Think You Know How to Handle These 10 Parenting
Emergencies? Think Again!
Editor's note: I thought I was well-up on emergency procedures and first aid,
but this article has made me think again. Well worth reading!
By Gareth A Williams
There have been times over the years when I've seriously thought the words
"parenting" and "emergency" were one and the same. You probably have, too, as
kids tend to get into things when you turn your head for just a second. So,
let's look at some common emergency situations and see the wrong and right way
to handle them...
1. Your child gets hit in the head and is unconscious. Your first inclination is
probably to pick up the child and move him/her to the house or even drive to the
hospital. WRONG! The smart move, according to experts, would be to call 999/112
for emergency services. That's because, with a head injury, you don't know how
serious it might be. There could be a spine or brain injury, and moving the
child could make the situation worse. What you can do is, first, make sure the
child is breathing and has a pulse. If the answer is yes, you may gently shake
the child and call his/her name to see if you can wake the child. If the child
is not breathing, start CPR immediately.
2. You lose your child in a public place. Your first inclination (probably to
avoid embarrassment) is to search the place yourself. WRONG! In today's world,
we have to assume the worst, and searching a public facility, especially a large
one, can take lots of time. The right move is to do a quick search of the
immediate vicinity, call out the child's name, and, if that doesn't work,
immediately ask staff for help. Store workers and staff are typically trained to
handle this situation, and can help man exits and entrances, check restrooms,
etc. If that doesn't locate your child, call the police.
3. You see your small child holding a bottle of medicine (or some other
household substance) and don't know if it's been ingested. Your first
inclination is probably to take away the medicine and just keep an eye on the
child to see if he/she gets sick. WRONG! Experts recommend you don't wait to see
what happens. Instead, call emergency services immediately. They can advise you
if the medicine/substance is toxic and whether you should take your child to the
emergency room.
4. Your child gets poked in the eye. Your first inclination is probably to pry
the child's hands away and open the eye. WRONG! Trying to open the eye, or
applying ice or pressure could lead to more problems, even a loss of vision. The
right move is to leave the eye closed and gently cover it with gauze or a clean
cloth and head to the emergency room.
5. Something hot spills on your child. Your first inclination is probably to put
ice on the burn. WRONG! Ice and even cold water may cause further damage,
including a frostbite-like injury to skin already damaged from a burn. Also
WRONG is using butter or antibiotic ointment on the burn. The right move,
according to experts, is to remove any clothing that's covering the burned area,
then run cool water on the burn for 10 minutes. Afterward, loosely cover the
burn with gauze. If the wound blisters, then it's time to call the doctor.
6. You see your small child at the bottom of a swimming pool. God forbid you
should ever have such an emergency. Any parent's first instinct is, of course,
to dive in. WRONG! According to experts, most people aren't strong enough
swimmers to get a child out of a pool without some help. The right move, if
possible, is to quickly tell another person what's happened and have them call
999/112. Then, before you jump in the pool, find a flotation device to use to
prevent the child from dragging you back down as you attempt the rescue. Once
out of the water, promptly resuscitate the child (maintaining the neck in a
neutral position to protect the cervical spine). Do NOT try the Heimlich unless
you suspect a foreign body. Remove the child's wet clothing, cover with a
blanket and get the child to the emergency room.
7. Your child gets stung by a jellyfish. Your first inclination may be to put
rubbing alcohol (or urine), or fresh water on the wound. WRONG! The right move,
according to emergency physicians, is to rinse the wound with sea water. Fresh
water will actually make the wound more painful. Next, remove any visible
tentacles, then apply a cloth soaked with white vinegar (lifeguards often carry
a vinegar solution) to the wound until your child is no longer in pain. Should
your child show any signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives or difficulty
breathing, get emergency medical treatment immediately.
8. You and your child are swimming in the ocean and get caught in a riptide.
Your natural instinct is to head straight for shore. WRONG! Trying to swim
directly against such a current leads to panic and exhaustion. Instead, experts
suggest swimming parallel to the beach until they're beyond the pull of the
current. Most riptides are usually only 20-60 feet wide, so you should first
swim out of it and then head toward the beach once you're not fighting the
current.
9. Your car plunges into a river. You may have heard (or seen on TV) that you
should wait until the water pressure is equalized before trying to open the car
door or window. WRONG! According to Dive Rescue International, every second is
precious. As soon as you hit the water you should unfasten seat belts and try to
open a door or window. If you can't, try breaking a window by striking the
corner with a hard shoe, a soda bottle, one key held poking from your fist, etc.
Better yet, equip your car's glove compartment with an emergency tool which can
break a window and cut the seat belts if needed.
10. Your child is bitten by a snake that might be poisonous. Your first reaction
might be to try to suck out the venom with your mouth and/or apply a tourniquet.
WRONG! The right response is to simply call emergency services, or drive to the
nearest emergency room. Calling ahead is also a good idea, as anti-venom may
need to be flown in if it's not on hand. During the drive, try to minimize any
movement of the bitten limb and keep it below heart level.
Lastly, always seek the direct advice of your own doctor whenever possible. The
information I've tried to provide here is for informational purposes only, and
should not be considered a specific diagnosis or treatment plan.
* * *
Gareth Williams has been an expert in the field of parenting for well over 25
years and is the author of the highly acclaimed eBook 'Harmony at Home - A
Parent's Companion'. If you're interested in learning the close guarded secrets
of the 'Whole Child Approach' which will quickly sky rocket your parenting
skills to unparalleled success then please visit -
http://www.instantparentsuccess.com
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