It is an extra responsibility when you are looking after someone else’s child. They are in your care and you are not the parent. Helen Taylor never imagined she would have to put her Mini First Aid knowledge into practise so soon after her class, and certainly not on someone else’s child.
In Helen’s words:
“Earlier this year, I arranged a private Mini First Aid class for myself and a group of friends. A few of them had recently become new mums and over dinner one evening, we got onto the subject of weaning and what to do should your baby choke. We decided that a Mini First Aid class would be the best way to learn and to help put our minds at rest. Little did I know that I would need my first aid knowledge so soon afterwards.
A couple of weeks after hosting the class, my 10 year old son Charlie had his friend James over to our house for a play date. Whilst we were sat together eating dinner, I noticed James was struggling and appeared to be choking on his spaghetti carbonara. My two sons were equally concerned as they could see James’ distress.
My initial reaction was to slap him on the back. I repeated the back slaps a number of times whilst checking with James to see if the food had come back up. It had not worked and panic started to set in. I dragged James from behind the table and performed an abdominal thrust on him. I vividly remembered everything our trainer Lorraine had taught me only weeks before. I had to repeat this twice before his airway was free.
It is literally one of the scariest things that has ever happened to me. To see a child in my care, choking on food that I had prepared for him was horrifying. It is such a responsibility looking after someone else’s child that I believe every carer should do a Mini First Aid class. I hate to think about what could have happened but am so thankful I did the class with Lorraine.”
If you'd like to find out more about our 2 hour Baby and Child First Aid class, whether for you or for someone who cares for your children, click here.
Mini First Aid also offers award winning Early Years, Kids and Teens classes which can be done within a school setting or with a group of children in your own home. To find out more about these classes, click here.
