.
“When it comes to choking, prevention is always better than cure,” the organisation said in an Instagram post.
Shape
Cut your little one’s food into “developmentally appropriate size shapes,” the experts said.
“Round foods such as grapes, cherry tomatoes, and large blueberries are the perfect shape to lodge in a toddler’s airway and should be cut into quarters,” they added.
“Cylindrical foods such as bananas, sausages and carrots cut into sticks,” they explained.
Sit down to eat
The risk of a child choking increases if they are running around with food, or another object, in their mouth.
“Sitting down together to eat meals not only reduces the risk of choking, but is a great bonding experience too,” the experts said.
“Encourage your toddler to sit down when snacking too.”
Supervise when eating
Always keep children in your direct line of sight, the first aiders warn.
“Although it is tempting to ‘get stuff done’ while your child is occupied eating and strapped into the high chair, choking can be silent,” they added.
“Always keep them in your direct line of sight when they are eating so you can be aware and intervene quickly if choking occurs.”
Search your home
Anything that can fit through a cardboard toilet paper tube is a choking risk for young children.
“Get down on your hands and knees and crawl around your house,” they suggested, as it gives you a better perspective as to what a child sees.
Source: CPR Kids