Most parents tend to panic in health emergency situations involving children as they are seldom prepared to cope with them

For parents, a paediatric emergency is terrifying as it can be life-threatening. Most parents tend to panic in health emergency situations involving children as they are seldom prepared to cope with them. While maintaining calm is necessary, being equipped with knowledge to provide immediate first aid and care before reaching the clinic/ hospital is critical.

Here are some common child health emergency situations for which parents should be prepared.

Breathing trouble
Sometimes, children suffering an allergy, asthma or infection struggle to breathe. If your child has a pre-existing asthma or allergy problem, ask the doctor to prescribe a nebuliser and show you how to use it. Keep the nebuliser with you at all times, together with other prescribed medication, so you can administer it as soon as your child experiences breathing difficulties.

Moreover, always keep the telephone number of the nearest hospital handy. Rush her to the emergency room if she is turning blue at the lips or fingers, using stomach muscles excessively to breathe, vomiting, coughing continuously, or is unable to talk or eat during an asthma attack.

Severe injury
A traumatic accident such as a car or house door slamming vulnerable children can result in a finger, toe or even limb being severed. Use an ice pack or apply direct pressure to stop the bleeding. Administer first aid and rush her to the hospital immediately.

Also, take care to preserve the severed body part in a cloth dampened with saline solution or clean water. Place it in an airtight plastic bag or container and keep it in cold water. Don’t place it directly in ice or ice water. Most often, it’s possible to surgically reattach a severed body part.

In cases where a child loses a tooth because of accidental fall and injury, Dr. Smita Vincent, dental surgeon, Dental Care Centre, Bangalore, advises parents to preserve the fallen tooth in a cup of milk and rush to the dentist. “If the child is older and unlikely to swallow the tooth, preserve it in saliva by asking her to keep it under the tongue. If there is bleeding, apply direct pressure and a cold pack to stop it,” says Dr. Vincent.

Scalds and burns
Burns and scalds are among the most common home injuries children suffer. Incidents of a child tipping over a cup of hot coffee or suffering burns while lighting fire crackers are not unusual.

For burns and scalds, wash the affected area with running water for 15-20 minutes. Avoid using ice or ice water. Cover the area with a clean cloth without wrapping it tightly. You can also give the child paracetamol tablet as a painkiller. If you need to rescue a child from fire, wrap her in a woollen blanket to cut off oxygen supply and douse the flames.