It is very important that you take a course in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This lesson does not replace that course. This lesson only provides a brief introduction to keeping children safe when they are injured. Show
KnowChildren are natural explorers. Have you ever thought, “That child has no fear!”? You were probably right. Preschool children do not always recognize the danger in situations. They challenge their developing bodies and minds. In child development programs, we have to be prepared to respond to a range of injuries. Some injuries will only require cleaning and bandaging. Other injuries require immediate medical attention. You must be able to tell the difference between the two. You must be prepared to respond during any situation. Consider these examples:
Your facilities and classrooms are designed to minimize risks when accidents occur. For example, properly inspected playground equipment and cushioned fall zones make it unlikely Simone would be seriously injured in a fall from the slide. The safety rules you teach make it less likely children will collide with one another at high speeds. Even in the best situations, though, accidents happen. You must be prepared to act on injuries big and small. Some injuries are small and only require minor first aid. For example, when Dante skins his knee, his caregiver will likely respond by cleaning the wound, applying a bandage, and completing an incident report. Dante is able to continue playing. Other injuries are serious but not life-threatening. For example, Madison and Simone may need medical treatment for their injuries, but they are not likely to face permanent disability or death. Some injuries are life-threatening and require immediate medical attention. For example, Luke’s accident with a moving vehicle, Luis’ ingestion of unidentified pills, and Millie’s choking could all result in serious injury or death. As a child development professional, you must be able to recognize these situations and respond appropriately. You must know what resources are available for helping an injured child. Your options will depend on the severity of the injury and the urgency of the situation. If the injury is minor, like a cracked lip, a teacher trained in first aid can offer immediate care. If a child is choking or not breathing, a teacher trained in first aid or CPR should also respond immediately. Training on first aid and CPR is offered by your employer and community agencies, such as the Red Cross.
Identifying and Responding to ConcussionsAs children are growing and learning, accidents are bound to occur. But what happens when a child suffers a significant head injury? What if they are unable to communicate how they feel as a result? With increasing research about the long-term effects of traumatic brain injuries, it is important for caregivers to understand how to properly identify and respond to head injuries in young children. Childhood concussions are common. They can affect a child’s ability to think, learn, and interact with the world around them. According to Dr. Sam Torbati of Cedars-Sinai Hospital (2021), a concussion is “a mild, temporary form of brain injury that can result after a forceful blow to the head or jolt to the body which causes the brain to bounce against the skull.” Concussions are often thought to be the result of sports injuries, however, the most common reasons for a concussion in younger children are falls or collisions with objects such a ball, peer, table, or wall. The following are a few scenarios in which a concussion could occur in preschool-age children:
Symptoms of a concussion can appear immediately following the injury or up to a few days afterwards. For this reason, it is important for caregivers to carefully observe the child and track their symptoms over the course of several days. Below are common symptoms you may notice in preschoolers who have experienced a concussion:
Regardless of the perceived severity of the head injury, caregivers should take the following actions after a blow to the head occurs:
Concussion symptoms in younger children are especially important to note as they are at a higher risk for more serious brain injuries. If you notice excessive vomiting in younger children, you should seek medical attention right away. Additional symptoms that warrant an emergency visit to a doctor or hospital (in all ages) include worsened headache, increased confusion, inability to stay awake, slurred speech, weakness, seizures, and loss of consciousness. Symptoms of a concussion will look different for every child. The recovery time will look different as well. Regardless of how the injury occurred or presented in a child, monitoring and rest is important for all ages to properly recover from a concussion. For preschoolers, modifications to their learning environment may be necessary. If mild symptoms persist for longer than a week or you observe signs of a regression in the child’s development, talk with their family about contacting their pediatrician for follow-up care. SeeYou must know what to look for when you are deciding how to respond to an injury. If a child has any of the following symptoms, call emergency medical services (EMS) right away:
After you have called EMS, remember to contact the child’s legal guardian. If a child has any of the following symptoms, get medical attention within one hour:
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When it comes to responding to injuries, make sure you always do the following:
It is important to think about what you would do during stressful situations. Read the Responding to Injuries activity. Complete the answers and talk about them with a trainer, coach, or administrator. Then compare your answers to the suggested responses. Make sure you are prepared for injuries and other emergencies. Use the First Aid Kit Checklist to make sure your first aid kit is well stocked. References & Resources American Academy of Pediatrics, American Public Health Association, National Resource Center for Health and Safety in Child Care and Early Education. (2019). Caring for our children: National health and safety performance standards; Guidelines for early care and education programs. (4th ed.). American Academy of Pediatrics. https://nrckids.org/CFOC American Red Cross. (n.d.) American Red Cross homepage. https://www.redcross.org/ Cedars-Sinai Staff. (2021, July 29). Concussion symptoms in children: What to know. Cedars-Sinai Hospital.https://www.cedars-sinai.org/blog/concussions-children.html Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Caring for your child’s concussion. (2018). https://www.cdc.gov/traumaticbraininjury/pdf/pediatricmtbiguidelineeducationaltools/2018-CDC_mTBI_Discharge-Instructions-508.pdf Cleveland Clinic. (2020, May 5). 10 things parents should know about children and concussions.https://health.clevelandclinic.org/10-things-parents-should-know-children-and-concussions/ Halstead, M.E., McAvoy, K., Devore, C.D., Carl, R., Lee, M., Logan, K., Council on Sports Medicine and Fitness; Council on School Health; Brenner, J., Demorest, R.A., Weiss Kelly, A.K., Koutures, C.G., LaBella, C.R., LaBotz, M., Loud, K.J., Moffatt, K.A., Brooks, M.A., Martin, S.S., & Guinn-Jones, M. (2013). Returning to learning following a concussion. American Academy of Pediatrics, 132(5) 948-957. https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2013-2867 Kids Health. Concussions. (2019, February). https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/concussions.html National Association for the Education of Young Children. (2018). NAEYC early learning program accreditation standard and assessment items. National Association for the Education of Young Children. https://www.naeyc.org/accreditation/early-learning/standards Podolak, O. (2020, June 18). The natural history of concussion in infants and children under age 5. Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.https://injury.research.chop.edu/blog/posts/natural-history-concussion-infants-and-children-under-age-5 Podolak, O.E., Chaudhary, S., Haarbauer-Krupa, J., Metzger, K.B., Curry, A.E., Kessler, R.S., Pfeiffer, M.R., Breiding, M.J., Master, C.L., & Arbogast, K.B. (2021). Characteristics of diagnosed concussions in children aged 0 to 4 years presenting to a large pediatric healthcare network. Retrieved March 10, 2022, from https://journals.lww.com/pec-online/Fulltext/2021/12000/Characteristics_of_Diagnosed_Concussions_in.174.aspx What is the first and most critical step in responding to an emergency in an ambulatory care emergency situation quizlet?What is the first and most critical step in responding to an emergency in an ambulatory care emergency situation? recognize when emergency measures should be taken.
What is the role of the medical assistant with emergency situations quizlet?MAs are responsible for diagnosing emergencies. MAs are responsible for maintaining equipment used in emergency situations. MAs are responsible for administering medications during emergency situations.
Which of the following emergency situations should receive the first priority?As a first responder to any situation, you first priority should be to preserve life. You may need to perform CPR, stop bleeding or take other action to preserve the victim's life. Start with C-A-B—circulation, airway, and breathing.
Which of the following is a condition that occurs as a result of an inability of the body to properly convert sugar from food into energy?Diabetes is a chronic (long-lasting) health condition that affects how your body turns food into energy. Your body breaks down most of the food you eat into sugar (glucose) and releases it into your bloodstream. When your blood sugar goes up, it signals your pancreas to release insulin.
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