Do :
• Make sure you or your caregivers are keeping a close eye on your child. If one of you has to leave, make sure that you leave her in another person’s care and make sure that person understands the responsibility. Look at that person eye to eye and get the approval.
• Teach your child to use the buddy system and tell him never to swim alone.
• Take a CPR class when there’s one offered.
• Make sure your kids wear floaters or life vests if you’re not sure they can swim well.
• Have fun with the kids while they swim and make it more enjoyable by bringing toys like bubbles, balls etc.
Don’t :
• Leave a small child alone in a public or a private pool (even when there are grownups around). Wading pools aren’t safe either because a child can drown in just a few inches of water.
• Assume your child is fine if you leave without proper instructions to her caregiver or your friend.
• Let your child play around the pool. Teach him not to run near it or jump into it without you or your permission. Pushing another person even for play is a no-no.
• Stop yourself from performing CPR in an emergency even if you’re not trained to do it. Studies show that CPR even when done poorly can still save a life.
• Cuts and scrapes – may be treated by first washing the area with soap and water. To prevent infection, apply Betadine (because it does not sting). Cover it with bandage (those with cartoon characters make it more fun) and change it every day. Warn your kids that it might sting when they wet it. Let it air when they’re just bumming around in the house so that it heals faster. If the wound is quite deep, don’t ever clean it with soap and water or apply an antiseptic because it may damage healthy tissue. Instead, apply some pressure with a sterile gauze. In order to stop the continuous flow of blood, elevate the injured limb.
•Bang or untog – put ice pack right away. Call the doctor when your child vomits, feels dizzy or sleepy and complains of a headache or is unnaturally cranky. If your child can’t move the injured part, don’t delay the call.
• Sprain – may not be corrected by trying to put back a dislocated vein or ligament as what we have been accustomed to doing here in the Philippines. We often resort to hilot to take away the pain. Unfortunately, this only leads to more disaster. A sprain may best be treated by rubbing and massaging the area gently with cream such as Ben Gay. Wrap it with ice and leave the sore joint for 20-minute periods. In case of a fracture, don’t touch the area (you may test this by asking your child to move the join or wiggle the toes or fingers), then bring him to the doctor immediately.
• Splinter – may best be removed with a sterilized tweezer (soak in alcohol or in boiling water for 5-10 minutes). In case it becomes deeply embedded in the area, numb it with ice then prick with a needle (sterilized by holding a lit match to its tip). Call the doctor if the area looks infected.
• Nose bleed – best treated by tilting the head (while pinching the nose) downwards and not upwards as what we commonly practice. Tilting down will allow the blood to flow. Put a wet washcloth or ice to cool the child. You may also prevent this from happening by always making sure your child gets plenty of fluids in his system while out in the sun. Also, allow rest in the middle of the day to avoid sunstroke.
• Burns – are best left untouched, not cured with a toothpaste as it can cause even more damage. Emergency doctors in the PGH attest to this. They say they end up scraping the toothpaste (which is really ridiculously ouchie!) before they can cure the burn. Wash the burn with running cold water to stop the burning and immediately bring the child to the hospital if the burn is serious.
• Sunburn – always apply sunscreen with very high protection factor before dipping in the water. Get your kids used to wearing a hat, have them choose their style. Make sure they get a fair share of water and shade, too.