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First Aid Tips to Teach Your Kids

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Scrapes, cuts and other minor accidents are common throughout childhood. Learning how to provide first aid and understanding when and how to call for help are important skills kids can learn, starting as early as the preschool years. Let’s dive into preparing your child for how to respond in common urgent and emergent situations.

Teach through play

Kids learn best through interactive play. Lessons about helping others with injuries should be kept light. Little ones love to play doctor, so capitalize on that inclination.

Use real life. From a very young age, describe what you’re doing when you clean up a scrape before putting a bandage on. “Let’s clean the cut and cover it to help keep germs out so your body can heal.” 

Role Play. Get silly and pretend you twisted your ankle on a rock. The more into it you get, the more fun it will be. Show them how to place an ace bandage and practice the steps of RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). Get ketchup or slime out for pretend blood—have fun with it!

Stay calm

This is the most important lesson for anyone in an emergency situation. People don’t make rational decisions under extreme stress. And during an emergency, that could mean even more people get hurt. It’s crucial that you model calm during stressful situations, too.

Call 911 (how to get help)

When your little ones are old enough to learn numbers, they can learn about 911. Teach your children their first and last names, your first and last name, your phone number and your home address. Show them how to access the emergency call feature on your phone. Some carriers even offer a practice feature to simulate calling 911. Practice several times.

Reinforce that 911 is for emergencies only, including

Teach your child to call 911 if there is a problem and no adults are available.

Common injuries that require first aid:

Bleeding

Cuts and scrapes are just part of childhood, and first aid for them is a great skill to teach your little ones.

Nosebleeds are also pretty common, but it’s amazing how much blood can rush out of a nose in a short amount of time. The best way to care for a bloody nose is to:

Bites and stings

Most bites and stings are minor inconveniences. If a stinger is still embedded, gently scrape it away using a credit card. Using tweezers can actually squeeze more venom into the bite area and increase pain.

Teach your children that some people are allergic to bites and stings; if they notice someone is having trouble breathing or talking, call 911.

Snake bites: The majority of snakes are harmless, but copperheads and rattlesnakes are definitely a possibility around KC. Learn to identify venomous snakes, and instruct kids to call 911 for further instructions if someone is bitten.

Burns

Fire and stove safety are essential life lessons for kids, including how to care for minor burns. First-degree burns are mild, superficial burns that hurt a lot. The first instinct may be to immediately cover the burn with an ice pack, but that causes more harm than good. The best reaction is to run cool (not cold) water or place a cool, damp towel over the burn.

Dressing a burn: After gentle rinsing, it’s time to dress the burn.

Burns with blisters or over large surface areas need prompt medical attention.

Choking

Choking can happen to anyone at any time. Teaching older kids how to identify and help a choking person can save a life.

Signs a person might be choking:

The classic Heimlich Maneuver is relatively simple, and kids as young as 8 or 9 can be taught. Strive to prevent choking by avoiding tiny toys and cutting food into small bites. There are some great instructions online to teach kids this valuable skill. Also remember to never put your fingers or anything else into someone’s mouth—it can cause more problems.

Twisted ankles

A sprained ankle definitely puts a damper on a fun day outside. Most of the time, these heal without complicated treatment. The acronym RICE is simple and easy to remember.

Immediately after someone injures his foot or ankle, find a safe spot to sit and elevate the injured leg. Take off shoes and socks to look for obviously broken bones, bruising or swelling. Apply a cold pack to the ankle for 15-20 minutes. After some rest, you can help the person stand and see whether he can put any weight on the foot. If so, wrap the ankle with an ACE bandage, then head back home.

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Children learn quickly and often have a natural inclination to help others. Teaching simple first-aid skills builds confidence and prepares them for how to react in unusual situations. It’s OK if they don’t remember everything. Help them successfully find help when needed.

Kid-friendly first-aid kit essentials

Courses around the metro

Several organizations around the KC metro provide first-aid and CPR training If your children are ready to take their skills to the next level. Parks and recreation departments often host babysitting classes providing CPR certification.

SafeSitter provides courses to help children feel comfortable staying home alone as well as caring for siblings and other children. CPR and first aid are included in the course. There are several centers across KC that offer SafeSitter courses. SafeSitter.org/find-a-class/

Joleen Sams lives with her family in Shawnee. She’s a family nurse practitioner with a passion for pediatrics and empowering families. 

References

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