The kids are back to school this week.
But with all the attention on Covid right now, it’s easy to forget that lots of other things can happen to kids of all ages at school, because, well kids will be kids! They race around, jump off and over things and generally put themselves at risk. (All while having fun, of course!)
So, it’s good to know that at Victorian schools, there is a very high level of mandatory training amongst the staff to ensure that there will always be several of people available to administer first aid to any child who is injured at school.
Parents of children who suffer from any allergies will also be reassured to know that all first aid training for staff in schools includes training in how to handle asthma attacks and allergic reactions including severe anaphylaxis reactions which can be life-threatening.
And given a very high percentage of childhood injuries actually occur at school it’s reassuring to know that your child will likely be attended to quickly if they are injured during school hours.
First aid plays an important role in reducing long-term harm and complications that can develop from even the simplest of injuries. Having someone trained in first aid attend quickly and apply what they have learnt in their training can make a huge difference to a child. They will recover and heal faster, as well as having less long-term effects from their injuries. Even simple first aid actions such as applying ice packs to sprains and strains or properly dressing wounds, can lead to more rapidly healing and recovery.
But more than that, having someone apply first aid to a child who is seriously injured can be a matter of life and death. A recent US article by the CDC found that some two-thirds of fatalities among children aged 5 -19 actually result from injury-related causes. While a survey by the Red Cross found that almost 60% of these deaths could have been prevented if first aid had been performed in the first few minutes after the incident. Of course knowing how to handle a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction or asthma attack is also a real lifesaver, literally!
And that is the critical point. First Aid is what you deliver to someone while you are waiting for an ambulance or other professional medical help. Time is of the essence and every second counts.
So, imagine if a child was injured at school and instead of them waiting for one of their friends to race off and find a teacher, one of their friends could actually immediately apply first aid to assist them. If every child in school learnt first aid, this would be possible. A thought perhaps?
If your school needs the best first aid training in Victoria, we can come to you. Just call 1300 661 065.
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