There is now a Christmas Frenzy in the air and even those who don’t celebrtate christmas seem to  be getting caught up in the excitement of  buying presents,  preparing for over eating and a general merriment. The children  are excited as they  eagerly  wait to find out what pressies they will be getting.

 

So it is up to us - the parents - to make sure that they have a Safe and Sound Christmas. Don't  be tempted to buy cheap  toys that are not suitable for toddlers - ensure they are age appropriate.  

Every year over 35,000 children go to hospitals after an accident involving a toy and the majority of these accidents happen to toddlers between one and three years old.  The child accident and prevention trust advise parents to look at the suggested age range on the packaging.  There is usually a warning symbol letting parents know if a particular toy is unsuitable for children under 36 months. This is important because it means that a toy might contain parts that could choke a very young child.

 There are also safety marks that help identify safe toys. Toys should conform to the European Standard BS EN 71. The Lion mark can also be a helpful guide as this means they have been made to the highest standard of safety and quality and it is the mark used by members of the British Toy and Hobby Association.  A CE mark is not a guarantee of quality or safety but it is a legal requirement for all toys sold in the European Union.

 

But it isn’t just toys that cause accidents. Extra vigilance needs to be taken with candles. Children are fascinated by fire  and candles should be placed  out of reach of little fingers,  away from curtains or anything that might blow into them and put  in fire proof containers that will not topple over. Containers can get very hot and quickly burn the wooden tables underneath.

 To prevent falls make sure than the stairs are safe.  Children will be up very early on Christmas day to see what Santa has left them and will hurtle down the stairs not looking to see if something has been left on one of them.  Keeping floors clear of toys will  help eliminate the number of falls for both the children and granny.

And those bottle of aftershave and perfume should be kept well out of reach as they main contain alcohol and chemicals which if swallowed could be harmful. Remember too children are very curious and will  want to see what is at the bottom of mum’s glass. Small amounts of alcohol can poison young children.  I’ts not all doom and gloom just taking a few careful precautions can ensure that the children are kept safe and sound over the holiday period.

 

What to do if your child chokes

 

How can I tell that my child is choking?

 

1. She may be gasping for air and unable to breathe
2. She may be holding or clutching her throat
3. She may be unable to speak
4. She may lose colour or look blue

 

What should I do?

 

1             Encourage your child to cough. If this does not quickly release the object:

2             Bend your child forward from the waist so that the head is lower than the chest and give 5 sharp back slaps between the shoulder blades.

3             If the object is still not released give up to 5 abdominal thrusts: kneel or stand behind your child with both arms around their waist. Make a fist with one hand and place it just above the belly button (below the ribs) with your thumb inwards. Grasp this fist with the other hand. Thrust sharply inwards and upwards. Try this up to 5 times. Check between thrusts and stop if you clear the obstruction.

4             If the obstruction is still not cleared repeat steps 2 and 3. Ask someone to dial 999 for an ambulance.

5             Be prepared to resuscitate if the child stops breathing.

 

 

 

If your child suffers a burn or scald

 

Treatment

 

        Cool burn with cold running water for at least ten minutes. If cold water is not available, use another cold,, harmless liquid, such as milk

        Get Medical help for any burn or scald which is larger than a 50p coin

        Remember to keep calm and give lots of comfort and reassurance to the child

        DO NOT remove burnt clothing which has stuck to the skin. Burnt clothing is sterile and will protect the wound.

        Remove carefully any jewellery, belts, restrictive clothing or footwear (that is not stuck to the skin) from the injured area before it begins to swell

        Cover the burn with a clean, dry, not fluffy dressing and secure loosely.  A plastic bag or piece of cling film are ideal

        DO NOT put butter oil or any sort of grease or lotion on a burn or scald – these can cause further damage and increase the risk of infection

        DO NOT apply sticking plasters or any other type of adhesive dressing to the skin – they will cause pain and damage when removed

        DO NOT break blisters – you may introduce infection into the wound

        DO  NOT give the child anything to eat or drink with the exception of painkillers

        Give the recommended dose of children’s painkiller syrup

 

REMEMBER Tell medical staff when, what and how much medicine you have given. Not all medicines are suitable for all children; please consult your doctor or pharmacist before giving any medication to your child.

 

 

The above is not a substitute for professional first aid training. For details of paediatric first aid courses in your area please call safe and Sound on 0208 445 8998 or go to www.safeandsound.uk.net 

 

 

I am trying to understand why people don't want to learn first aid. It seems odd to me that when it can take as little of 3 hours of someone's life to learn how to save another life, there are so few people that opt to do this. Is it cost? surely not as it is just about the same cost as a reasonably inexpensive dinner. Maybe it is fear or more likely the head in the sand approach "It won't happen to me." way of thinking. 

 

 A GP receptionist  who  had recently attended a Safe and Sound First Aid  Training Course told us that just a few weeks afterward they had their annual refresher training with Safe and Sound a man had walked into the surgery complaining of chest pains. He then collapsed and died 3 times before they managed to save him. "We started CPR immediately while someone went for the defibrillator and then attached him to administer the shocks," explained the receptionist.  Paramedics told them had they not been trained the man would not be alive today.  

 

Luckily Sue did know first aid. And when her  husband collapsed, turned grey and stopped breathing she knew exactly what to do. Everything she had learnt on a first aid course at her nursery school a few years ago kicked in and after calling 999 she started CPR (cardio pulmonary resuscitation).

“It’s amazing how when the adrenalin starts flowing you just do what you have to and I remembered the trainer at the nursery telling us that resuscitation was exactly the same for children as adults except for the rescue breaths at the beginning and that we needed to be more forceful when working with adults. I also remember the trainer telling us not to worry about breaking any ribs because broken ribs are not as serious as dying, which is just as well as I broke two of my husband’s ribs.”

What most surprised Sue was her quick reaction and the fact that without thinking she followed the DRSABC procedure she had been taught. “The dog was running wildly around my husband’s head and so I first locked him in another room before starting to resuscitate.”

Her husband Chris had a major heart attack. Sue resuscitated for 20 minutes until the paramedics arrived and it then took them 2 hours to stabilise Chris, who they four times, before they could transfer him to the ambulance. He has since made a full recovery.

Chris is 42, slim, and certainly doesn’t look like a heart attack victim, apart from smoking too much which he has now given up.

“Both Sue and I feel that everybody should do a first aid course because something could happen at any time,” says Chris. Maybe not a heart attacks but an accident, a child choking, drowning, or getting a head injury, and if you know what to do, whether it is resuscitation, or anything else, it could save a life. Let’s face it I am very very lucky to be here and if Sue hadn’t been on a first aid course I probably wouldn’t be.”

Sue explains that Chris woke up in the middle of the night with a headache.

“I didn’t think anything because he had had a headache for the past two days. But then he said that he felt very weird and he asked me to come downstairs with him because he felt scared. I thought that was very odd and unlike Chris.

“I thought I couldn’t take him to hospital just with a headache so I was on the phone to NHS direct when he collapsed. The dog was going crazy going round and round Chris’s head so I put the him away in another room and called 999.

“I realised that Chris was going grey and couldn’t breathe, so I started to do CPR. Everything from the course at the nursery came back to me. I remembered the breaths to chest compressions, knew that if it was an adult I needed to be forceful and I just went on auto pilot.

“The 999 people were very helpful talking me through the steps. It took 10 minutes for the ambulance to arrive and I just kept doing the CPR. When the doorbell rang I didn’t know what to do, should I answer it or carry on with CPR? The 999 people said just leave him quickly.

“It took 2 hours for the paramedics to stabilise Chris so they could transfer him to hospital. They had lost him 4 times. They told me that if I hadn’t had done CPR my husband would have just died. And if I hadn’t have been on a course I really wouldn’t have known what to do. It just all came back to me instantly, even though we had done it on child dummies.

“It was very scary and it was only when the paramedics arrived and took over that I thought thank goodness it is out of my hands now.

“So many of my friends have gone on first aid courses now because they have told me that they wouldn’t have known what to do had it happened to them and that their husbands would probably have been dead by the time the paramedics arrived.

 

Call us on 0208 445 8998 to book a first aid course

or go to:

www.safeandsound.uk.net

 

First Aid Saves lives

Kelly was on her way home last week when she witnessed a bicycle accident. The young man on the bike had hit a speed bump, fell off his bicycle and hit his head. He was unconscious but breathing. He was surrounded by a group of people but nobody knew what to do. Kelly moved everybody out of the way, checked his breathing and organised some of the helpers to call the emergency services. She knew what to do because her work place had recently put her on a first aid course. The thing about first is that you never know when you might need it. Complying with health and safety in the work place is all very well – but 1 in 50 people trained in first aid is not enough. EVERYBODY needs to learn first aid. It is not rocket science – it is not expensive but it is probably the most important life skill you will ever learn. Once the heart stops there is only 3 minutes before irreversible brain damage occurs. So you need to be able to do good CPR immediately, I am not sure why we are so bad about this in the UK. But hardly anybody that I meet out of my industry knows what to do if someone stops breathing. “Put them in the recovery position” is something I am often told – recovery position what’s the point they are not breathing!!!! When my children were at junior school many years ago I remember asking the Head if he would like Safe and Sound to come in and train all the staff in first aid. “We don’t need it”, he said. “It is too expensive to train everybody. We have one teacher per year.” “ But what about if a child swallows a rubber or something similar and starts choking the teacher will not have time to find the trained first aider”, I said trying to keep calm. “That has never happened,” he replied dismissively. It is this attitude that flaws me. How short sighted. Yes you might never need it but what if…… And as for too expensive – training is cheap. I guess it comes down to how much you value a life. So I urge everybody who does not know what to do if someone stops breathing, starts choking, has an anaphylactic shock, a heart attack or a head injury to attend a first aid course. It doesn’t have to be ours – although I think we are the best – well I would say that… Actually everybody tells us so. I think it is because all our trainers are paramedics and nurses with extensive experience of accident and emergency medicine which means they know what they want to find when they arrive at an emergency. And your job is to keep that person alive until the emergency services arrive. And because I feel so passionately about everybody learning first aid – mention this blog when you call us 0208 445 8998 and I will give you a discount on the training. The next Safe and Sound First Aid course is on 1 October in our venue opposite Euston Station. www.safeandsound.uk.net

Instinctive Drowning Response - how we react in water

I am a good swimmer, in fact when I was a teenager I used to swim in national competitions. Even more impressive is that I used to swim butterfly. One mile every morning before school and one mile after school. So you would think that I would be completely safe in the water.  And yet last year I had a scary experience when I swam in some very cold water.

Over the past few months there have been numerous harrowing stories in the press about drownings. It is and easy to see in this fabulous hot weather why a  river or lake  would  look so inviting. Wonderfully cold and refreshing and all you want to do is to dive into them - and there is the problem.  You don't know the dangers that might lurk in that river or lake. 

I read an interesting fact sheet today on Instinctive Drowning Response on the Red Cross Website that I think it a must read. It lists how  people actually react when they are in trouble in the water and it looks nothing like what most people would expect. 

 

 

Here are the facts:

1. It’s subtle

Far from the histrionic waving and splashing about on telly, a drowning person will instinctively spread their arms and paddle down in an attempt to stay above the surface. No matter how good an idea it might seem, a person can’t just ‘stop drowning’ for a few seconds to wave for help – it’s literally beyond their control.

2. It’s quiet

A drowning person will alternately dip below the water and briefly back up again. They’re struggling so hard just to exhale and inhale again – to actually breathe – that speaking doesn’t even come into it.

3. It’s quick

Someone who is drowning will only last from 20 to 60 seconds before succumbing. Children are obviously at the lower end of that time spectrum, so it’s vital to recognise the danger signs.

Of course, if someone is splashing and shouting for help (which is called aquatic distress) they still need immediate help, but the time to really worry is when they go quiet.

According to water safety expert Frank Pia, there’s another complication for younger people in the water: “The drowning movements of a young child can actually look like they’re doing the dog paddle.”

 

For details of Safe and Sound First Aid Courses go to www.safeandsound.uk.net

 

Head and Neck Injuries

To move or not to move

One of the questions that always comes up on our Safe and Sound first aid courses is  --  "if you  think someone  may have broken their neck  should they be moved?"  Clearly the concern is that if you  move somebody with a supected broken neck then you  might paralyse them. But if they are not breathing or  are about to choke on their own vomit, then you have to move them, as it is your job as a first aid to help preserve life.

Reading Melanie Reid’s feature in the Saturday Times Magazine brought this question back to my mind. Melanie fell from her horse in 2010 and has been partially paralysed since the accident. Her weekly column in the Saturday Magazine is a ‘must read’. 

Melanie says, “I fell off my horse. The first job was to survive. And I managed that, thanks to the friends at the scene, paramedics, the crew of a Navy search and rescue Sea King, and the NHS at its most superb.” 

I don’t know if Melanie stopped breathing and yes she is paralysed, but alive and I also  don’t know whether she was glad that she was saved but  I suspect she is as she continues to fight for a recovery.

So what should you  do?

Suspect a spinal injury if someone has:

Had a blow to the head neck or back (especially resulting in unconsciousness).

Fallen from a height – like Melanie did from her horse

Dived into shallow water

Been in an accident involving speed – such as a car accident

Been involved in a ‘cave in’ accident – such as crushing or collapsed in a rugby scrum

Multiple injuries

Pain or tenderness in the neck or back after an accident - be careful not give pain killers before seeing a paramedic as they may mask other severe injuries

If in doubt treat the casualty as if they have a spinal injury.

What next?

If they are  conscious:

Reassure them and tell them not to move. Staying calm is so important in all first aid incidents. Because your anxiety ill transfer and even if you are  falling apart inside, the behaviour needs to show the opposite. 

Keep them in the position in which you find them. Don’t  allow them to move, unless they are in severe danger

Hold their head still with your hands. Keep the head and neck in line with the upper body.

Call 999/112 for emergency help. Keep them still and warm until help arrives.

 If they are unconscious

 If they are breathing normally this means the airway must be clear, so there is no need to tip the head back - you may have to gently tip it back and resuscitate if they are not!

Call 999/112 for emergency help

Hold the head still with your hands and keep the head and neck in line with the upper body.

If you have to leave the casualty, if they begin to vomit, or if you are concerned about their airway in any way, you should put them in the recovery position. KEEP THE HEAD AND NECK IN LINE WITH THE SPINE WHILY YOU TURN THE CASUALTY, Try to get help in doing this if you can.

Keep them warm and still. Constantly monitor breathing until help arrives. Only move them if they are in severe danger

I know this isn’t a very uplifting blog but I was reminded of the importance of knowing what to do when I read Melanie’s feature.  I hope you never have to use it – but at least should an emergency arise you will have some knowledge.  Better still come on one of our first aid courses and practice it yourself. www.safeandsound.uk.net

Heat Exhaustion and Heat Stroke - What To Do?

                                                                   

I am not complaining but..... It is hot hot hot. And this kind of heat can creep up on you so it is important to monitor your body's response to it.

We all know it’s important to drink water and slap on sun cream when the sun shines. But would you know what to do if someone had heat exhaustion or heat stroke?

So what is heat exhaustion?  It is when we sweat excessively and lose   water and body salts. Take a child that begins to feel poorly in the late afternoon or early evening after running around all day. 

Heat exhaustion occurs when the core body temperature rises above 38"C.   And if this is not treated it can quickly lead to heat stroke

So what are the signs and symptoms?

They include confusion, dizziness, and a loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and a pale and sweaty skin.   The child or adult may say they 'feel cold' but they will be hot to touch

How to treat this?

·        Move the adult or child to a cool shaded area. Remove excessive clothing and lay them down

·        Give them water to re-hydrate them. Oral rehydration solutions such as Dioralyte or isotonic drinks are best as they also replace lost body salts (if giving to someone else's children read the label and get consent from patents)  If a child does not want to drink then  try ice lollies. 

Always get medical advice, even if the child or adult recovers quickly.

Heat stroke is a much more serious condition and results in failure of the temperature control area of the brain.  Our sweating mechanism fails and the body is unable to cool down. The body temperature can reach dangerously high levels (over 40"C).

The symptoms for this can include severe confusion and restlessness, a lowered level of consciousness and a possibility of fitting. Flushed, hot dry skin (no sweating), a throbbing headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting.

So how to treat this? 

·   Move the child or adult  to a cool, shaded area

·    Call 999/112 for emergency help

·    Cool rapidly. Remove outer clothing and wrap in a cold, wet sheet, Keep it wed and cold until the temperature falls to normal levels, then replace with a dry sheet. Take care not to cool down too quickly

    

I hope this isn't too scary but really so much better to be forwarned

You can also always attend one of our first aid courses www.safeandsound.uk.net

Registering Nannies and Au Pairs with Ofsted

 

                                                                

"Why do I need to register with Ofsted?" asked a nanny on the phone today. 

 "You don't need to register however if you are looking for work then you will stand a better chance of finding a job if you are registered." I amswered

 "Why?" she asked

"Because a family can only claim back their tax credits if they employ an Ofsted registered nanny.”

"But then surely they should pay for me to be registered" was her retort.

 Of course there might be some truth in this but with the economy in decline and families thinking twice about employing nannies, I explained that it might be sensible for her to take the initiative and pay to get herself registered.

She sighed "So how do I do it?" 

Luckily Safe and Sound has written a guide for nannies and parents.  We did this  after  many many calls  from confused nannies, au pairs and parents who had called Ofsted and been directed to their site - but find the site muddled and confusing.  And when they tried to talk to someone at Ofsted they still did not understand.  I am not sure Ofsted really understand themselves.

So here is our Safe and Sound Guide to the Voluntary Ofsted Registration for child carers looking after children in other people's homes. 

Parents who employ an Ofsted registered nanny can receive some financial contributions towards their childcare costs. There are two types of financial support available: employer-supported childcare vouchers and working tax credits.

You can find out more about what this means for you financially by going to: www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk

The Registration Process

Step 1

Nannies and Au Pairs complete the initial online application form (CR1) available at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/application-forms-for-childcare-register-forms-cr1-and-cr2Ofsted.gov.uk

You can also apply by phone (0300 123 1231) or post. 

Step 2

Ofsted will send out an invoice and a request for further information including the following documents:

1.    A valid paediatric first aid certificate

2.      Evidence of an appropriate childcare qualification covering the Common core skills and knowledge (for further info go to http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/resources/factsheet-childcare-common-core-skills-and-knowledge)

3.    A valid nanny insurance certificate

4.      A completed CRB application form (Ofsted will carry out the CRB check as part of the registration process)

Step 3

Submit the documents at a local post office where the applicant’s identity will be verified. Once Ofsted has checked all documentation, carried out the CRB check, and is satisfied the applicant meets their criteria; they will issue a certificate of registration with a unique registration number.

How much does it cost to register?

Ofsted registration fee (includes CRB check)                        £103

Safe and Sound Paediatric First Aid course                  £114 (£100*)

Safe and Sound Common Core Skills course                £135 (£120*)

*If both courses are booked together the discounted rates apply

Nanny Insurance                                                                     Approximately £65

Who should be expected to cover the cost?

Whilst parents benefit financially, Ofsted registration may enhance a nanny or au pair’s professional qualifications and employability and so both parties benefit from registration. There are no hard and fast rules as to who should pay for what but as a professional childcarer it is not unreasonable to expect nannies to pay for their first aid training and insurance. It is worth mentioning that if the parents do pay for the registration it is considered a benefit in kind and should be declared as such.

How long does it take to get registered?

Once your application and supporting documents have been submitted, you need to allow approximately 12 weeks to get your registration certificate through.

Good Luck

Only female bees and wasps sting

Just another gloomy summer day in London and sitting in the garden with a friend,sipping good old english tea - menondade on a hot sunny day would have been preferred - we suddenly get visited by a bee.  "not seen many of these this summer," says my friend and hardly had she got the words out of her month when she gets stung!!! 

The poor bee had landed on her hand for a wee rest and she, not knowing it was there was describing an event to me and slapped her hand on the table - with the bee underneath.

And it was painful and there sitting in the middle of her hand was the Bee sting.  "Do you think the bee will die now," she ask worried. More important was to get the sting out immediately. "tweezers," she shouts. Putting on my Safe and sound hat, and remembering what our paramedics always teach on our first aid courses,  I explain, tweezer should never be used. You don't want to snap the sting or push it further in - I grab a credit card and gently edge the sting  off her hand.  I check her out for any signs of swelling or anaphylactic shock but all is good. Once the sting is removed it is important to use a cold compress or cold water to reduce the swelling.

Some people can have a severe allergic reaction to being bitten or stung and the whole body can react within minutes which can lead to anaphylactic shock. Anaphylactic shock is very serious and can be fatal.

So do bees really  die after they have stung you?  I search for answers.  Apparently it depends on which kind of bee stung you.  Honey bees do die after they sting but other bees and of course those horrible wasps, don't.  and another interesting fact I found out is that only female bees  and wasps sting.  Venom, pumped from attached venom sacs, is injected into the unfortunate victim through the stylus, the needle-like portion of the sting apparatus. The stylus is enclosed between a pair of lancets. When a    bees or wasp  stings you, the lancets become embedded in your skin. They alternately pull the stylus into your flesh, and then the venom sacs pump venom into your body.

My friend is fine and hopefully so is the bee.

WHAT TO DO  - First Aid for bites and Stings

Bee, wasp and Hornet stings cause localised pain and swelling but are not usually serious.

•        If the sting is still visible in the wound, carefully scrape it away with your fingernail or  a card such as a credit card ad ensure that the poison stored in the poison sac attached to the sting is not     squeezed into the bloodstream.

 

•        Place a cold compress on the area stung to relieve pain and reduce swelling and if possible raise the affected area.

•        If the sting is in the mouth, remove if possible and get the child to sip cool water or suck on a piece of ice.

•        TAKE THE CHILD TO HOSPITAL OR DIAL 999 IMMEDIATLEY IF THE LIPS, TONGUE OR THROAT BEGIN TO SWELL