First aid course for little treasures

AN upcoming course at St John of God Hospital will teach expectant mothers and those with newborns, plus anyone else who might find themselves caring for a baby, vital techniques and strategies to deal with an unexpected infant health emergency.

Attendees will be shown practical ways to deal with ailments such as choking and burns, fevers, rashes, as well as cuts and bleeds.

Grace Larson is a senior nurse educator, paediatric critical care expert and director of PAEDS – the education business that will be delivering the course.

She said it’s that in the event of any accident or emergency, no matter what the patient’s age, an important link in the chain of survival is the first responder.

“In the case of children under one year of age this is predominantly going to be parents or carers,” she said.

“Therefore it’s incredibly important they have an awareness of basic first aid and CPR skills. This will not only increase the likelihood of survival from an accident or incident but also improve the neurological outcomes.

“Many of these skills are muscle memory. The more you practice them, the more likely you will remember what to do in an emergency. They are straightforward and simple and can literally save a life.”

Ms Larson said some of the things around the home that could be of danger to a baby include small objects that can pose choking hazards, as well as many indoor plants that are actually poisonous if ingested.

“Children can drown in even small amounts of water, so animal drinking bowls on the floor level also pose a danger,” she said.

The Baby First Aid Course will be held at St John of God Hospital on Saturday 9 July from 2.30pm to 4pm. Enrol via bit.ly/39PgEk4.