The Emergencies Babysitters Are Most Likely to Face

Most babysitting jobs pass without incident. The value of training is that you recognise the handful of situations that do come up, and you know which ones need an ambulance immediately. These are the five that matter most.

Choking

If the child is coughing loudly, crying or speaking, air is still moving. Encourage the coughing and stay with them. If they cannot cough, cry, speak or breathe, lean them forward and give up to five firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand, checking after each one. If that fails, give up to five chest thrusts in the centre of the chest. Keep alternating and have someone call 000. Australian guidance does not use abdominal thrusts.

Allergic reaction and anaphylaxis

Hives, swelling and stomach upset suggest a mild reaction. Difficult or noisy breathing, swelling of the tongue or throat, a hoarse voice, persistent cough, floppiness or collapse mean anaphylaxis. Give the adrenaline autoinjector into the outer mid thigh without hesitating, lay the child flat, call 000 and give a second dose after five minutes if there is no improvement. Always ask parents before they leave whether any child has an autoinjector and where it is kept.

Falls and head knocks

Children fall constantly and most knocks need nothing more than an ice pack and reassurance. Call an ambulance if the child lost consciousness even briefly, vomits repeatedly, becomes drowsy or difficult to rouse, has a seizure, or if there is clear fluid or blood from the nose or ears. When in doubt, call. Ring the parents as well, but do not wait for them to answer before calling 000 if the child is seriously unwell.

Burns and scalds

Hold the burn under cool running water for twenty minutes. This is effective for up to three hours after the injury, so it is still worth doing even if some time has passed. Do not use ice, butter, toothpaste or any ointment, and do not break blisters. Cover loosely with a clean non stick dressing or plastic cling film laid flat. Any burn to the face, hands, feet or genitals, any burn larger than the child's palm, and any burn on a baby needs medical assessment.

Asthma

Sit the child upright and stay calm. Give four separate puffs of a blue reliever inhaler through a spacer, taking four breaths after each puff. Wait four minutes. If there is no improvement, repeat. If there is still no improvement, call 000 and keep giving four puffs every four minutes until the ambulance arrives. Call 000 immediately if the child cannot speak in full sentences, if their lips look blue, or if the reliever is not helping at all.

The common thread

Every one of these is easier if you have done it with your hands rather than only read about it. Our Childcare First Aid course covers all five on child and infant manikins and takes about three and a half hours. Find a session near you.