We’ve all heard of first aid, but not everyone is familiar with paediatric first aid. Paediatric first aid is the process of providing medical assistance to a sick or injured child or infant. Although the goal for both types of first aid is the same, to preserve and potentially save a life, the techniques for administering the first aid are different.
The physical structure of a full-grown adult is drastically different to that of an infant, and therefore the risks are different too. Paediatric first aid takes into account the size and physical development of the person being treated and focuses on medical issues that commonly affect young children such as choking, minor cuts and burns.
Knowing what to do in an emergency can help you to save a life, and many deaths can be prevented if first aid is administered before the emergency services arrive.
According to Public Health Matters, unintentional injuries in England are one of the main causes of premature death and illness for children. It’s also reported that each year, 60 children under the age of five die from injuries obtained in and around the home. Not to mention that 450,000 visits to A&E departments and 40,000 emergency hospital admissions are down to accidents in the home among under-fives.
In a real-life emergency situation, the kind that causes these hospital admissions, the immediate reaction for most people is to panic or freeze, particularly when they have an emotional connection to the person in need of first aid assistance and this can easily lead to mistakes.
Paediatric first aid training can also help you to stay calm in a first aid emergency, understand an emergency call operator’s instructions and correctly perform emergency first aid when needed. Whether you work with children, have a young child of your own or perhaps you’re a new grandparent, auntie or uncle, learning paediatric first aid will give you the knowledge and confidence to conduct vital first aid on infants and young children.
Most practical paediatric first aid courses cover key topics such as CPR, shock, bleeding, fractures, choking, minor illness and injuries. Online paediatric first aid courses can also equip you with the knowledge, skills and confidence you need to deal with first aid emergencies involving young children. As well as the above topics, our online training courses also cover emergency planning, assessing a situation and basic life support.
A practical paediatric first aid qualification is usually run over two days, and the certification lasts three years. Three years is a long time to retain information when you’re not putting it into practice, so we also recommend completing an online course on a regular basis to refresh your knowledge. Online courses are more flexible and can be done at a time and location that suits you.
At FRS we offer a wide range of practical and online training courses for a multitude of first aid needs, from first-aid training and paediatric first aid to workplace health and safety and mental health first aid for individuals and businesses. Please browse our website or get in touch for more information.
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