Baby First Aid

Congratulations on your new little bundle!  No doubt you've had the roller-coaster of euphoria, fear, joy, fear, contentment, fear, happiness and... "Jeez this is just too much!" 

The thought of something happening to our little, defenceless baby is too much to bear. So let's not think about it and that'll ensure nothing bad happens, right?

Wrong. Unfortunately accidents and illness happen every day, even with babies. As a parent or carer we need to recognise signs and symptoms, and know what to do when our baby needs us most.

It's important to note:
• The following information is not a substitute for a first aid course which allows you to ask questions from a qualified trainer, and also gives you essential practical experience.
• Prevention is better then cure. Get down on your hands and knees to see hazards from your baby's viewpoint, and read Essential Baby's article on Childproofing Your Home and our A-Z of home safety.
• Listen to your instincts! You know your baby better then anyone. 
• The number for the ambulance service in Australia is 000.  You only need to call 112 from your mobile in the event that 000 doesn't work, which is rare.  

Let's go through five common scenarios that occur to babies: 

Your baby falls and hits their head.
Most of us have heard that horrible "thud". Babies don't know how to break their fall like older, more experienced fallers. So their head usually takes a lot of the impact.  

Although a baby's head is soft and delicate, it's designed quite well for the odd bump.  So first of all, try not to panic.  (Babies don't know to panic unless they pick it up from you!)

Next, what's the baby's reaction? Is she looking around like nothing's happened, indicating the fright is bigger for you than her? Is she crying indicating pain - also letting you know there's nothing wrong with her consciousness or breathing?  If it's either of these reactions, rest assured your baby is usually okay.
If she appears 'dazed', unusually tired, starts vomiting or fitting, call 000 immediately.

Your baby is unconscious.
To get a response, try putting your finger in their hand to get them to grip; rub her forehead; rub her chest; call her name and tickle her feet.  

If she's not responding, call an ambulance immediately and put her in the recovery position. For a baby, this is laying face down along your arm. Support her head from her jaw with your thumb/fingers allowing for a clear airway. It's vital to ensure she's still breathing. 

Your baby has a fever.
Aside from temperature, there are other sign and symptoms to look out for relating to a fever. Loss of appetite, tiredness, irritability, and being unusually cuddly are most common.

Your baby will feel hotter than usual to touch - feel the back of her neck as this is consistent.  

Digital and mercury thermometers take up to 5 minutes to get an accurate reading. Place the tip of the thermometer under the baby's armpit. This is uncomfortable, so be prepared to give extra reassurance. 

A "normal" temperature ranges from around 36-38 degrees celcius so anything more indicates a fever. If the temperature rises rapidly she could have a seizure. This is alarming for a lot of parents, and more distressing than the fever itself.  

Important points to remember with fevers:
Do:
• Take extra layers of clothing off (a nappy/singlet is fine.)
• Move her from any source of heat.
• Turn on a fan, or use a magazine to fan her.
• If she has a seizure, stay calm. Keep her safe, such as on carpeted floor. Call an ambulance.
Don't:
• Use eucalyptus, including rubs.
• Hold her! You'll only transfer extra body heat. 
• Put her in a cool bath. The temperature change is too much of a shock and it's too dangerous should she begin a seizure in a bath.
• Restrain her if she has a seizure or put anything in her mouth.  No amount of restraint will stop this.  She will not swallow her tongue.

Remember seizures from a fever are extremely common and happen every day. By the time baby reaches school age, fever-related seizures are no longer a concern.

Your baby is suffers a burn.
For sunburn, heat burn or scald, run the affected area under cool running water for a minimum 10 minutes. Keep up their fluids and keep other parts of the body warm in case of shock.   

For a chemical burn, run water over the affected area being careful not to run the chemical on to other parts of the body for a minimum 20 minutes.

Do NOT pop blisters or use burn creams or lotions as first aid or remove clothing as it may be stuck. 
DO seek medical advice if the burn is large, deep, involves the airway, hands, feet or genitals or IF YOU'RE NOT SURE!

Your baby is choking.
A partial obstruction is when you hear gagging or coughing, and requires no help other then to ensure she is calm (stay calm yourself) and make sure she's upright.  Do NOT start patting her on the back or putting your fingers down the throat if she is coughing!

A full obstruction is silent. If she's truly choking call an ambulance immediately, stay calm and alternate 5 back blows and 5 chest thrusts. Should she lose consciousness, commence CPR.  

All these treatments are learned and practiced at a first aid course, and are something every parent and carer should know. There are many more topics to be covered, this is just the tip of the iceberg.  The idea of baby first aid seems so daunting to many, but the more you go over potential "what-if's" the more confident you'll be.  Do yourself a favour and ensure peace of mind.  

This article has been supplied courtesy of Little Aid. Little Aid teaches all first aid treatments for babies and children with short, inexpensive courses tailored for parents, grandparents and babysitters.