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BECOMING A FIRST AIDER 

Children are adventurous by nature, and the younger they are the less idea they have of the risks of being injured.

 

If your child has an accident, it is vital that you remain calm and take the appropriate steps to ensure his wellbeing until, in more serious cases, the emergency services arrive. A first-aid course will provide you with the knowledge and the confidence to cope should an accident occur.

 

If you are a parent or career of a child, a first-aid course designed for the care of babies and children is highly recommended. These courses teach you invaluable skills, which could help you to save a child's life.

 

Where to attend a course

Saudi  German  Hospitals  Group  has  a  subsidiary   company  which  teach  and   train  interested  individuals  with  the  First  Aid  and  even  advance  courses  to  people  who  are  interested  to  learn.  SGNA  is  an  institution  which  is  well  know  to  your  doctor  and  will  be  willing  to  teach  and  train  you  in  the  subjects. 

 

What you will learn

 

A first-aid course designed especially for the care of children and infants will teach you how to react in many medical emergencies. It provides hands-on practice, using resuscitation dummies and you will be shown how treatments and techniques vary between babies and children. The first-aid methods you will be taught should include:

 

• Checking for consciousness.
• Resuscitation techniques.
• The recovery position.
• What to do when a child has an asthma attack.
• Treating burns and scalds
• How to break an electrical circuit safely.
• Treating a child who has swallowed a poison.
• Dealing with bleeding, from deep wounds to nose-bleeds.
• How to ensure your own safety.

The basic rules                 

Even if you do not have first-aid training, there may be something you can do to help an accident victim. Always follow these basic rules.

 

Make sure you do not endanger yourself when attending the accident victim.

Use your common sense and don’t panic

Do not move a child who may have injured her neck or back.

Place an unconscious breathing person in the recovery position unless you suspect a neck injury.

When putting a pregnant woman in the recovery position, place her on her left side- this has been shown to be safer to the unborn child.

If you are in any doubt about the severity of the problem, get medical help as soon as possible.

Do not attempt to do so much yourself. instead, contact the emergency service.

Sensible safeguards for your child

 

As the majority of childhood accidents happen in the home, take steps to make sure your home is as safe as possible:

 

• Place a fixed guard around any fires, whether open, gas or electric
• Keep all cleaning fluids locked away.
• Fit safety sockets to all unused power points.
• Never leave an iron that is in use unattended. Always keep a hot iron out of your child's reach.
• Fit a safety gate to the top and bottom of the stairs.
• Place a hob guard around your cooker and fit a safety catch to the oven door.
• Make sure that you have a well stocked first-aid box, both in your home and in your car.
• Keep all medicines out of your child's reach.
• Keep all plastic bags and sharp objects safely out of reach.

To further reduce the risk of accidents:

 

• Don't allow your baby to pick up small, hard objects, such as beads and nuts, on which he may choke
• Don't give your baby or child nuts, toffees or chewing gum as they might stick in the throat.
• Don't allow a child to move about with anything hard in his mouth.
• Teach your child the safety drill for crossing the road as early as possible.

For  More  Information:  Please  consult  your  physician  on  your  next  visit.