Friday 11 January 2013

Keeping them safe........

 
Most of you will know how passionate I am about my vintage sheets, about colour, about being creative, about living in the moment.
 
I'm also very passionate about ensuring our children are safe and well. They are nurtured, supported and allowed to grow into balanced, healthy adults.
 
I have spent the last 30 years helping children reach their potential, and find it incredibly sad when this doesn't happen, when young lives are cut short.
 
I have recently been made aware of Millie's Trust through Emma at Oooh Betty's blog. Little Millie's life was cut short after a choking accident. Through the trust, her parents are trying to raise awareness of the importance of first aid training, for parents, carers, relatives, as well as those being paid to care.
 
How confident would you be should you find yourself in a situation where a child has an accident? Would you know what to do if a child was choking? These are questions we avoid, things none of us want to think about.
 
Working in the Early Years field, I was required to undergo regular first aid training, as well as ensuring staff I employed undertook the training too. In fact only a few days after completing my last course, I had to administer first aid to a child who had fallen seriously ill. My training meant I kept a cool head, I knew what to do. (I was however a mess after the ambulance had gone!).
 
If you haven't got any first aid knowledge, please have a think about going on a course, it could prove invaluable. Most local authorities hold them. If you get a chance visit Millie's Trust, please do, let's not let it happen again.
 
 
Have a happy, healthy weekend x
 
Ada :) x
 
p.s. 25% of any sales made in Emma's Etsy site is going towards Millie's Trust.
 
 
 
 
 

22 comments:

  1. When my daughter was four (24 yrs ago) she was given a lolly with a round ball shaped end (think they were called Chubby something). She was in the same room as me and started choking as she had sucked so hard it was embedded in her throat. Her lips turned blue and she went limp as I lifted her, turned her upside down and whacked her back. Fortunately the lolly flew out of her mouth across the room. I was on my own and when I think of this now I go cold knowing that if I hadn't been there or known what to do she would have died. By a strange coincidence my husband and I were only talking about this earlier this evening. I had attended first aid courses at work but why oh why don't they teach it at school?

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  2. Really good post and so true - everyone should learn first aid - they say most use it on family members.

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  3. it amazes me that there is so little training in first aid for new parents, I had a fair bit of training when I worked as a mental health support worker but a lot of people would have no idea at all. I am so paranoid about choking in particular..I am not a fan of lollipops...much to my kids annoyance!

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  4. About 15 years ago I had a friend with a toddler that had put a penny in his mouth. He was chocking and his lips were going blue. She stood screaming in panic, I held the poor mite upside down and ended up having to put my finger down his small throat to pull it up. I was very calm at the time, but a shaking wreck afterwards. Choking is something I find so terrifying for adults as well as children. x

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  5. It's good to be reminded of this regularly. I have taken first aid training for many years, but the best course was given by a paramedic who taught us to actually step up to the plate and administer first aid to those who need it in a public place. Many people will shy away from coming forward and assisting someone in need because they're either too nervous or too afraid of doing something wrong. If you have the training, STEP FORWARD, as you won't want to forever regret not helping should someone die while everyone stood around and watched. I have used my training twice in the care of small children, both times for the same girl who suffered from seizures. I was able to keep my cool, call 911 while at the same time caring for the girl. It certainly leaves you shaken, but also feeling thankful that you knew what to do. Wendy

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  6. Its been a while since I took the class, I should take a refresher.......Have a great weekend!
    Heidi

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  7. Such a great reminder and the comments are adding to the discussion as well. My son swallowed a coin when he was 3 and was immediately distressed, I remember thinking if he is crying then he must be able to breath.....then I picked him up and inverted him over myknee and gave a firm slap between the shoulder blades. I think at this point he vomited and the coin was dislodged, boy I was shattered when that was over. All parents, all people should have some basic knowledge of CPR, and chocking first aid. Actually here in Australia I was able to purchase a poster regarding CPR which I have placed on my fridge, maybe posters regarding a chocking episode could be another must have for the home?

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  8. I am loath to admit never taken a course, even more shameful as Mum was a nurses and so is daughter Helen

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  9. our house is sited back from the road but on a really dangerous bend and there's so many accidents as cars come round too fast, hit the bank and spin, that I took a First Aid course with the Red Cross so I'd know what to do on yet another wet night in those long minutes before the emergency services arrive.
    Sometimes I feel like Grace Darling, looming through the rainswept night with my lantern shining bright (and sometimes I feel like a grumpy old cow, pi**ed off at being woken again!)

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  10. Well done for this post Ada - I saw Emma's post and read the background to the campaign - so sad but so positive of Millie's parents to try to make something good come out of their tragic loss. My older son nearly choked on a lozenge shaped chunk of ice - made in one of those 'ice cube bags' - was so terrifying because we were looking the other way so hadn't even realised what was happening - luckily we turned round in time and I put him face down over my knee and slapped him hard between the shoulder blades. The ice shot out and we were all so shaken up - I'm really paranoid about choking now - I still cut grapes in half for my 3 year old! xx

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  11. I have a real fear of people choking! I'm always telling my family to be careful with their meat, eat more slowly and so on. I once had a child in my class swallow the rubber off the end of his pencil and start choking - luckily I managed to give him the jolt required to bring it up, but it was mighty frightening. One thing I've learnt recently is that whole grapes (which I always cut up anyway, for little peeps) are a major hazard, similarly cherry tomatoes.
    x

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  12. My job is to reduce deaths and injuries through fires but we also have a big empasis on Child Safety Week. xhttp://www.childsafetyweek.org.uk/

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  13. I think the earlier idea of posters in the home is a good idea, Heather x

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  14. This is such an important thing to know and the story behind it is such a sad one. Both my children were taught first aid at school. Basic first aid should start in schools, we have an hour's refresher training every few years at work.
    Sarah x

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  15. My heart just breaks for those parents Ada. Good for you for spreading the word too, amazing how many comments there are above from people who have had to intervene with a choking incident. Hopefully, lives will be saved by this message spreading. mel x

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  16. Such a sad story Ada, I am acutely aware of first aid and fortunately we have refreshers and updates in my job. Bless you for reminding us all again of how important this is xox P

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  17. You are so right this is something that most of us do not want to think about. Myself included. I often intended to do a first aid course but unfortunately they are very popular here and are quite hard to get a place. Some comfort though is that my husband is very well trained.

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  18. I hate lollies of any kind.The sight of children running round with them in their mouth brings me out in a sweat.My daughter had an incident with our granddaughter.Ruby got a Polo stuck in her throat.As it had a hole in the middle she could just about breathe but it took a calm neighbour to dislodge it.Very scary.it doesn't take much to end a life.A good reminder for us all.

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  19. Well said, thanks for posting this.

    I did go on a first aid course when Bella was a baby, but I need to refresh it. The whole choking thing is scary. No, terrifying.

    Gillian x

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  20. Thanks everyone for your comments, it's an awful thing to talk about. So many of you have had 'near misses' if just one person signs up for a first aid then I'm happy! :) x

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  21. Definetly going to make my self more aware!

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