How to Teach a Child First Aid? Practical Exercises for the Youngest
Learning first aid is a life-saving skill. Children, although often too young to provide assistance in emergencies, can learn the basic principles of first aid, which increases their awareness and self-confidence. It is worth introducing these skills from an early age through fun and practical exercises.
Why is it worth teaching children first aid?
Children who know the principles of first aid can cope better in emergency situations. With proper training, they can:
- Call for help and correctly pass on the information to the dispatcher,
- Assess whether a person needs help,
- Perform basic life-saving measures until adults or emergency medical services arrive.
Basic principles of first aid for children
1. How to call for help?
Children should know the emergency number 112 and be able to provide the dispatcher with the most important information:
- What happened,
- Where are they located,
- Is the injured person breathing and conscious?
2. Safety comes first
Before taking any action, the child should check whether the scene is safe. It is important for them to know that you should not approach a person lying on the road, for example, without making sure that there is no danger.
3. Checking for consciousness
The child should learn to gently shake the injured person and ask if everything is OK. If there is no response, call for help immediately.
4. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
First aid resuscitation is one of the key skills. Even small children can learn:
- How to perform chest compressions (in children it is recommended to use one hand, and in adults two hands),
- How to perform rescue breaths,
- What to do if you are unable to breathe.
5. Stopping bleeding
Children can learn the basics of stopping bleeding, such as by pressing a clean cloth onto the wound. They can also learn that they should not try to remove foreign bodies from wounds themselves.
6. What to do in case of choking
One of the most common dangers for children is choking. Children can learn to:
- How to cough to remove a foreign body,
- How to backstab someone if they are choking
- When to call for help.
How to teach children first aid?
- Through play – First aid training can be done in the form of play, e.g. through simulations of rescue situations.
- Using dolls and stuffed animals – Children can practice using stuffed animals to put someone in a safe lateral position.
- Demonstration and practice – It is a good idea to show your child how to do certain activities and let them try it themselves.
- Participate in workshops – Many organizations offer special first aid courses for children.
- Regular repetitions – It is worth regularly repeating the knowledge acquired so that the child does not forget how to react in emergency situations.
Summary
First aid is a skill that is worth introducing from a young age. Children can learn the basics of first aid, such as calling for help, assessing the situation and basic rescue procedures. Learning through play and regular repetition helps to assimilate this knowledge, which can be crucial in an emergency.
