Common First Aid Mistakes

Your children are your life – do you know what to do (and what not to do) if they are choking, bleeding or sick? We have found some of the most common childhood first aid mistakes that people make.

Stick a Finger into a Choking Child’s Mouth

If your child is choking, your first instinct is probably to get whatever is in his mouth out as quickly as possible. However, sticking your own finger in his mouth could cause vomiting or damage a child’s throat. Take the advice of Red Cross  and instead stand or kneel behind your child and give up to five back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand. Check the mouth quickly after each one and remove any obvious obstruction. If the obstruction is still present; give up to five abdominal thrusts.

Hang a Choking Child Upside Down

This is another ineffective way to stop a child from choking. See above for the proper way to help a choking child.

Cure Croup with Steam

Croup is a type of cough developed in infants. Giving your baby a hot steamy shower to cure croup is a big first aid myth. The cure for croup? Plenty of love from Mum and Dad. If you do suspect your child has croup, take him to the GP or hospital to verify your suspicion. A barking cough can lead to serious complications if not diagnosed correctly.

Stopping Breastfeeding if You Suspect an Infection

One of the most common complaints of all breastfeeding mothers is mastitis, an inflammation of the breast caused by a blocked milk duct. Many mothers will assume they should stop breastfeeding and switch to formula to ensure the baby does not get sick. Not true instead, continue to breastfeed WebMD reports. Your baby is actually the best cure for mastitis and will unblock the duct. If you develop flu-like symptoms, it’s time to see your doctor for a dosage of antibiotics.

Curing Diarrhoea in Infants with Water

When an adult or older child has diarrhoea, we encourage the replenishment of fluid by offering water or juice. However, with infants, this will not help at all. Water does not contain enough minerals or sodium. Instead, Kids Health suggest you offer additional breast feeds or formula feeds and, if your child is under the age of 6 months, consult a doctor.

Sugar for Bleeding

Children fall and scrape their knee/arm/leg/face/etc. all the time. One of the tastiest myths around is that applying sugar will stop the bleeding. Other household remedies that should be thrown in the trash include using baking soda, flour, egg lining, sage leaves and vinegar for bleeding. Save these ingredients for your cookies and cakes and instead wash the cut with mild soap and warm water.

Honey for Infection Prevention

After a fall and scratch, skip this myth and save yourself a sticky mess. The best way to prevent infection is to apply an antibiotic ointment to the broken skin and cover with a bandage to keep moist.

Lean Back for Nosebleeds

Children commonly get nosebleeds for a number of different reasons. Forget what you have heard about leaning back when suffering a nosebleed. The correct first aid manoeuvre as reported by Red Cross, is to lean forward and pinch your nose just below the nasal bone for five to ten minutes.

Egg for Nappy Rash

There is a mythical miracle cure for nappy rash from every country. Egg, fish paste, paw paw and corn flour are among the favourites. However, none of them are valid. Instead, to cure nappy rash, let baby go nappy-less for a little while and apply a barrier cream. The child health nurses suggest you should change the nappy often and avoid using baby wipes that could irritate the skin even more.