World First Aid Day: Be prepared for emergencies involving children

Adults can’t imagine how strange children do. People tap matches, stick their fingers in the socket or climb on the table where the coffee is hot. Statistics show: Most childhood accidents happen at home or in a private environment. According to the State Statistics Office, three children in Bavaria died in accidents at home last year. This is the lowest value in ten years. Also thanks to first aid courses especially for children.

Swallowing, burning, poisoning: Children usually injure themselves in the home environment

Aid groups, doctors and other emergency services professionals have been offering these first aid courses for many years. Here parents, grandparents and other adults will learn the most important steps and helpful tips for emergencies. Because if you know the risks, you can avoid accidents involving children in advance.

Example from Munich: mother Marie and baby Janosch, six months old

Marie Zehmisch is a doctor from Munich, but she still attended a children’s first aid course with her husband when she was pregnant with her son Janosch. Because the 36-year-old felt unsafe when dealing with children. “As soon as the children were a day old, as a gynecologist I have nothing to do with the little ones anymore.” As an expectant mother, she wanted to prepare for a possible emergency by taking a first aid course.

Her son threatened to choke on a piece of fruit

Her son Joscha is now six months old and he is already curiously exploring his surroundings. He rolls, spits, puts everything in his mouth and pulls himself up everywhere. In fact, mother Marie Zehmisch had to give first aid to her child when he put an oversized piece of nectarine in his mouth. The mother recognized the danger of choking. As she learned in the course, she put her fingers in his mouth and took out the piece of fruit. “At first you’re blocked. But when you realize he’s choking, you just do it quickly.”

Course director Janko von Ribbeck said: “The parents want to be ready for everything.”

First aid courses for children: Janko von Ribbeck has been offering these courses in the Munich area for over 25 years. The 54-year-old is a father of four. He is aware that demand is increasing, although parents would only come when the child was already there. Now they come when the woman is pregnant. You want to be ready for everything, reports Janko von Ribbeck. But not everything can be covered in one course, only the most important things. These include febrile seizures, lacerations, falls, poisoning, burns, and choking. And the participants of the course learn: Stay calm in an emergency, don’t worry. Otherwise, this will be given to the child.

Tip if parents forget emergency measures: hang leaflets on the fridge

Mother Marie Zehmisch is also happy that she has completed a first aid course for children. She can only recommend it to every mother and father. “I always feel through my son and my friends with older children how important a course like this is, because there are different problems at every age.” If the Munich woman forgets something she learned in the course , there is a leaflet on the fridge with the most important first aid measures for you to read.