Illness Prevention and Emergencies

My first scenario: Daycare is in session, and the children have all sat down for lunch. There is four table of children and five at each table and a caregiver at each table. The children at the three-year-old table are enjoying fresh fruit, grilled cheese sandwich, and tomato soup. The teacher at the three-year-old table notices one of the children struggling to breath and their eyes watering. The teacher immediately reacts to the signs.

My second scenario: Pre-k was in the middle of play time. Groups of children ages three and four were engaged in group play. The Lego table had three children around it all laughing and building there are two adults in the room, one teacher, and one aid. One of the children at the Lego table has fallen to the floor and is unresponsive to his name being called. Both the teacher and the help react to the child.

           

The proper procedure for a choking child will depend on whether the child is still breathing and conscious or unresponsive and not breathing. In either situation, a call needs to be placed to 911 (Robertson, 2016). Once the call is made, assess the child.

The child is struggling to get air and is conscious. Assess the situation, ask the child are you choking? If they can’t speak, they can make a possible nod. Follow up by checking if the child is sitting or standing. First, position yourself behind the child put your arms around their waist. Place one of your thumb side of your fist in the middle of the child's abdomen, just below the breastbone. Take your other free hand place it on top, press inward with rapid, upward thrusts. Repeat the thrusts after five back blows until the object is coughed up or the youngster begins to breathe or cough.

The child is unresponsive and not breathing. If the child is unconscious, they need to be lowered to the floor. Place them on their back and try using the tongue-jaw lift (Francis, n.d.). Open the child mouth, with your thumb hold down their tongue and gently lift their chin opening the airway.  Performing this task, you may be able to clear the airway but if not kneel on top of the child and perform the Heimlich maneuver. If you place the heel of one of your hands in the middle between the navel and rib cage, and your other hand on top. Press firmly but gently into the abdomen, using six to ten rapid inward and upward thrusts. Perform a finger sweep to see if the object dislodged (Robertson, 2016). Once ejected and the child is still not breathing continue CPR until emergency help arrives.

Teachers and caregivers need to be prepared for emergency situations always. Emergencies can happen at any time and can quickly escalate if you are not equipped or trained. Basic training for first aid and CPR will help you stay calm and be able to react promptly to a medical emergency, an allergic reaction, a natural disaster, or a life-threatening humanmade emergency such as a shooting.

Parents, teachers, and caregivers should all be prepared. Parents should practice safety in their home with their children. Evacuation plans for fires; allergic reaction plans for children with severe allergies to things sometimes found in the house, and CPR training for one or both parents is necessary. Also, poison control and emergency numbers should be posted, and children should be taught how to use 911. Teachers and caregivers should all be prepared by going through yearly training for first aid and CPR. Drills are conducted for fire and severe weather, so I believe that exercises for first aid and CPR should be performed yearly as well. You can never be too prepared for an emergency when it comes to children.

References

Berger, K. S. (2016). The Developing Person Through Childhood. New York: Worth Publishers.

Francis, M. (n.d.). What to do when your child is choking. Retrieved from Parents magazine: https://www.parents.com/baby/injuries/choking/what-to-do-when-your-child-is-choking/

Robertson, C. (2016). Safety, nutrition, and health in early education (6th ed.). Boston, MA: Wadsworth/Cengage Learning.