1.Burns & scalds

What to do: Put the burnt area under running water from the cold tap as soon as you can and leave it there for at least 20 minutes. “This lessens the depth of a burn and therefore its severity,” says Dr Hugh Martin, burns surgeon at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. Keep the rest of the child’s body warm so they don’t get chilled. “Don’t put anything else on the burn,” says Dr Martin. Get medical help if the burn is bigger than a 20-cent piece, looks raw or blistered, or is on the child’s face, neck or genitals.

How to avoid it:Supervise children near fires, barbecues, cooktops or any open flame. Keep lighters and matches out of reach. Set your hot water system to a maximum of 50 degrees.

2. Choking

What to do: Check first if they can breathe, cough or cry and if so see if they can dislodge the item by coughing. “Try simple things first, like clearing the mouth or lying them forward,” says

Dr Emma McCahon, paediatrician at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. “For small children, tip them upside down and use the help of gravity. If this doesn’t work, call triple-0.”

How to avoid it: Teach your children to sit quietly while they’re eating. Cut meat into small pieces and for very young children, mash, cook or grate hard foods like carrot or apple. Until they’re 4 years old, keep any games or toys with small parts well out of children’s reach.

3. Poisoning

What to do: Signs of poisoning can include stomach pains and vomiting, drowsiness, trouble breathing, change of skin colour, blurred vision or even collapse.
“Don’t give the child anything or try to make them vomit,” says paediatrician Dr Emma McCahon. Pick up the poison’s container, if you have it, and call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 (Australia-wide, 24/7). Keep this number by the phone.

How to avoid it: “Have a medicines or poisons cupboard where you can store things out of children’s reach,” says Christine Erskine of Kidsafe NSW. Keep products in original containers and ensure they’re clearly labelled and come with child-resistant caps.

4. Near drowning

What to do: If the child is unconscious, unresponsive and not breathing, start resuscitation if you know it. “Any first aid you know is better than nothing,” advises Dr McCahon. “Call triple-0 and remember the operators can give you advice over the phone.”

How to avoid it: Make sure swimming pools and spas are fenced properly with a self-closing, self-latching gate and always supervise children in the bath. Children can drown in a few centimetres of water, so never leave them alone around a container filled with water, whether it’s a fish pond, bucket or Esky. If you’re socialising around water, designate one adult to constantly supervise the children.

5. Tooth knocked out

What to do: If a baby tooth gets knocked out, there’s little chance of saving it but you should always go straight to a dentist regardless. “In most cases, the baby teeth come out because they’re a bit loose anyway,” says dentist Dr David Leafe. “See your dentist to make sure there’s no cracked bit of tooth left that might cause infection, and no damage to the tooth that’s coming through.”

If an adult tooth is knocked out, it may reattach to the bone, but this is less likely with very young children.

“If they’re just 5 or 6, it’s not a good prognosis as the root’s not formed properly,” says Dr Leafe. However, you should still retrieve the fallen tooth and either put it in milk if you’re at home, or pop it in the child’s mouth so they can keep it inside their cheek until you get to the dentist.

How to avoid it: For littlies, it’s more a case of trying to avoid the spills and falls where possible. Don’t let them play games that involve biting hard objects or tugging things with their teeth.

6. Small things stuck in the nose or ears

What to do: “Don’t try to get it out yourself,” says Dr McCahon. Instead, go straight to your doctor to have it removed safely or to get referred to a specialist.

How to avoid it: Keep small things out of reach of little fingers and encourage children to play in an open family area where you can see them. “Our main message is to get down on the floor at child’s level and look around for possible dangers,” says Christine Erskine of Kidsafe NSW.

7. Things poked in the eye

What to do: A finger, fork, even a tree branch, can all cause damage if poked into a child’s eye. Keep them calm and check if they can open their eye. “If the eye is red, sore or irritated, go to a doctor. A scratch on the cornea can be a bad thing and should be checked,” says Dr McCahon.

How to avoid it: Teach the dangers of damaging eyes and never let kids run or play rough with sharp objects.

8. Bumps & falls

What to do: Apply ice or a cold pack immediately to any bruise, bump or swelling. If there’s severe bleeding, apply pressure with a cloth or bandage and keep the affected area elevated. If the pain seems extreme, or if your child can’t move an arm or leg, or put pressure on a leg, there may be a severe strain or even break. “It can sometimes take a while to discover a fracture with a child, so trust your instincts if you think your child isn’t okay,” says Dr McCahon.

How to avoid it: Have a firm set of house rules about how children can play at home. Ban running or silly play indoors and around stairs or windows, and don’t let them climb furniture.

9. Jammed fingers
What to do: Check if the child can move the jammed finger and check for damage to fingernails.

“If there’s bleeding, apply pressure, if there’s bruising, apply ice,” says Dr McCahon. If they’re in extreme pain and can’t move the joint, you’ll need to get medical help.

How to avoid it: Ban any slamming of doors or playing games with doors, and put foam door stoppers on open doors so they can’t slam shut. Fit soft-close hinges on toy boxes.

10. Bee stings

What to do: “Watch out for difficulty breathing or collapse, which may signal an anaphylactic reaction,” says Dr McCahon. If this is the case, call triple-0. If not, swipe the stinger sideways to remove it, apply ice or

a cold pack, and elevate the limb.

How to avoid it: Check your garden for hives or hotspots that attract bees and keep your children away.

Related article
* Do a first aid course