When seconds count…..baby and child CPR and first aide

When seconds count, you need to be able to recall your CPR and First Aid training. All too often, when someone you love (especially your child) is sick or injured, panic overrides everything you have learned. You may have been taught the theory, but how do you put it into practice when you need it the most?

Knowledge is power. If you know what to do, you can push the panic away, help your child the best you can, then fall apart later over a glass of wine when everything is ok and the dust has settled. The key is gaining the right knowledge, delivered in a fun, relevant and engaging way.

So when you are looking for  the best First Aid course to arm yourself with the lifesaving skills to help your child in an emergency (and of course retain what you have learned should an emergency arise) make sure of this:

The class is paediatric specific

There are many First Aid classes out there, make sure the one you choose focuses on babies and children, not just adult first aid.  Baby and child First Aid is different – children are NOT little adults. They are different both physically and emotionally. Ensure the First Aid provider you choose does this.

Your educator has experience

Always ask your First Aid provider what their experience is – would you prefer to learn from someone who has actually done what they are teaching you, or have just read it in a text book? At CPR Kids they are all expert paediatric nurses and midwives who have experienced everything they teach  – they take their experience and weave that into the classes. Their stories help you to remember what you learn, and makes the content relevant and even fun!

Ample hands-on practice time, on baby and child mannikins

Even large groups MUST have the opportunity to have practice on baby and child mannikins, for ample time. You need to practice cycles of DRSABCD over and over again to remember. Muscle memory (how you remember physical tasks through repetition) is so important –  you can’t get that if you only watch a demonstration or have a few seconds on a mannikin. Ask how much time you get to practice, and the participant to mannikin ratio (it should be at least 2:1).

The subjects taught are tailored you your needs

Have you ever tried putting a sling on a toddler? Like putting an octopus in a string bag. Fine to fit a sling on an adult, but are there better ways you could be taught to manage a toddler’s injuries? If you have a newborn, leaning about sporting injuries isn’t really relevant…but falling from the change table is. Ensure the content has been contextualised to your needs –  someone who specialises in workplace First Aid may not know the risks for babies.

You can bring your baby

Your child is your number one priority. That is why it is so important to arm yourself with the knowledge and skills to help your little one in an emergency. Finding the time (and babysitter) can be near impossible, and especially with breast fed bubs you need to keep them near. Ensure your First Aid class lets you bring your baby, or even better, comes to you!

After class resources and additional learning

How do you remember what you have learned? A week after the class, you will probably only remember around 25% of what you have learned. That is why the way you are taught is so important to maximise this. Is the First Aid provider you are choosing using the best ways to deliver the information so you remember it? Also, what resources do they have to give you after the class? CPR Kids ensure that you have many resources to refresh what you have learned – they developed a YouTube channel  – CPR Kids TV – so their participants can watch everything they have learned at any time.