Both adults and children can take an active role in supplying first aid in accident situations. With proper prior preparation, kids can be an asset in assisting themselves and others in emergencies. Training and preparedness should begin at home. "Young kids have the highest risk of being injured at home, because that's where they spend most of their time," according to KidsHealth.
Home Safety Kit and Instruction
Have a well-stocked home first-aid kit and instruct your children how to use the items in the kit. The items included should be age-appropriate. As a child ages and can use more complex first-aid items, additional items may be added. A basic kit for preschoolers should include sterile gauze, several sizes of bandages, adhesive tape, antiseptic and alcohol wipes, soap, instant cold packs, flashlight with batteries, a list of emergency telephone numbers, and blankets, according to the Nemours' KidsHealth website. Allow children time to explore the kit and to practice using the items with adult instruction. Review the procedures monthly to ensure that the kids understand proper use.
Phone Use
Instruct children on how to summon help. Basic first-aid preparation includes posting safety information on telephones---both land lines and cell phones in the home and car. Explain the correct manner to call the operator to request help. This procedure should be practiced until the child has mastered it, and refresher practice sessions should be done monthly. The American Red Cross kid classes incorporate training in telephoning for help when accidents happen. Age-appropriate training booklets are available online from various sources, including several listed under "Resources."
Disaster Safety
Kids need to know what safety procedures are necessary in natural disasters, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This preparation allows a feeling of understanding and avoids helplessness if disasters happen. Children should be assigned an age-appropriate duty (such as setting up blankets and water in a shelter area) to prepare for a potential disaster or assist when a flood, hurricane or tornado occurs. FEMA provides an online kids program, Ready Kids, to assist children in preparing for disasters. Ready Kids also includes detailed instructions for preparing a plan for various disaster situations. This program is a valuable tool for use by kids and their parents for first-aid safety preparation.
What to Do Until Help Arrives
Children should take at least one class in basic first-aid training so that they understand the fundamental first-aid procedures. The American Red Cross offers First Aid for Children Today (F.A.C.T.) classes designed for children ages five through eight. The agency presents 10 to 14 hours of instruction under the overall title of "FACT Critter Clan" classes. In addition to first aid, the classes teach injury prevention and personal safety. The next first-aid class in the age sequence, Basic Aid Training (B.A.T.), is designed for children eight to 10 years old. This class introduces the action steps, "Check, Call and Care" and trains children in first-aid basics. Kids receive a basic training guide in the form of a kid-appropriate activity book that may be used at home in review sessions. This training provides the key elements of what needs to be done until help arrives.
No-Fault Help
Adults should reinforce that summoning help must be an immediate action, regardless of what the injury might entail. The most important element of first aid is to provide rapid assistance to the hurt person without any blame attached for the injury. Children sometimes are fearful of being blamed for causing injury, which may discourage them from seeking help in time.
