First aid for children
St John Ambulance has teamed up with
Elastoplast to launch a new initiative called
'First aid for children’- a series of essential first-aid fact
sheets for parents.
Follwing research carried out by Elastoplast into parents
knowledge of first aid, the two organisations are working
together to encourage parents to educate themselves in
first aid.
The results
Results from research carried out by Elastoplast
included:
- 66% of dads can only deliver basic first
aid such as applying a plaster or giving paracetamol to
their child
- 1 in 3 dads and 1 in 5 mums have been in an
emergency situation when they did not know how to help
their child.
As parents we should all be able to master the simple techniques that can prevent unnecessary distress and pain if our child, or any other child in our care, has an accident – and in the most extreme case, we might even save a life.
Dr Mark Porter
GP and broadcaster
‘Accidents are bound to happen and Elastoplast’s research shows
that parents can never know enough about first aid,’ says Dr Mark
Porter, GP and broadcaster. ‘As parents we should all be able to
master the simple techniques that can prevent unnecessary distress
and pain if our child, or any other child in our care, has an
accident – and in the most extreme case, we might even save
a life.’
The easy-to-read fact sheets offer
potentially life-saving advice on how to deliver
emergency first aid for children in a whole host of situations:
from unconsciousness and hypothermia right through to cuts and
nosebleeds. They are available to download
exclusively at www.elastoplast.co.uk.
Clive James, Product Development Manager at St John Ambulance
said: 'You never know when you’ll need to give first aid so it’s a
good idea to get prepared now. It’s well worth parents printing off
the fact sheets and storing them with a first aid kit so they are
ready for an emergency.
‘Or you can learn basic and emergency
skills first hand on a course if you want that added knowledge
to help you care for your family.’
Even though three quarters of parents ‘claim’ they are
completely confident dealing with something as basic as a cuts or
graze, in reality they do not know the correct procedure to follow.
A whopping 76% of parents believe it is not necessary to cover a
minor cut with a plaster. St John Ambulance’s advice is very clear:
always use a plaster to help prevent infection.
Download the
factsheets and find out more about 'First aid for
children'.
