Many people don't know much about first aid and this can cause some serious problems in the event of an emergency. Few of us actually think that we will have to deal with a serious medical problem in our lives, but the fact of the matter is that all of us will. And none of us know when this might be. We don't know if it will come tomorrow or in the next twenty years. Just as we don't know how to deal with an emergency and when it will come, our children also don't know. In fact, our kids know much less than we do, and could be terribly confused and ineffective in the event of an emergency. Kids would love to help but they rarely can in such serious matters. This does not mean, however, that you should not teach your kids about first aid. After all, what if something happens when you are not around, or when there are no adults present? What about when the adult in the situation is the one having the emergency and there are only children present to help? This could definitely be the case if you are a stay at home mom or dad with no one else in the house but your child to help you. It is also possible that even in a situation where there are adults helping a child with some knowledge might be able to make some sort of difference. So what should you teach your children about first aid, and what is the best method for teaching them about it?
Obviously the answer to this question depends on the age of the child and their capabilities. Teenagers can do basically what just about any adult could do, so you should feel confident about teaching them basic first aid, including CPR. You can teach these kids how to treat burns or other complicated injuries. Younger children need to be taught a little bit differently because large amounts of complex information will probably only confuse them. They need to understand a few basic ideas about first aid. Certainly teach them to put pressure on a cut that is bleeding or to clean a dirty wound. These are basics that everyon should know regardless of their age. However, what young children really need to be taught is how to contact someone else in the event of an emergency. They need to know what a serious medical emergency looks like and how to respond to it. Because a young child probably will not be able to perform CPR or treat a person who is in shock, they need to be able to find someone who can do so quickly. Teach them to call 911 and make sure that they know their own address. Help them to understand that a medical emergency is serious so that all of this needs to be done right away. Finally, run through this procedure, drilling them to make sure that they know what to do.
Another important part of teaching young children about first aid is to teach them things that they can do to avoid getting into a bad situation. Teach them that knives and scissors are dangerous and that electrical outlets can really hurt them. Make sure that they know that a pool or bathtub can be very dangerous. You don't want to scare your children too much, but make sure that they realize how dangerous some of things are.
By teaching your kids these basic pieces of first aid they will be able to quickly deal with an emergency.
This article is taken from- http://ezinearticles.com/?What-to-Teach-Your-Kids-About-First-Aid&id=3507980
