Choking or airway obstruction is a medical emergency that happens when a foreign object such as a toy, household item or food obstructs the airway, making it difficult or impossible to breathe. Unfortunately younger children are at a higher risk of choking- this is because they explore the world around them by putting things in […]
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An automatic external defibrillator (AKA an AED or defib for short) is a device that uses electricity to attempt to restart the heart in cardiac arrest. It does this by providing a shock to the heart in the hope that the disorganised electrical activity will stop and normal electrical activity will take over, allowing the
CPR is a first aid technique needed when someone has stopped breathing and/or their heart has stopped beating. CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and is the act of manually pumping the heart via chest compressions while also delivering rescue breaths. The aim of CPR is to continue to deliver oxygenated blood to the brain and
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What is a cardiac arrest? A cardiac arrest means a person’s heart has stopped. When a cardiac arrest occurs the brain and other vital organs are unable to receive any oxygen. If someone has had a cardiac arrest they will be unconscious and will have ineffective or no breathing at all. A cardiac arrest is
What is Croup? Croup is a condition caused by a viral infection. The virus leads to swelling of the larynx (voicebox) and trachea (windpipe) resulting in narrowing of the airway which can make breathing difficult. Croup most commonly occurs in children who are 6 months olds to five years of age, at which point their
Burns are a common injury among children, often occurring during everyday situations such as cooking, bathing and even playing outdoors. As parents we know burns can happen in a split second- which is why it is so important to know the correct first aid. When applied correctly, burns first aid can minimise the severity of
Ever heard of a hair tourniquet? No? Let us enlighten you! A hair tourniquet is a rare condition in which a hair becomes wrapped around a child’s finger, toe, limb or genitalia reducing or completely stopping the circulation of blood. Because hair is so strong and can stretch significantly when wet, it can accidentally become
Respiratory syncytial virus (aka RSV) is a respiratory virus that is one of the most frequent causes of the common cold. Any one of any age can catch RSV, in fact almost all children will have had it by the time they turn two. While RSV is generally mild for most children it is the
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Nappy rash is a common rash that affects babies and children of nappy wearing age. In fact it is so common that over 50% of babies will experience it by the time they turn one, yikes! What causes nappy rash? The most common cause of nappy rash is wearing wet or soiled nappies for too
Hand foot and mouth disease is a common and highly contagious, viral illness that mainly affects kids under 10 (although beware, it can affect older children and even adults). While HFMD is mainly caused by the coxsackie virus, there are actually two different kinds of virus that cause it, so symptoms can vary depending on
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