BBC News - Parents lack first aid knowledge

Most parents would not know how to save their child's life in an emergency, according to a survey.The national "Save a Life Survey" reveals that a third of all parents have had to rush their child to hospital at some point.

Despite this, the vast majority admitted that if their child started to choke, fell down the stairs or burned themselves, they would not have a clue about what to do.

Experts are now calling for first aid courses to be offered as part of ante-natal classes.

The survey, carried out by Mother and Baby Magazine in association with supermarket chain Tesco and St John Ambulance, found that just 19% of the 2,000 parents interviewed, had been on a first aid course over the previous five years.

Learn first aid

Only a quarter of parents who took part in the survey said they would know how to resuscitate their child or dress a deep wound. One in five said they did not hold their child's hand while crossing the road and 20% said they had left their child alone in the bath while they answered the front door or the telephone.

Dani Zuri, editor of Mother and Baby Magazine, said parents must learn first aid. "Young children have an incredible number of accidents and although thankfully most are relatively minor, it is every parent's duty to know what to do in an emergency. "It should be top of every parent's list to learn basic life-saving first aid," she said.

Mark McGee, of St. John Ambulance said: "It is surprising that nine out of ten parents don't know first aid that might be able to save their child's life."

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 16, 2001

Answers

Faint! That's probably what I'd do.

Actually I know what to do about choking.

-- (cin@cin.cin), February 16, 2001.

Rich:

In reviewing this forum today, I couldn't help but notice that you've now started several threads dealing with parents and children. Is there a possibility in the making that you may have reconsidered [hope...hope] the thought that you would make a very good parent?

Good response, Cin. I'd taken first-aid when my children were young, but when bad things happen, it's hard to remember that training. When my oldest was attacked by our dog, I calmly called the emergency room to say she was coming in and ask what I should do before I left. They quickly told me, and I bundled her up and took her in. It wasn't until they began treating her that they looked at me and said, "Lady...sit down, bend over and put your head down between your legs." They knew I was ready to pass out.

Since I'm too lazy to look for your other thread, Rich, [which would be the one on how kids are engaged in too many activities], I think it's important for kids to have the time to be kids, but even the best of schools cut their sports and art/music programs first to save money. I disagreed with the author's premise that there should be one concentration. How does a kid decide which he enjoys the most if only exposed to one?

In listing the extra-curriculars in which my three engaged, one would think there was no time left at all, but all three were on softball/baseball teams, all three took gymnastics, the two girls took ballet, two of the three were on soccer teams, one girl did the competitive cheerleading thing, all three took swim lessons, two of the three took violin lessons, all three took piano lessons, and all three did Scouts. I think only two took tennis lessons.

The "scheduling" is only tough insofar as "games" may interfere with each other at times. Actually, there's one other problem that I only saw in retrospect. If a family has one exceptional athlete, for instance, or one exceptional musician, it DOES suck for the kid that doesn't have the exceptional skills to attend lessons at the same time and same place. The "comparison" thing takes place, even if it isn't by the parent.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), February 17, 2001.

Anita, I noticed the theme myself after the fact.

To answer your question, I don't see reproduction to be in my future. I'm thirty-six years old. To meet a woman and get to know her, me, and the two of us together well enough to gamble that we'd be together in a stable situation for two decades is pretty slim odds. Change (in my life) is coming too fast and furious to believe such a long-term relationship is probable. And I stand by my (foolish) feeling that for me to bring a 'new' life into this world would be cruel to that 'new' life. I will say my general pessimism regarding our species weakens more and more each day.

I have examined pretty closely the possibility of entering into a relationship with a woman who has children. I'm reaching a comfort zone with myself where I could do my best and that "best" would be good enough that I could make a positive difference. I would love to have an opportunity to be a stepfather.

(NOTE: The above paragraph is not to be taken as a Position Wanted advertisement.)

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 17, 2001.

This is another thread that I'm guilty of speed-scanning {but I do know first aid}.

If there's a poll involved, put me down in the 'Rich is Ripe' column.

-- flora (***@__._), February 17, 2001.

My childhood, school aside, was ruled not by the clock and organized activities. I was a sports nut and my experiences in organized leagues, from school teams to Little League, generally sucked. There was much more fun to be had from playing pick up games with neighborhood kids and kids from other towns, and let's face it, fun was the name of the game.

My take from a kids perspective is adults generally spoil a good time. I excelled in all sports and therefore received as much attention and playing time as they could give me. So those were not issues. When adults were involved time dragged, unless the adults were quality teachers, and that was a rare occurence.

Games ruled by clocks make for less fun than pick up games which might last 5, 6, 7 hours! I was addicted to the joy of competition and playing with a ticking clock (or in the case of baseball - 6 or 7 innnings) was a guarantee the amount of time for fun was going to be woefully short.

I realize the days of letting a kid leave the house for parts unknown is no longer an option. In the 1970's I did just that day after day from the time I was 6 or 7 years old. Mom had no clue where I might be and to be honest she had no say in the matter. But that's another story...

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 17, 2001.

Stepfather sounds just fine to me. I never suggested that you had to be part of the PROcreation process, but you'd always struck me as someone who would make a great dad. Those of us who DID procreate find ourselves lucky to meet the "good enough" category. I feel quite fortunate to be in a position wherein I can communicate with my three kids on a daily basis even though they're in different places and are grown. We particularly enjoy going over the childhood experiences, the ups, the downs, and the inbetweens. Some of what they've said was obvious to me at the time, but other stuff is new.

They tell me I'm a great mom, but I don't believe a word of it. I tell MY mom the same thing, and I don't believe what I'm telling HER, either. We do what we do, and say what we say sometimes because we really do love the people involved.

-- Anita (Anita_S3@hotmail.com), February 17, 2001.

Gee, thanks flora. Let's hope the ripening process is a slow one. I'd hate to have a good woman come into my life only to find that I've turned to mush. :)

Thanks, Anita. You've stated it enough that it's starting to sink in. We shall see. FWIW, I'm VERY glad you're participating here again.

-- Rich (howe9@shentel.net), February 17, 2001.