Editor’s note:

This is the first in a series of Unii articles on paediatric first aid, created for an audience of the parents and caregivers of babies and young children. However, there are important roles and responsibilities imposed on every trained First Aider, regardless of the age of the casualty, and these are the subject of this particular article.

Further, please be aware that this Unii Journey was developed with UK experts and based on an OFSTED-approved course. Refer to your local healthcare professionals and administrators where appropriate.

Whether you're a parent, guardian, or just someone who wants to be relied upon to help in an emergency, understanding these key principles can make a world of difference. So, let's get started.

As a first aider, your role is crucial in providing immediate support to someone in need, and this can feel like a big responsibility, so let's start by reminding ourselves what we are not—we are not nurses and doctors. We are first aiders. We are providing support—which is essential—while we wait for professionals to take over. Now that we have reminded ourselves of that, we can already feel more confident, as we understand we are not expected to know all that a doctor or nurse would know! This is also a good time to be sure that we mention what we mean when we say baby—we mean a child under one. A child is over a year old and up to the age of eighteen.

Now, let’s talk about the Three Ps in First Aid.

The three Ps in first aid help us because they define our aims. Let’s go over them:

Preserve Life: Assess the situation calmly, protect everyone from danger, and treat the most serious conditions first.

Prevent Worsening: Call for medical help, identify the injury or illness, and minimise the risk of infection.

Promote Recovery: Provide appropriate treatment, arrange the next steps, and communicate details to those taking over care.

It’s also important to minimise infection risk.

To minimise the risk of infection to yourself and others:

Use protective equipment if available. Gloves, glasses, and facemasks protect both you and the child.

Dispose Safely: Dispose of waste safely.

Hand hygiene: Wash your hands thoroughly after treating a child.

First Aid Equipment

Having a first-aid kit is going to be greatly helpful to you! Let's have a look at some of the items you would want to have, although this is not an exhaustive list. You can add other things as you feel appropriate.

- Gloves

- Face shields

- Adhesive tape

- A foil blanket

- Scissors

- Plasters

- Wound dressings

- An eye pad

- Finger dressing

- Burns dressing

- Triangular bandage

- Antiseptic wipes

- A conforming bandage

Remember, staying calm and following these guidelines will make you more effective in an emergency situation.

What does a first aider do?

We share some important rules from Unii's Paediatric First Aid Journey.