First Aid for Babies and Kids

However, for the more serious injuries, we couldn’t just to resort to our magical cuddles. It is important to perform the correct first aid procedures.

Singapore First Aid Training Centre believes every parent should have basic first aid skills, including 24-hour First Aid and CPR program that covers all emergencies in children that can happen at home or at play. It is designed especially for those working or staying with children to render help in critical times. If you want to know more about their basic courses you can visit this link.

Here is a brief overview of how to use first aid in important medical situations.

Choking
How to deal with a choking baby or child is a skill all parents should know. Remember: The procedure is slightly different for babies (under one) and children (aged one to puberty). Follow the steps below:

For a baby (birth to one):
1. If the baby is unable to cough, lay them face down along your forearm (with their head low) and support their body and head.
2. Using the heel of your hand, give up to five back blows between their shoulder blades.
3. Turn them face up along your other forearm, supporting their body and head and check their mouth for any dislodged objects.
4. If they are still choking, place two fingers on the lower half of the baby’s breastbone (a finger’s breadth below the nipples) and give up to five sharp thrusts, inwards and towards the head.
5. Check the mouth for any dislodges objects.
6. Give three full cycles of back blows and chest thrusts, checking the mouth after each full cycle.
7. If this does not work call an ambulance until and repeat the back blows and abdominal thrusts until help arrives. If the child becomes unconscious, give CPR.

For a child (one to puberty):
1. Open their airway by gently tilting back the head and lifting the chin.
2. Give rescue breaths. To do this, pinch the nose and give rescue breaths by placing your mouth over their mouth and blow until their chest rises. Repeat five times.
3. Place your hand over the centre of the child’s chest and lean over. Give 30 chest compressions by pressing down about a third of the depth of the chest.
4. Give two rescue breaths, followed by 30 chest compressions and follow this technique for one minute.
5. Call an ambulance and following the cycle of rescue breaths and chest compressions until help arrives or until the child starts to breathe again.

For a baby (birth to one):
1. Simply hold them with their head tilted downwards.

For a child (birth to one):
1. Place the child’s arm nearest to you at a right angle with their palm facing up.
2. Move their other arm round, placing the back of the hand on the cheek closest to you.
3. Grab the knee furthest from you and pull up until the knee is flat on the floor.
4. Pull the knee towards you whilst keeping the child’s hand pressed against their cheek. Move the leg so it is at a right angle.
5. Make sure the airway remains open by tilting their head back. Check for breathing by feeling and listening for breath.

Burns
Burns and scalds to the skin can be distressing for children. If your child is injured this way, it is important to stay calm and follow the following procedure:
1. Examine the burn.
2. Cool the affected area under cold running for at least ten minutes.
3. Cover the injury with a sterile dressing or cling film.
4. If the burn is severe call 999/112. If the casualty is a child or baby, you should see medical advice no matter how small the burn appears to be.

This is not a paid advertisement, and the sole purpose is to provide information for FIRST AID. But as a rule of thumb, calling the emergency hospital hotline should not be disregarded.