Marijuana Child Safety Containers

 

 

This has to be a sign of our times - child safety marijuana containers!!!! Who would have thought it?

Such changes in the last few decades, a black president, homosexuality now part of main stream and the internet - what would our grandparents have said?

The legalisation of Marijuana for recreational use in Colorado has sent shops and users scrambling around to find packaging that complies with the states mandate for child proof containers. Concerns over accidental ingestion of Marijuana by children has prompted legislation in Colorado mandating child safety measures such as reverse cap vials on par with that found on potentially harmful over-the-counter medication. Although they have traditionally sold marijuana in packaging such as clear plastic bags, dispensaries that fail to comply with the new regulations risk losing their license to sell their product.

This big push for child safety is in response to accidental ingestion of marijuana by children in 14 incidents between 2009 and 2011. With the law in effect and the stores open for business, critics say that the number of incidents will rise if compliance with packaging regulations is not enforced.

I remember 20 years ago having to sack one of the children’s nannies not  for smoking marijuana,  as what she did in her spare time was not my business,  but because she kept leaving lumps of hash in her bedroom in easy reach of the children.

Suppliers nationwide are gearing up to meet this new need in the marijuana industry and ensure child safety. At last count there were twenty states with medical marijuana legislation and growing. With Washington and Colorado leading the way with recreational legalization, soon that number may be much higher.

It will be interesting to see what kind of creative packaging comes out of this!!!!

You pay peanuts you get monkeys

On Friday I had a conversation with the Manager of a construction company. I was trying to interest him in our Safe and Sound First Aid Courses that we run for builders.
"I am sorry," he said, "but I can get it much cheaper."

"How much cheaper," I asked.

"£50 per person."

"I would like to invite you on one of our courses as our guest so you can  how good we are at training." I replied.

I know that our training is just about the best in the industry. Why? because we are told this by our clients.  Many of them tell us that they have never been on such a brilliant course.

"I am not interested," said the manager. "I don't care about the quality, just the cost."

And with that the conversation ended. Well what more could I say? Except perhaps when you go out for your next business lunch, or a boozy night out with colleagues which will undoubtedly cost nearly as much as one of our courses I really hope that if something gets stuck in your throat, there is someone nearby that has attended a good first aid training course.

And I say this because  a few weeks ago a builder had told us that  had although he had attended a course through his company a few years ago and  he didn't remember anything.

The thing about first aid is that it is absolutely vital that you get good training.  It is not the most exciting thing to learn and especially if you are on a 3 Day course. I have been on one, and I won't name the well know national company, when after Day 1 I felt like slitting my wrists rather than go back for Day 2. It was so incredibly boring, flat, and the trainer had the personality of a newt. Actually I have no idea what kind of personality a newt has but I suspect it isn't very exciting.

If you have good training then it will stay with you and should an emergency ever happen and you need to call on these skills, you will remember what the trainer has taught you.

This is what  Simon Godley of 42 The Dental Practice said about our training.

“Everyone at our practice really enjoyed the  CPR training (which was a first) Marks enthusiasm was  infectious. His obvious "hands on" experience, depth of knowledge medical Emergencies and his ability to break things down into easy to remember 'bite size chunks' was really appreciated by us all. I could hear the nurses repeating comic little phrases he threw in and I'm sure they'll remember more because of it.I would highly recommend this to anyone who's thinking of booking a group CPR session for their practice.”

I think it is a sad reflection on our society that First Aid is so poorly valued.  Surely all companies what to ensure that their staff are safe and prepared should an emergency occur.  I believe that there are lots of good trainers out there but also lots of bad ones. An  old adage comes to mind -- you pay peanuts you get monkeys 

 

 

 

 

Make 2014 the year that you learn or refresh your first aid skills.  First Aid is not rocket science – it is basic and easy to learn and can really make the difference between life and death!

Imagine how reassured you would be to know that the person walking by you in the street would know what to do if you collapsed and stopped breathing, had a heart attack or started choking. 

In reality once the heart stops beating, you only have approximately 3 minutes without oxygenation before the brain is likely to suffer irreparable brain damage.  Therefore the heart must either be restarted or oxygen be provided mechanically by someone else, i.e. starting CPR. 

Safe and Sound has been teaching first aid for over 15 years and we have had heard remarkable stories of how lives have been saved by friends and colleagues and,  in fact, perfect strangers doing CPR. 

One of our trainers who works in an A & E department of a large hospital recalls a situation a few years ago when she was involved in the resuscitation of a toddler who had drowned in the family pond.   The accident happened in February, on a cold but sunny winter morning.  The two older children of the family went out to play in the garden, but didn't realise the toddler followed.  After approximately 20 minutes playing dad spotted the toddler face down in the pond.  He retrieved him and started CPR, as luckily he had been trained.  An ambulance was called and when it arrived the paramedics started more advanced life support and brought him to the emergency department.  On his arrival this little boy was significantly hypothermic and was resuscitated for almost an hour before his heart spontaneously re-started.  The little boy made a full recovery. 

The possible explanation for this was the fact that this incident involved cold water drowning.   If the child is profoundly cold, i.e. hypothermic at the moment that the child's heart stops his vital organs, in particular the brain, may be protected from damage due to lack of oxygenation, a concept often referred to as 'protective hypothermia'. But had CPR not been administered promptly the boy would have died.

When Jessica, a nanny, attended a Safe and Sound paediatric first aid course on 16^th February 2013 she had no idea that within a month she would be using her first aid skills to save the life of an 18 year old girl.

It was St Patrick’s Day and Jessica was in the West End with some friends watching the procession. Suddenly a young girl collapsed on the floor. “I couldn’t believe that we were in the middle of Leicester Square with thousands of people milling around and nobody went to help,” said Jessica.

“I was hoping that I wouldn’t have to do anything, but when I saw that the girl was not responding and not breathing I knew I had to start CPR. I felt very nervous but I remembered what the Safe and Sound trainer had told us on the course and just put it into action. ”

Jessica continued CPR for 7 minutes until the paramedics arrived.

“It was exhausting and it felt like I was doing it forever,” she said, “but it was amazing just how the training all came back to me. When the paramedics took over I was completely overwhelmed.”

The paramedics told Jessica that “without a doubt she had saved the young girl’s life.

 These are just a few of the very many stories that we hear about.  First Aid must be the most important skill you will learn.  It is not expensive probably the cost of a good dinner and which is more important? Don’t procrastinate book on to a course. Go to www.safeandsound.uk.net and find one nearest to you. Or call us on 0208 445 8998

 

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