dps: Parent's Checklist For Babysitters

Montgomery County, PA

P.O. Box 311, Norristown, PA 19404-0311
Courthouse Hours: 8:30a.m. to 4:15p.m.
Phone: 610-278-3000
Website: www.montcopa.org

EMS for Children Fact Sheet 
 
EMERGENCY!
Every year in this country nearly 6,700 children under the age of fourteen die and another 50,000 are permanently disabled from preventable injuries. Knowing these ten things could save your child's life!
  1. Know how to spot an emergency situation
    • An emergency situation exists if you think your child could die or suffer permanent harm unless prompt care is received. If you are not sure, make the call!
  2. Know how to contact your local emergency service.
    • In Montgomery County, dial 9-1-1 in an emergency to request response from Emergency Medical Services (EMS), the police and fire departments.
  3. Learn CPR and choking rescue procedures for infants and children.
    • Knowing how to perform CPR procedures on a child who has stopped breathing could provide your child with the lifesaving support that he or she needs before the professionals arrive.
    • Understanding basic choking rescue procedures is essential to saving the life of any child whose airway is blocked by objects lodged in the throat.
    • Your local American Red Cross or American Heart Association chapter has information on CPR courses offered in your area. Also check with your local hospital for CPR training, first aid, and child safety courses.
  4. Learn the basics of First Aid.
    • Knowing how to stop serious bleeding from an open wound, manage shock, handle fractures and control a fever could provide your child with the right amount of help during an emergency.
    • Learning first aid will help you recognize an emergency.
  5. Immunize, Immunize, Immunize.
    • Get all of your child's immunizations on time. Failure to do so places your child at serious risk of permanent disability and even death from a preventable illness!
  6. Remember what to do if your child is involved in a car crash.
    • DO NOT MOVE your child unless in further danger. Moving the child unnecessarily could result in permanent injury.
    • Keep the child warn and, if conscious, keep him still.
  7. Understand what to do if your child is poisoned.
    • If your child has been poisoned, bring poison (and child, if possible) with you to the phone when calling poison control center.
    • Memorize your local poison control center's number and post it by the phone -- P.L.A.N.
    • Have Syrup of Ipecac on hand -- BUT use only if directed to do so.
  8. Learn what to do in case your child has a serious fall
    • DO NOT move any child who is unconscious or has struck his head. Doing so may result in a more serious injury or permanent disability.
    • Call 9-1-1 or your local emergency number in cases involving any loss of consciousness, blood or watery fluid coming from the ear or nose, and/or a convulsion/seizure.
    • Cover your child with blankets and, if conscious, keep him still.
  9. Know how to treat your child in case of a burn -- stop the process.
    • For minor burns without blisters, place burned area into cold water until pain is gone (about 15 min.). DO NOT use ice.
    • For burns with blisters, call your doctor immediately. DO NOT use butter or petroleum jelly.
    • Large and/or deep burns require an immediate call to 9-1-1 or your local emergency number. Keep your child warm with a clean sheet and then a blanket until help arrives.
  10. Be prepared to act in case your child has a seizure.
    • Perform rescue breathing if your child is not breathing. If breathing, lay child on her side.
    • Protect your child from other injuries by moving her away from dangerous objects.
For more information on these safety hints and the EMSC Program, please contact:
Emergency Medical Services for Children
National Resource Center
111 Michigan Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20010-2970
(202) 884-4927
 National EMSC Resource Alliance (NERA)
Harbor-UCLA Research and Education Institute
1124 West Carson Street, Building N-7
Torrence, CA 90502
(310) 328-0720
Source: 1996 EMS Week Campaign Planning Kit.
This publication is provided as a public service by EMSC and should not take the place of advice received from your pediatrician.
A program sponsored by MCHB/NHTSA, and supported in part by project MCU-114002-02-0 from the Emergency Medical Services for children program (section 1910 of the U.S. Public Health Service Act), Health Resources and Services Administration, Department of Health and Human Services.