Basic First Aid Tips Every Parent Should Know
Words Dr Emma Amoafo-Mensah
Dr Emma provides generic first aid tips submitted by some of our amazing readers! Read more to find out five basic first aid tips that every parent should know.
Shutterstock1. Why do we need to wear face masks?
I understand why this is such a popular question because the government guidelines on it have changed quite a few times.
The point of the face mask is to protect both you, as the person wearing the face mask, and those around you also. COVID-19 is spread when droplets are sprayed into the air from an infected person’s cough or sneeze, and it’s now thought that these droplets can hang as aerosols in the air. That then means that other people can catch COVID-19 when they come into contact with these droplets. Since the virus needs to come into contact with a person’s nasal or oral mucosa in order to cause an infection, wearing a face mask is just a way of physically covering those areas.
One key characteristic of COVID-19 that’s allowed it to spread so far is that people can have the virus but not have any symptoms to indicate that they’re unwell. Therefore people can be at work or in the supermarket feeling quite well in themselves, but still transmit the virus. Wearing a face mask reduces the likelihood of spread and at the moment the government recommends their use in most public places.
Shutterstock2. When do you call 999 vs 111?
For emergencies, you should always call 999. Once you call, you’ll be asked what service you need – fire, police or ambulance. 111 is a relatively new initiative to allow people to get help over the phone for urgent, but not emergency problems.
Any life-threatening emergency warrants a call to 999, such as sudden onset severe chest pain, severe allergic reactions, loss of consciousness or seizures. It may be better to call 111 for things that are urgent but don’t require immediate intervention, such as a minor burn or an injury that isn’t getting better. The 111 operator will usually then try to direct you to the best channel, such as a pharmacy, urgent care centre or A&E.
3. How do you stop a bloody nose?
Nosebleeds are usually not serious, and can often be managed safely at home. If anyone is having a nosebleed, ask them to sit up or stand up straight, and pinch the nose just above the nostrils for 10-15 minutes. It can sometimes be tempting to tilt the head back or lie down but you should never do this when your nose is bleeding – the blood can travel backwards into your airways and cause choking. A person having a nosebleed should always lean forward to prevent this. Some people find that placing something cold like an ice pack of a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a dinner towel helps the nosebleed stop more quickly.
You should go to A&E if the bleeding seems excessive or is lasting for longer to 10-15 minutes. If you’re swallowing a large amount of blood and are vomiting or having difficulty breathing, that warrants a trip to A&E too.
Shutterstock4. What do you do if your child chokes?
The management of choking depends on the severity of choking. It can sometimes be difficult to tell how severe it is, however. The first thing you should do is encourage the person to cough; they may be able to clear the blockage themselves if the cough is strong enough. If the person is unable to cough, try a few back blows. This is where you stand behind a person and lean them forward. Imagine that in leaning them forward, anything blocking the airway will come out of their mouth instead of falling back into the airway. You then give up to 5 sharp blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. If five blows doesn’t work, you then want to move to 5 abdominal thrusts (shouldn’t be done in pregnant women or children less than 1 year old). To do this, you stand behind the person who is choking, place your hands around their waist with your fists clenched and pull in sharply inwards and upwards. Again, this can be done up to 5 times.
If these interventions don’t work, call 999. Never put your fingers in someone’s mouth to help them – they could accidentally bite you!
5. What should you keep in your first aid kit?
This really depends on each person’s personal preference and what kind of injuries they’re prone too, but some basic things I would recommend are plasters of different sizes, antiseptic wipes, bandages and scissors. Some people like to keep medications also, such as paracetamol and other simple painkillers.
6. How do you heal a burn?
Burns often take a long time to heal, and what you do in the immediate setting is key to its healing. The first thing to do is move the person away from the heat source, of course. Following that, you should cool the burnt area by running it under cool or lukewarm water. Make sure the person is kept warm, as the loss of skin around the burn site can cause the patient to feel very cold. You can then wrap a thin layer of cling film over the area.
Facial burns, chemical burns, deep burns or burns that cause blisters should always be reviewed by a medical professional.
Dr Emma Amoafo-Mensah - NHS Doctor