Preventing injuries at Christmas
According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, more than 6,000 people will end up in hospital on Christmas Day. During the 12 days of Christmas more than 80,000 visit A&E and this number appears to be rising.
Over recent years, there has been an increase in injuries involving falls from ladders while stringing lights and cuts from broken glass ornaments, the commission warned.
As roasting a turkey entails instructions more complicated than “pierce film lid”, it’s unsurprising that inexperienced cooks are injured when cooking Christmas dinner. Typical cases include drunken dads carving turkeys and severing fingers, slips as a result of grease on the kitchen floor and chefs pulling their backs when moving 24lb turkeys.
It’s a sobering thought that Christmas trees account for more than 1,000 injuries each year (including branches in eyes and falling off chairs while placing the fairy) and lights bring seasonal misery to 350 people.
While it may be wise to hide presents, it is not a good idea to put heavy gifts on top of wardrobes or on high shelves as there have been instances of people dropping computer monitors and TVs on to their heads. Even opening gifts is dangerous – whether it’s screwdrivers jabbed through the palm while trying to penetrate packaging, or a knife slash while cutting through thick layers of sticky tape.
If people are looking after or hosting elderly people for Christmas dinner, it is important to take extra care of them. Someone chokes on turkey over Christmas every single year.
During Christmas, your home is likely to be full of people and, in the excitement, accidents can easily happen.
“We want to help people prevent their festivities being cut short by a trip to A&E,” says Sheila Merrill, home safety manager at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
“Our message is that the home should be as safe as necessary, rather than as safe as possible. With a little more care and forward planning, most accidents could be avoided.”
Rospa’s advice for the prevention of accidents at Christmas:
Kitchen
Hot fat, boiling water and sharp knives make the kitchen one of the most dangerous places during the holiday.
“The Christmas meal is probably the biggest meal most families cook all year. It needs careful planning to avoid injuries,” says Merrill.
Try to keep other people (especially children) out of the kitchen. Avoid alcohol until you’ve finished cooking, and wipe up spills as soon as they happen, so that people don’t slip.
Stairs
Clutter, alcohol and tiredness make the stairs an accident hotspot during Christmas, says Merrill. It’s common to fall down steps or stairs after drinking.
“Keep the stairs well lit and free from obstacles, especially if you have guests who could be going up to the bathroom during the night,” she says.
Presents
Typical Christmas Day accidents include parents accidentally stabbing themselves with scissors, which they’ve used to assemble toys, instead of using a screwdriver. People often cut themselves with knives when they’re opening presents too quickly. People also trip over toys and electric cables while rushing to try their new computers and other appliances.
“Don’t rush,” says Merrill. “Take time to enjoy the moment. Have a screwdriver ready for toys that are screwed into packaging. Clear up the packaging and wrapping paper as you go along, and remember to recycle.”
Christmas trees
Beware of your Christmas tree. That Norwegian spruce is not as innocent as it looks. Every year, about 1,000 people are injured by their tree, usually while fixing stars, lights or other decorations to the higher branches, reports the RoSPA.
“Always use a step ladder to put up the decorations and don’t over-reach yourself,” says Merrill. Buy the correct size tree so you don’t have to saw the top off and risk cutting yourself.
Fairy lights
Around 350 people a year are hurt by Christmas tree lights, according to RoSPA. Injuries include people falling while they’re putting them up, children swallowing the bulbs, and people getting electric shocks and burns from faulty lights.
“Test your lights and the wiring before you put them up, as they can deteriorate over the years. If you have old lights, buy new ones that meet higher safety standards,” says Merrill. “Don’t overload sockets, as that’s a fire risk.”
Decorations
About 1,000 people a year are hurt when decorating their homes, says RoSPA. Children bite into glass baubles and adults fall while using unstable chairs instead of ladders to put up streamers, or fall out of lofts while looking for the decorations.
“Glass decorations should be placed out of the reach of toddlers and pets,” says Merrill. Novelty decorations, such as stuffed Santas, reindeer and snowmen, which look like toys, may not comply with strict toy safety regulations. Therefore, they should not be within the reach of children.
Candles
People are 50% more likely to die in a house fire over Christmas than at any other time of year. Taking care with candles and oil burners is one way to help you and your family and friends avoid a Christmas house fire.
“Never put candles on or near a Christmas tree,” says Merrill. “Never leave an open flame unattended.” Always place tea lights inside an appropriate container. “They have been known to burn through baths and television sets,” she says.
Christmas plants
Mistletoe is poisonous. Its berries contain toxic proteins that slow the heart rate and can cause hallucinations. The orange berries of the Christmas cherry can cause stomach pains. The Christmas rose is so effective at causing diarrhoea that it was used as a chemical weapon by the ancient Greeks. “Check with the garden centre whether the plants you’re buying are toxic,” says Merrill. “If they are, keep them out of the reach of children.”
Stress
Christmas is one of the most stressful times of the year. The combination of drink, relatives, lack of sleep and the stress of Christmas shopping can be too much for some people.
Indigestion and food poisoning
Food poisoning is always a worry at Christmas. Read the instructions on the turkey well. It takes hours to cook a turkey properly. If you don’t, you could contract salmonella poisoning, which can be life-threatening for vulnerable people
Alcohol
Apart from the risks to your own health, alcohol can be the chief mischief maker when it comes to accidents. “It reduces your risk awareness,” says Merrill. “Alcohol can make people relax so much that they don’t think about everyday risks.”
After a party, empty any alcohol out of glasses. Children are likely to drink the remains if they get up early to play with their toys. Never drink and drive.
December 14, 2011 No Comments
Risk of strangulation by a blind cord
How have blind cords been involved in accidents?
We typically hear about one or two children dying after becoming entangled in blind cords in the UK each year and there are many more near misses.
The danger for young children is that a loop which hangs at waist height for an adult could slip around the neck of a young child if he or she falls or, if the loop is at floor level, it could become wrapped around the neck of a baby who is crawling.
Research indicates that most accidental deaths involving blind cords happen in the bedroom and occur in children between 16 months and 36 months old, with the majority (over half) happens at around 23 months. These toddlers are mobile, but their heads still weigh proportionately more than their bodies compared to adults and their muscular control is not yet fully developed, which makes them more prone to be unable to free themselves if they become entangled. In addition, their windpipes have not yet fully developed and are smaller and less rigid than adults and older children, making them suffocate more quickly if their necks are constricted.
There have also been cases in which babies have been accidentally strangled by cord loops hanging into their cots. Where there are young children present in the home, our advice is to tie looped blind cords up out of the reach of young children.
RoSPA does not recommend that cords are cut, even as a short-term solution. It is advisable that any action taken on the blind cord is a permanent one which will take the cord out of reach of children. It is not an expensive task and cleats will be made available to those who need them from the RoSPA website!
Cutting the cord in the wrong place can make the blind inoperable; and it may also lead to one cord becoming a lot longer which increases the risk of entanglement. Cut cords can also become tangled up resulting in the reformation of a loop.
The supervision of young children also plays a vital part in reducing the likelihood of accidents happening.
This issue is currently being examined by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, who are meeting with Department for Business, Innovation and Skills), CAPT (Child Accident Prevention Trust) and the BBSA (British Blind and Shutter Association) to call for better regulations to govern the design, manufacture, supply and installation of window blinds.
The British Blind and Shutter Association have produced an information leaflet (Make it Safe campaign) which is available from: http://www.bbsa.org.uk/docs/BBSA-Cord-safety-leaflet-140809.pdf see also:
http://www.bbsa.org.uk/domestic/safetyissues.aspx for solutions to make blinds of different styles safer.
Many millions of blinds are sold every year in the UK and the BBSA has some simple guidelines for parents and carers of babies and small children as looped blind cords can pose a potential hazard:
- Do not place a child’s cot, bed, playpen or high chair near a window so they may reach a blind cord
- Do not place furniture near a window that a child could climb on to reach a blind cord
- Do make sure that a safety device is fitted to keep the cords taut or out of reach
Two children die in unrelated freak accidents after being strangled by window blind cordsLast updated at 4:02 PM on 15th February 2010
Tragic: Harrison Joyce died after strangling on a window blind cord Two children have been strangled to death by window blind cords in separate but almost identical accidents in the space of five days. Sixteen-month-old Lillian Bagnall-Lambe, of Stafford, died last Tuesday after becoming entangled in the blind. The tragedy follows the death of three-year-old Harrison Joyce, who was killed at his home in nearby Lichfield five days earlier. Harrison was believed to have been acting out action moves from cartoon series ‘Go Diego’ when he became tangled in the cord and was killed. He had been left alone for a matter of minutes. His parents have since launched ‘Harrison’s Law’ – a campaign to have looped cords on curtains and blinds banned in the United Kingdom. The design is already outlawed in The United States, Australia and Canada. Fatalities are caused by the cord slipping accidentally around a child’s neck, strangling them and cutting off their blood supply as they try to release themselves. The strangulation takes just a matter of seconds and leaves children with no chance of being revived. Harrison’s father Scott Joyce, who manages several businesses and coaches childrens’ football in Norton Canes, said the family would do anything to see the cords banished. The 37-year-old said: ‘Our lives will never be the same again. Every day is a struggle and pouring everything into the campaign is all I can do. ‘It makes me so angry that this has happened again. Harrison’s legacy must be to have these cords banned and save thousands of lives. Parents must be made aware of this danger.’ Jo Stagg, from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, is calling on families to take action before there are further casualties. ‘To have two identical incidents in the same area and in such a short space of time is shocking,’ she said. ‘We need to get the message across to parents who can reduce the risk. They can tie knots in the cords or cut them up. ‘When they are at waist height for adults children can slip into them, at floor level they can trip into them and become tangled, and there have been cases of cords dangling over cots leaving children to become tangled as they sleep at night.’ Det Insp Vicky Roberts, of Staffordshire Police, the force which investigated both incidents, said: ‘These heart-breaking accidents highlight the dangers that are present in homes. ‘It is vital that parents do all they can to make their properties as safe as possible for their young children. ‘We would urge them to go around their home looking at all potential risks and thinking about how to reduce the danger posed by what may, on the surface, appear to be innocuous items.’ Staffordshire coroner Andrew Haigh said: ‘I am saddened to have these two deaths reported to me. ‘In due course I will be holding full inquests into the deaths but I feel it is appropriate at this time that parents of young children are reminded of the potential danger of blind cords.’ |
November 17, 2011 No Comments
Firework safety – what to do if it goes wrong
Firework Advice and First Aid tips should something go wrong
Over a four week period around November 5th more than 1,000 people are likely to suffer injuries due to fireworks. Of these accidents, nearly 600 are likely to occur at home or private parties and nearly 400 accidents are likely to involve children under the age of 13*.
By far the safest way of enjoying Fireworks is to go to a properly organised display. However if you’re buying fireworks to use at home, then check that the fireworks you choose are suitable for your garden and conform to British Standards. The standard for fireworks is BS 7114; 1998 and you should avoid any fireworks that don’t meet that standard. Only set fireworks off in your garden if you’ve got enough space, both for setting them off safely, and so people can stand far enough back from them.
If you are organising a firework display, however small, you should ensure there is an appropriately stocked first aid kit close by – just in case of accidents. It is also sensible to have a bucket of sand available and plenty of water, a fire blanket and a bottle of sterile saline to irrigate eyes.
However you intend to enjoy the fireworks, ensure you follow the Fireworks code and never let a child handle or light a firework.
Sparklers
Sparklers are often viewed as a more harmless firework, but they still burn fiercely and they’re not suitable for children under the age of five years old. They can get six times as hot as a pan of cooking oil or as hot as a welder’s torch
Light sparklers one at a time and always wear gloves
Always supervise children with sparklers and ensure that they stand still, away from other people.
Children should not wear very loose clothing or scarves as these can catch alight.
However careful you are, injuries can happen and here is how to treat some of the more common ones:
Minor burns
A minor burn is red and painful and sometimes results in a blister – for instance when a child picks up an old sparkler that hasn’t cooled down.
- Hold the affected area under cold, running water for at least 10 minutes
- If a child is burnt and the area is blistered, or the area, larger than the size of the child’s palm, you should phone for an ambulance.
- Special care should be taken if the burn is on a young child or an elderly person. All deep burns of any size will require urgent hospital treatment.
- Once the burn has been cooled for at least 15 minutes, the burn can be covered with cling film or a hand can be inserted into a sterile plastic bag.
If clothing is on fire
Remember these four key things: stop, drop, wrap and roll.
- Stop the casualty panicking or running – any movement or breeze will fan the flames
- Drop the casualty to the ground and wrap them in a blanket, coat, or rug. Ensure they are made from inflammable fabrics such as wool
- Roll the casualty along the ground until the flames have been smothered.
Severe burns
If clothing has caught on fire it is more than likely that the burn will be severe. A severe burn is deep and doesn’t hurt as much as a minor one due to damaged nerve endings.
- Start cooling the burn immediately under cool running water for at least 10 minutes. Use a shower or hose if the burns are large. Keep cooling the burn while waiting for professional help to arrive. Ensure you are cooling the burn and not the casualty, keep areas that are not burnt as warm and dry as possible to try and avoid the casualty going into shock.
- Instruct a helper to dial 999 or 112 for an ambulance
- Make the casualty as comfortable as possible, ideally lie them down and elevate their legs, again to reduce the risk of clinical shock.
- Whilst cooling, remove any constricting items such as jewellery or clothing from the affected area unless they are stuck to the burn. Wear disposable gloves if they are available
For ALL burns NEVER
- Touch the burn
- Use lotions, ointments and creams
- Use adhesive dressings
- Break blisters.
Sprains and strains
These can be caused by falling or tripping over in the dark. There may be pain and tenderness with swelling and difficulty in moving the injured area.
- Advise the casualty to sit or lie down. Support the injured limb in a comfortable position
- Cool the area by applying an ice pack to reduce the pain and swelling
- Apply comfortable support to the injury by surrounding the area with a thick layer of padding, such as cotton wool, and secure with a bandage
- Raise the injured part to minimise bruising
- If the pain is severe or you are worried send them to hospital, otherwise advise them to rest.
Eye injuries
Fireworks and bonfires have sparks, which can land in the eye and be very painful. Open the casualty’s eye and carefully look for any embedded object. If there is anything lodged in the eye, cover both eyes and phone for an ambulance. If you can see the object in the eye and it is moving freely, have a sterile eye wash and gently irrigate the eye to remove it. If the casualty is still in pain, or discomfort, seek medical advice.
It is strongly advised that parents attend a practical First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.
Emma Hammett
First Aid for Life
0208 675 4036
First Aid for life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information.
*based on 1994 statistics
October 7, 2011 No Comments
Meningitis
The Meningitis Research Foundation offers a FREEFONE 24HOUR HELPLINE
UK: 080 8800 3344
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND: 1800 41 33 44
They are an extremely important organisation helping to fight Meningitis please visit their website link on my website.
The Meningitis Research Foundation estimates that there are around 3,300 cases of bacterial meningitis and septicaemia every year in the UK and Republic of Ireland.
This means that every day nine people become ill with the diseases. With one in ten people dying, a death will occur almost every day. A further two people will be left with life-altering after effects as severe as brain damage, deafness and multiple amputations.
The two forms of the disease have differentsymptoms. People who recover from meningitis and septicaemia may be left with a range of after effects that dramatically alter their lives.
Meningitis is usually bacterial or viral, and occasionally is due to fungal infections, although almost any microbe can cause it.
Viral meningitis can be very unpleasant but it is almost never life threatening and most people quickly make a full recovery.
Bacterial meningitis is more serious and can be caused by a range of different bacteria.
Most cases in the UK and Ireland are caused by meningococcal bacteria.
Meningococcal bacteria can cause meningitis, septicaemia or both. Most people who get the disease have some symptoms of both meningococcal meningitis and meningococcal septicaemia; together these two forms of the disease are known as meningococcal disease.
Septicaemia is the more life threatening form of the disease and is more dangerous when there are no signs of meningitis.
Meningitis and septicaemia are very dangerous and can kill in hours.
Meningitis means swelling of the lining around the brain and spinal cord. Septicaemia is blood poisoning caused by the same germs. Meningitis and septicaemia can occur together or separately.
People who are faced with meningitis and septicaemia have to act fast to save a life – a race against time.
Meningitis and septicaemia can be hard to recognise at first. Symptoms can appear in any order, but the first symptoms are usually fever, vomiting, headache and feeling unwell, just like in many mild illnesses.
- Meningitis and septicaemia can be hard to recognise at first. Symptoms can appear in any order, but the first symptoms are usually fever, vomiting, headache and feeling unwell, just like many mild illnesses
- Red ticks show symptoms that are more specific to meningitis and septicaemia and less common in milder illnesses. Limb pain and cold hands and feet often appear earlier than a rash, neck stiffness, photophobia and confusion.
- Not everyone gets all these symptoms
- Septicaemia can occur with or without meningitis
- In some cases of meningitis, a rash may not appear
Septicaemia
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Meningitis
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| Fever and/or vomiting | |||
| Severe headache | |||
| Limb/joint/muscle pain (sometimes with pain/diarrhoea) | |||
| Cold hand and feet/shivering | |||
| Pale or mottled skin | |||
| Breathing fast/breathless | |||
| Rash (anywhere on the body) | |||
| Stiff neck (less common in young children) | |||
| Dislike of bright lights (less common in young children) | |||
| Very sleepy /vacant /difficult to wake | |||
| Confused /delirious | |||
| Seizures (fits) may also be seen |
Other meningitis symptoms in toddlers and babies:
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Babies and tiny tots may also have:
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September 14, 2011 1 Comment
Croup
My baby has a cold and an awful barking cough, I took him to the doctor who told me he has Croup. The doctor would not prescribe any antibiotics for my baby, but told me to come back if the symptoms got worse.
I am very worried, please help.
Croup is a common childhood infection of the upper airways. It most often occurs in children from 3 months to 5 years, often in Autumn/Winter. Children are typically unwell with cold-like symptoms, a slightly raised temperature, wheezy, with a cough that sounds like a sea-lion barking. The infection is caused by a virus and so antibiotics will not help. Symptoms often get a lot worse at night. Humidifying a room can ease the breathing, this can be done either with a humidifier, or by holding your baby near a source of steam, such as a hot bath – but please be careful to ensure your child doesn’t get burnt! If your baby gets much worse in the night and you are concerned, phone for an ambulance and they will bring nebulisers to ease the breathing. Taking your baby outside on a mild evening can ease their symptoms, however taking them out if it is very cold can make things worse. Symptoms usually last for about 5 days. If their breathing becomes very wheezy and laboured, phone for an ambulance immediately.
Emma Hammett
First Aid for Life
0208 675 4036
First Aid for life provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information.
September 7, 2011 No Comments
iphone app to locate nearest available defibrillators
AED
In collaboration with buuuk.com, the iPhone app to locate the nearest AED to anyone in the world is out! Check out the screenshots below.
Here is a video of the app.
So to all the heroes out there, download the AED Nearby app from the app store now!
Best iPhone apps at AppStoreHQ
PS : We have apps for other smartphones ( eg Android – this is set to improve very soon ) and standard mobile phones. An app for Blackberry will be ready soon.
Disclaimer : As public-accessed AEDs are prone to abuse, availability of AEDs is not guaranteed.
August 16, 2011 2 Comments
Fast use of a defibrillator really can save lives!
Mr Harry Parkinm,a 49-year-old businessman, was playing for a doctors’ team at Budleigh Salterton Cricket Club in Devon yesterday afternoon.
He suffered a serious heart attack near the start of the match in front of a crowd of several people, including two of his own children.
Treasurer John Eggleton added: ‘When he initially fell down, I don’t think people realised what was going on and it took a few seconds to sink in that something was very wrong.’
As the man was unconscious and lying on the pitch, one of the doctors, Dr Richard Mejzner, a GP at Budleigh Salterton Medical Centre ran to his car for the defibrillator and treated the man where he lay.
The Devon Air Ambulance was called and landed on the pitch. The man was flown to the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital.
The match, against a cricket team from the town’s football club, was being played in Budleigh’s community league.
Cricket club secretary Kevin Curran said he thought the man was lucky to be alive.
‘He is a well-known member of the community who does an awful lot for the club and everyone was completely shocked when this happened,’ he said.
‘The match had only just begun and he was nowhere near the ball when he collapsed.
‘It was extremely fortunate there were a number of doctors around and one had this piece of equipment in his car – he may well have saved his life.
‘The very quick action of the doctor involved, who is a bit of a hero I guess in that respect – but he’d only say he was doing his natural job – his quick action has meant that our friend and colleague has got another opportunity, as it were.
‘We’re all just delighted to hear today that he is making progress, and is obviously still in hospital and having tests, but he’s in the right place and getting the right medical attention.’
Mr Curran said the club will now look at buying a defibrillator and training members in how to use it.
‘We have all the basic medical equipment but this incident has highlighted just how important defibrillators are,’ he said. ‘For a relatively small outlay we could have a piece of kit that can save lives.’
The doctor who came to his assistance is thought to be a GP who works at a surgery in the town.
The match was abandoned after the incident.
Mr Curran said the club may also want to support the air ambulance trust. ‘It is a remarkable charity that is always in need of money,’ he said.
‘I am sure that when the dust settles the committee will want to show our support for it.’
August 16, 2011 No Comments
When to look for a pulse? What is Agonal breathing?
A 16 year old girl swimmer died after a lifeguard stopped CPR when she started breathing again, she thought that she had saved her life a Coroner heard…
Abstracts:
Heart specialist Dr Christopher Duke said Sophie ‘would have survived’ if she had received continuous CPR. He said ‘You don’t stop resuscitation just because a patient appears to be breathing. You only stop if there’s breathing and a pulse.’
The coroner Catherine Mason said she would write to the Resuscitation Council of the UK, which provides guidelines for life-saving techniques, to ask it to amend its training guidelines to include checking for a pulse.
The inquest herad Sophie’s initial cardiac arrest was caused by an undiagnosed herat condition.
Comment.
The Casualty could have easily re-arrested causing death. Detecting a pulse (or the absence of one) would have identified the need to continue CPR. However, it is feasible the first aider misinterpreted ‘Agonal’ breathing (which is a sign of dying) with ‘Normal’ breathing (a sign of life). If this is the case, ineffective training may be the problem not the first aider or the Resuscitation Council’s guidelines.
A first aider is not a medical professional and in this the case the first aider has acted in good faith and within her training. Overall, the first aider should be praised for her actions, not criticised.
(Note: AoFA comments are based on reported news items as stated below.)
UK Resuscitation Council Guidelines:
Studies have shown that pulse checking is difficult and unreliable especially for laypersons including first aiders, Some years ago, pulse check and checking for ‘Signs of Life’ was removed from basic life support (BLS) training and replaced with a single ‘Normal Breathing’ check. This change was designed to simplify and improve the outcome of CPR.
Agonal Breathing:
Agonal breathing is present up to 40% of pre-hospital cardiac arrests. It is important that first aiders can recognise agonal breathing.
Agonal breathing can sound like gasping, snorting, gurgling, moaning or laboured breathing. It is NOT ‘normal’ breathing.
If in doubt, do CPR. It is better to do CPR when not needed that not to do CPR when needed!
First Aid Training:
Make sure your training emphasises the difference between Normal and Agonal breathing
July 27, 2011 No Comments
Scalds and burns
Last week I nearly spilt hot coffee on my baby, they were ok, but it made me worry – what should I do if I scald my child?
If hot liquid is spilt on your child, immediately, but carefully remove wet clothing (leave if stuck to the burn) and put the affected area under cool running water for at least 10 minutes. Phone an ambulance, particularly if a large area is affected, or if the skin is broken or blistered. Burns to the hands, face, feet, genitals or airways are particularly serious. Keep the burnt area under cool running water until the paramedic arrives. If the burn is not caused by a hot liquid, do not remove clothes as they will probably have stuck – run immediately under cool running water for at least 10 minutes. If the burn is caused by a chemical, run under cool running water for at least 20 minutes. Treating a burn promptly under cool running water for at least 10 minutes makes a huge difference to the severity of a burn and therefore the amount of pain, scaring, length of time in hospital…that your child may experience.
Never touch the burn, pop blisters, or put on any creams whatsoever. Take burns very seriously and always seek medical advice.
This information has been provided for guidance only and is not a substitute for medical advice or for attending a First Aid course. First Aid for Life is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information.
July 8, 2011 No Comments
Ofsted advice on choking and food preparation in nurseries
First aid training for staff and food preparation in nurseries
Following a recent inquest into the death of a child in a nursery, Ofsted has undertaken to the Coroner to share his concerns with inspectors and with local authorities as part of their statutory role in providing advice, guidance and training to registered providers.
The young child choked on a small piece of sausage and, despite the best efforts of the staff to dislodge it and subsequently of medical staff, the child sadly died. The sausage created a ‘perfect plug’ in the child’s throat. The risk of this occurring, although slight, can be further reduced by ensuring that food such as sausage is cut lengthways rather than in a manner which creates a small round food particle.
The inquest also identified that the first aid training for nursery staff may not sufficiently equip staff to be able to dislodge small items of food from young children, particularly when firm tummy thrusts are required. As local authorities are responsible for the provision or the arrangement of first aid training for nursery staff, you may want to review the adequacy of the training provided in your authority.
We will also be notifying the Department for Education for consideration as part of their revisions to the Early Years Foundation Stage.
Phil Gould – Senior Manager, Early Years and Childcare team (Ofsted)
July 8, 2011 No Comments
