What to do during an emergency involving a child

Children love life and that’s what we love about them. Their fearlessness and curiosity often makes for a nerve wracking parental ride but is essential for their development. We may not like that they sometimes get hurt but we can prepare ourselves for the accidents that are beyond our control

Gary Paul, the head of coastal operations at Netcare 911 offers parents and caregivers, or even if you’re just going to spend time around children these holidays, the following tips on how to handle emergencies involving children.

How to help a child in an emergency

• Contact emergency medical services or get someone else to call while you assess your child’s condition.
• Check to see if the child is conscious. If a child is unconscious, it is a medical emergency and urgent medical assistance is needed.
• Do not move the injured child unless to remove them from a dangerous situation. Do not move the child if you have any concerns that there may be a spinal injury or any fractures. Netcare911’s trained personnel can advise you over the phone whether it is safe to move the child.
• Check if the child’s airway is open and if the child is breathing and feel for a pulse. If there is no pulse, start with cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately. Netcare911 can guide you to perform child CPR correctly, telephonically or via video link to your phone until help arrives on the scene.
• Check for excessive or uncontrolled bleeding. Stop excessive bleeding by applying pressure to the wound area and stay on the line with the operator until paramedics arrive.
• If your child sustains an injury to the head, especially in the case of smaller children, it is important to seek a medical assessment – even if the child did not lose consciousness. If your child is drowsy or more sleepy than usual after hitting their head or starts vomiting, this may be a sign of a severe head injury.