Child Emergency? – Don't Panic!

On May 12, 2012, the ’First Aid for Child Emergencies’ seminar took place for the second time. Countless SMA parents received instruction from our DRK colleague, Michael Schindler, in order to be best prepared for any emergency. You might vaguely remember how to put someone in a stable side position, but how was it again with the pressure bandaging? In addition, children can’t just be treated as miniature adults in such situations, but rather, there are first aid techniques designed especially for them.

Making Important Information Understandable

Detailed reports and entertaining anecdotes made it clear that aid offered by course participants in an emergency can be life saving. The course was not dry at all, but presented with a lot of humor and energy, making us all laugh as we learned the most important techniques.
In addition to CPR for infants and children and the correct side positioning for victims, the application of various bandages was also practiced. “Be encouraging and calming while you check for vital signs. Lay a blanket down and cover the victim.“ – The details of all these procedures were explained very well by Mr. Schindler. Vital functions which can impair consciousness are circulation and breathing. They can lead to a lack of oxygen and be life threatening.

Three Steps and Many Questions

“The 3 steps are: look at the person, speak to the person, touch the person. These are the steps you should take to find out what is wrong with the child, to make contact with him/her, to ask about injuries, to calm them and to prevent them from becoming unconscious.

Following the first, more general section of the day, the second half focused more on first aid for infants and children. In this section, many questions were posed by concerned SMA parents and individually addressed. We covered everything from poison control to burns and fever convulsions and insect bites to ’baby-proofing’ the home. No question went unanswered and each was discussed patiently and thoroughly.
Mr. Schindler informed us that some 70 percent of all accidents happen within the home, which is why those you will most likely treat with first aid are your immediate family members. We learned that CPR is the most important first aid to perform until the paramedics arrive, and we all felt more empowered to protect our kids from daily threats after the course.
In total, I can honestly say: it was a successful seminar! And out little ’Sunny minis‘ can play on in safety. 🙂