Making Decisions About Home Care

First Aid Tips For Keeping Your Child Safe

by Mae Ferguson

Keeping children safe from the various injuries that they can be at risk of experiencing is a major chore for any parent. While scrapped knees and other abrasions are likely to be among the most commonly encounter problems, there are many other problems and injuries that you will want to take steps to prepare to manage.

Be Prepared For Allergic Reactions

Allergic reactions can pose a significant health risk, and it is a reality that many children will develop potentially severe allergic reactions to various substances. If your child has already been diagnosed with allergies, medications should always be kept available in the event of accidental exposure. Furthermore, you will need to monitor your child's health for signs of new allergies developing. If you notice welts, rashes or other potential indications of an allergic reaction, it may be wise to have the child undergo an allergy test so that the exact cause can be identified and treatments prescribed. Quickly administering the needed medications can both lessen the intensity of the allergic response along with its length.

Appreciate The Injuries That Weather Can Cause

The weather can be another source of sizable injuries and other health problems. For example, sunburns are some of the most common ailments for children to experience as they may spend long periods of time outside playing. Sunburns can be extremely painful. In extreme cases, they can require medical attention to treat. They can also leave permanent scars. Temperature-related injuries, such as frostbite, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and heat stroke, are also concerns. Whenever your child goes outside to play, you should make sure that they are protected against the elements, and you should encourage frequent breaks when the weather is particularly harsh.

Teach Your Child First Aid Basics

Being familiar with the basics of first aid can be an important knowledge to give to your child. In situations where they are outside playing or otherwise unsupervised, it is important for them to be able to respond to emergency injuries. While it may not be able to provide your child with a comprehensive first aid course, making sure that they know the importance of applying pressure to stop bleeding, sanitizing a wound and other basic steps will help with keeping your child safe when you are unable to be present. For those with teens, it may be worthwhile to enroll them in a first aid course so that they will be ready in the vent of an emergency involving themselves or their friends.

Contact a family medical practice for more help.

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