First aid for children and babies: this is what you should know

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Knowing first aid is very important, especially if you have to take care of small children or babies. Here are some tips

Knowing about first aid is essential, especially if you have small children or babies at home. In this article, we will tell you everything you need to know about the care you should give your child in case of emergency.

Leer en español: Primeros auxilios para niños y bebés: esto es lo que debes saber

Drowning

According to MedlinePlus, there are some basic guidelines that you should keep in mind.

If a child chokes because some object was lodged in his throat, what you should do is place him on your forearm and hit him 5 times quickly between the shoulder blades with the end of the palm of your hand raising the fingers as much as possible.

In case the object has not been ejected after the blows, turn him over and lay the child on your knees. Put two fingers in the middle of your baby's sternum (under his nipples) and make 5 compressions down. Continue performing, alternately, 5 strokes on the back and 5 compressions until the object is expelled or he loses consciousness. In the latter case, you urgently go to the health center closest to your home.

What are the warning signs to go to the nearest emergency center?

• Your child does not cry or makes any noise
• He has a very weak cough
• Child makes noises when inhaling
• He has difficulty breathing
• The skin and his lips turn bluish or grayish

Keep in mind that if the child cries or coughs hard it is a sign that he can dislodge the object by himself so that he does not have to hit his back.

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Blows to the head

From Being Parents, they give us a series of advice on what to do in case the child hits his head.

If the wound is sharp, it is important to eliminate any type of object that may cause an infection. For this it is necessary to wash the area under water from the tap. Next, you should stop the bleeding with sterile gauze and apply ice wrapped in a clean cloth. Take into account the size of the wound, because if it is a large cut, you must go to the hospital with your baby to be sutured as quickly as possible.

In case of a bump or bruise, it is likely that the child feels a lot of headache. The ideal is to lower the inflammation with ice wrapped in a cloth.

Keep in mind that you must watch how he behaves during the 48 hours that followed the coup. If he is strange, does not respond when you wake him up during the night (do it every 3 hours) or he loses consciousness, it is best to go immediately to the nearest emergency room.

Sharp wounds

According to the Children's Guide, cutting wounds require a little attention.

Press the wound to stop the bleeding and clean it under the tap water. This way you can eliminate any strange object that is there. Next, dry the area WITHOUT touching the wound and cover it with sterile gauze. If the child has a large object stuck try to immobilize it before going to the hospital.

Never, under any circumstances, rub the wound to remove dirt, use cotton, bandages too tight or cauterize the injury by yourself. The best thing, in these cases, is to let the health professionals do their work.

What should a first aid kit contain?

Tua Saúde gives us a complete list of things that the first aid kit should contain:

• 1 bottle of physiological solution
• 1 antiseptic
• Gauzes
• Bandages
• 1 roll of surgical adhesive tape
• Latex gloves
• Cotton
• Scissors without tip
• Dressings
• Thermometer
• Eye drops
• Pediatric paracetamol
• Pediatric ibuprofen

Remember that if you have any doubt or if you notice that something is not right, you should go immediately to the doctor to avoid any type of inconvenience in the future.

LatinAmerican Post | Marcela Antonacci
Translated from "Primeros auxilios para niños y bebés: esto es lo que debes saber"