Paediatric First Aid

What is paediatric first aid?

Paediatric first aid refers to the skills and knowledge you need to provide immediate and effective emergency care to children and infants. It is the ability to preserve life, prevent the situation worsening and promote recovery in babies and young people.

Knowing how to assess an emergency quickly and calmly, how to get help and how to provide initial first aid response can mean the difference between life and death.

Any medical emergency is distressing. It is particularly upsetting when a child or infant requires emergency first aid.

Find out more about Paediatric First Aid

On completion of the Echo3 Paediatric First Aid course learners will know;

Life-Saving Techniques, such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) for children and infants.

Choking Response, how to recognise and respond to choking incidents in paediatric patients.

Common Childhood Injuries, how to treat injuries such as cuts, burns, fractures, and head injuries.

Allergic Reactions, Knowledge of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis, and the correct use of epinephrine auto-injectors.

Seizures and Convulsions, providing appropriate care for children experiencing seizures or convulsions.

Respiratory Issues, responding to respiratory issues like asthma.

Poisoning and Ingestions, awareness of common household poisons, their effects on children, and proper response measures.

Emergency Preparedness, preparing for emergency situations, creating a safe environment for children, and ensuring that first-aid supplies are readily available.

This Paediatric First Aid course is aimed at any individual who may work in a role with, or around, children and infants.

This includes a wide range of caring and teaching professionals, such as:

• School and nursery staff
• After-school workers
• Sports club staff
• Play and activity centre staff
• Childminders
• Babysitters

The course content is also suitable for providing essential knowledge to the parents/carers/family of children and infants.

Paediatric First Aid is an essential skill.  But if a child or infant required first aid, would you know how to respond?

Unfortunately, only 5% of UK adults currently feel confident to administer paediatric first aid.  Yet when faced with an emergency, there are simple steps you can take before the emergency services arrive that could help save the life of a child.

Suitable for anyone who is around children, either within the family setting or the workplace, this course offers the potentially lifesaving knowledge needed to respond appropriately to a range of the most common medical emergencies – building your confidence and developing your skills so you can offer critical first aid when it is needed most.

In England and Wales those working in early years settings (children from birth to 5) require a 12-hour paediatric first aid course, including all newly qualified chid carers. This is a requirement of the Department for Education EYFS statutory framework.

In Scotland and NI early years settings, there is no mandatory requirement from the devolved education departments.

Health and safety legislation requires that every organisation has appropriate first aid arrangements.  This means there must be a first aid kit and staff with sufficient training.

Finding the right First Aid course