By Marli Naidoo

First aid is one of those things one simply has to learn even if you hope that you will never have to use it. Unfortunately it is also one of those things that we as parents are inclined to discuss with each other but not with our children. The reason is that we do not want to frighten our children.

However, it is important to talk about this as a family so that everyone can be prepared. What will your child do if something happens to his nanny and cannot take care of him at that moment? He knows what steps to take.

Young children can learn how to call for help and how to apply basic first aid. They learn so fast and can sometimes do more than we expect.

When we as parents feel comfortable and competent in applying first aid, we will be able to integrate the relevant skills in our everyday lives in natural ways. This can be done in a playful way and will not result in fear. First aid has to do with the human body, which, of course, is fascinating.

When a family as a whole are equipped to apply first aid, they learn together to keep each other safe and what to do if something goes wrong.

You can teach your children from a young age to disinfect small wounds and apply plasters, or to exert pressure on a larger bleeding wound. They can also learn early to wrap ice in a cloth to apply to a bruise. They must also know when it will be necessary to call emergency services and how to do it.

Focus on typical cases that could perhaps occur in your family. Does a family member suffer from epilepsy? What must be done if he or she gets a seizure? Does one of you suffer from a serious allergy? What are the steps in case of an allergic reaction?

The most common emergencies for which a family must be prepared are burns, choking, drowning, falling, poisoning and asphyxiation. Every member of the family must know what to do when this happens.

Create acronyms so that everyone can easily remember the necessary steps and use role-playing to apply the steps.

A family-friendly first-aid course is a wonderful investment for every family. The medical personnel will know exactly how to teach your children the necessary skills in playful ways.

Bronne:

Family Education: https://www.familyeducation.com/kids/first-aid

Emergency First Response: https://www.emergencyfirstresponse.com/make-first-aid-and-cpr-training-a-family-affair/

Online First Aid.com: https://onlinefirstaid.com/first-aid-for-all-ages/

First Aid for Life: https://firstaidforlife.org.uk/the-benefits-importance-families-learning-first-aid-together/

Eartheasy: https://learn.eartheasy.com/articles/teaching-my-child-first-aid-6-essentials/