Daycare Emergency Tips - How to Be Prepared For the 5 Most Common Accidents

Children are unpredictable and care givers are notalso call the local hospital for advice.
perfect. It is possible that despite your best4. Break a Bone
efforts to child proof your home, an accidentLook to see if if the foot or hand at the end of
may occur. Do not wait for a child to accidentallythe injured extremity is cold or blue. If so, call 911
ingest children's cough syrup or for a massiveimmediately. Next call the parent. While you are
snow storm to shut you in with five kids for awaiting for an ambulance or the parent there are
night. Think ahead and plan for emergencies soa few things you can do to help the child. 1) Do
when crisis occurs you are prepared.NOT straighten the limb if it is deformed - keep
Five Common Emergencies to be prepared for atthe child still. 2) Stabilize the wounded area by
a daycareusing padding to keep it immobile. 3) Put ice on
1. Child Chokingthe injury but not directly on the skin - put it in a
When you see a child choking the first thing youbag or wrap ice in a towel. After holding ice on
do is listen. Are they coughing or not? If they arethe injury for about 20 minutes, take it off for 20
coughing then air is getting through and that isminutes. 4) Elevate the extremity to reduce
good. Open their mouth to see if you can see theswelling.
object and scoop with your finger in their mouth5. Allergic Reaction
side to side to see if you can pick anything out. IfCalm and reassure the child as anxiety can
you don't see anything or you can't remove whatworsen symptoms. Try to identify the allergen
you see then pat strongly on the child's lowerand have the person avoid further contact with it.
back in an upright slant. This may force theIf the allergic reaction is from a honey bee sting,
object up. If that fails, call 911 immediately. Theyscrape the stinger off the skin with something
will guide you through the next steps to performfirm (such as a fingernail or plastic credit card). Do
the Hymlick manuvre on a child.not use tweezers; squeezing the stinger will
2. Severe Weatherrelease more venom. Apply calamine lotion if a
Depending on where you live your weatherrash develops. Watch for further signs and seek
threats will be different. Check with your localmedical help if needed.
online weather source to find the most frequentFor a Severe Allergic Reaction (anaphylaxis)
severe weather threats for your region. ThenCheck the person's airway, breathing and
prepare an emergency plan and kit appropriatecirculation (the ABC's of Basic Life Support). A
for those emergencies. All homes should have awarning sign for dangerous throat swelling is a
72-hour emergency kit regardless of where youvery hoarse or whispered voice, or coarse
live that includes non-perishable food, water, andsounds when the person is breathing air in. If the
basic supplies to get you through 3 days. Talkvictim is having difficulty breathing, is very weak,
with your parents about your plan.or is losing consciousness, call for emergency
3. Ingest somethingmedical assistance. If necessary, begin rescue
When you turn your eye for a moment a childbreathing and CPR.
may drink something they should not have.Have you been trained in a first aid course or
Prevention is key here. Keep your "yucky stuff"updated your training this year?
(ie cleaners, bleaches etc) out of the children'sCourses are offered through St. John's Ambulance
area and/or locked in a cupboard. Also, emphasizeand other community agencies. Look in your
to parents how important it is to notify you ofphone book for information and if you have not
any medicine sent with the child that day.been trained it is a good idea to take a basic first
Prescriptions and medicines should all be kept outaid course so you will have the skills and
of reach of children. If an accident occurs, keepconfidence needed to deal with any emergency
the container and call your poison control numberthat may come your way.
listed at the front of your phone book. You could