Tag: first aid

British Red Cross shares top first aid tips for new mums ahead of Mother’s Day

Tracey Taylor, First Aid Education expert at the British Red Cross, said: “Having a baby or toddler can be an anxious time for any new parent – from weaning and teething to encouraging little ones to explore the world around them. But by learning simple first aid skills, parents can feel confident that they can help in an emergency should they ever need to.

“Our research shows that three out of four parents don’t have the skills and confidence to help a choking baby. No parent wants to be in the situation where their baby is injured or ill and they don’t know what to do, but helping is easy when you know how.

“At the British Red Cross we believe that all mums and dads should be able to act in a first aid emergency. These are simple skills that could make all the difference.”

Key stats

Many parents don’t have the simple first aid skills that could save their child’s life in an emergency. From our research we found that:

  • 65% of parents wished they had learnt some first aid skills before having a baby[1].
  • Three out of four parents in the UK would not be able to help a baby who’s choking. Only 24% of mums and dads are confident and knowledgeable enough to help a choking baby*.
  • More than 40 per cent of parents who took their child to A&E went because they were worried and didn’t know what to do**.

How to help a baby who is choking

If a baby is choking, they won’t be able to cry, cough, make any noise or breathe.

1. Give back blows: hold them face down along your thigh with their head lower than their bottom. Hit them firmly on their back between the shoulder blades up to five times.

  1. If back blows do not dislodge the object, give chest thrusts: turn them over so they are facing upwards and place two fingers in the middle of their chest, just below the nipples. Push sharply downwards up to five times.

3. Call 999 if the object does not dislodge. Continue with cycles of back blows and chest thrusts until the object dislodges.

How to help an unresponsive and breathing baby 

1.Check for breathing. Tilt their head back and look and feel for breaths by looking at their chest to see if it’s moving and feeling for breaths on your cheek. If they are breathing, move on to step two.

2.Hold the baby on their side with their head slightly tilted back, supported and lower than their bottom.

3.Call 999.

How to help a baby or child who has a burn

1. Cool the burn under cold running water for at least ten minutes.

  1. After the burn has been cooled, cover it with cling film or a clean plastic bag.

  2. Always seek medical advice if a baby or child has been burned.

How to help a baby or child who is having a febrile seizure

Febrile seizures are caused by a fever or high temperature. When a baby has a febrile seizure they may arch their back, stiffen their body and have clenched fists. They may be red faced, hot to touch and sweating.

1. Protect them from injury, but do not restrain them.

2. Cool them by removing outer clothing and opening a window if the room is hot.

  1. When the seizure is over, help them to rest on their side with their head tilted back.

  • If the symptoms continue or it is their first seizure, seek medical advice.

    • How to help a baby or child with meningitis

    1. The baby or child may have flu-like symptoms, a headache and a high temperature. They may also complain of a stiff neck and be sensitive to light. At a later stage, a rash may form (that does not disappear when a glass is pressed against it)
    2. If you observe any of these symptoms, call 999. A baby or child with meningitis can deteriorate very quickly. It is potentially very serious and needs immediate attention.
    3. Give them constant reassurance while waiting for the ambulance.

    Free First Aid training for dads at Prentice Centre tomorrow

    PrenticeCentre

    The good people of the British Red Cross are coming to Prentice on Saturday to deliver some Free First Aid.  It starts at 10am until approx 1040am.

    The session is for dads.  If you know someone who would like to book a slot let us know asap!  Dads can either just come themselves, or if they want their wee one can come to the playgroup with mum.

    The Prentice Centre is at 1 Granton Mains Avenue

    Dads Rock

    We can all be lifesavers: Save a Life for Scotland CPR campaign launched

    ill do it

    Save a Life for Scotland, a national campaign which aims to train half a million people to carry out life-saving CPR, was launched on Friday – European Restart a Heart Day.

    Save a Life for Scotland is the campaign behind Scotland’s new strategy to improve survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The aim is to train a further 500,000 people in CPR and save an additional 1,000 lives over the next five years.

    The campaign was launched at an event on Princes Street organised by the Resuscitation Research Group at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh.

    It was attended by Maureen Watt, Minister of Public Health, and representatives of the partners involved in the campaign, including Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Scottish Ambulance Service, Defence Medical Services, Police Scotland, St Andrew’s First Aid, British Red Cross, British Heart Foundation, Chest Heart and Stroke Scotland and the British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS).

    Ms Watt said: “When a person goes into cardiac arrest it means their heart has stopped completely. The only chance of saving their life is to restart the heart as soon as possible. If they aren’t in hospital the chance of a medical professional being close at hand is slim.

    “That is why it’s so important that members of the public know how to do CPR and are confident enough to try it. The Scottish Government fully backs Save a Life for Scotland. Training an extra 500,000 people in this life-saving skill could save thousands of lives over the next few years.

    “CPR is one of the most valuable skills anyone can have. There are many opportunities to learn, just visit savealife.scot or the Facebook page for more details.”

    Dr. Gareth Clegg, NHS Lothian Consultant in Emergency Medicine and Resuscitation Research Group lead, said: “Across Scotland, around 3,500 people who suffer an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest undergo attempted resuscitation but only 1 in 20 survive to hospital discharge.

    “Receiving really good CPR from a bystander before paramedics arrive can more than double chances of recovery. That is why it is crucial that more people are made aware of how and where they can access CPR training and sign up to take part. Everyone has lifesaving equipment on them – but you need to know how to use it.”

    The campaign is also being backed by East Lothian father-of-two Gregor Newton, 45, who received CPR from his wife after unexpectedly collapsing at home in April last year.

    Gregor said: “It was totally out of the blue. I was fit with no health issues and no health concerns and never expected I would have a cardiac arrest. My son, Harry, found me on the floor and immediately called for his mum, Judy, who was able to start CPR.

    “She continued with other bystanders until a local Community First Responder made it to the scene and took over, using a defibrillator to shock my heart back into rhythm. I’m very lucky to still be here and now know how crucial it was to have this early intervention. ”

    restart

    Dave Boyle, Assistant Chief Officer and Director of Service Delivery, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Scottish Fire and Rescue Service is proud to be working in partnership with the British Heart Foundation in a bid to help train as many people as possible in the use of CPR across Scotland.

    “This partnership is one part of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service’s commitment to support the Scottish Government’s Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy and Save A Life for Scotland campaign. We want to contribute to saving an extra 1000 lives in Scotland by 2020.

    “We have a network of fire stations across Scotland and each of them will house a CPR kit. Members of the public are encouraged to contact their local fire officer or fire station and arrange a visit and some training. The training will empower people and give them the skills they need to deliver life-saving assistance to anyone suffering from cardiac arrest.

    “We are extremely grateful to the British Heart Foundation for providing the CPR kits and we hope this initiative will save hundreds of lives in the weeks, months and years to come.”

    A number of events took place all over the country on Restart a Heart Day to mark the launch of Save a Life for Scotland. These included awareness days and free training stations taking place at fire stations, ambulance stations and events hosted by St Andrew’s First Aid.

    Members of the public will be encouraged to learn the basic skills of CPR, and when to use them. It is estimated that improving knowledge of CPR techniques could more than double survival rates. Big screens around the marquee will show videos telling the stories of survivors, bystanders and also giving information and news from the relevant charities involved.

    For more information visit savealife.scot

    follow facebook.com/savealifeforscotland

    and/or @savealifescot on Twitter.

    restartahert

    Places available on First Aid course

    first

    We still have a few places available on our Emergency First Aid at Work: Adults and Children course on Wednesday 1 July.

    If you would like to book a place, please complete the attached booking form. See poster for further details

    Poster EFAW Adults and Children 1.7.15

    SHORT COURSE BOOKING FORM – New

    Audrey O’Neill
    Training Administrator, North Edinburgh Childcare
    Tel: 311 6931

    NEClogo (2)

     

    Life-saving defibrillator installed at Edinburgh’s bus station

    defib1Edinburgh’s transport leaders were treated to a first aid master class yesterday as they unveiled a brand new defibrillator for the city’s bus station. The life-saving equipment, which is used on people who have had cardiac arrests, was installed this week.

    Public access defibrillators (AEDs) allow trained individuals to treat casualties in areas where ambulance access is difficult or while awaiting paramedics, increasing the likelihood of survival.

    Staff at Edinburgh Bus Station, which sees between five and seven million customers a year, will now be given training to use the potentially life-saving equipment.

    Transport Convener, Councillor Lesley Hinds, said: “Safety is of utmost importance to us as a Council, so it makes absolute sense to install this life saving equipment in such a busy area of the city.

    “The bus station welcomes a real variety of people through its doors each day and if the new AED were to save just one of these lives, it would be worth every penny.”

    Alongside the unveiling, St Andrew’s First Aid offered councillors and members of the public first aid tips and advice, as well as demonstrating the use of the AED.

    Jim Dorman, Operations Director from St Andrew’s First Aid said: “We are absolutely delighted that City of Edinburgh Council has arranged to have a defibrillator placed within the city’s bus station. It is the perfect place to site an AED bearing in mind the central location of the station and the amount of people passing through the station each day.

    “Defibrillators are proven to save lives and having one readily available will enhance the chances of survival for someone should they have a cardiac arrest in or near the station.”

    The Council recently agreed to install defibrillators in all of the city’s high schools, partly paid for with fundraising by parents and the local community.

    Find out more about St Andrew’s First Aid and the courses on offer 

    on their website.

    Pictured: St Andrew’s First Aid trainer Annemarie Pattison demonstrates the new equipment to Councillors LesleyHinds and Adam McVey.