​Firstly, it’s important to understand that with COVID – 19 the associated disease presents with mild, flu-like symptoms for the vast majority who contract it and it seems to be particularly mild for children. That said, taking some time to prepare now for the weeks ahead will help to prevent panic, promote good mental and physical health, and ensure limited government and community resources can go to those who are most vulnerable.

So, why not consider:

• When cooking meals, make some extra portions and freeze them

• Check you have a working thermometer

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• Make an agreement with someone to help each other dropping off groceries in the event that one of you becomes ill.  If that’s not an option, familiarize yourself with grocery or meal delivery services.  As a last resort purchase some extra supplies, being mindful of others’ needs particularly with regards to essential items like infant formula

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• Check with your local pharmacy to see if you can pre-authorize someone outside your household to pick up prescriptions on your behalf and if so, make those arrangements

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• Develop a family plan for various scenarios, including planning care for any dependants and/or pets if you become unwell.  Minimize your reliance on people who are vulnerable (ie. grandparents) and make sure everyone included in the plan is aware and in agreement

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• We are blessed in and around Brussels with miles of forest and parkland and as far as I can see there is no reason not to get out for a walk, cycle or run in the fresh air every day even with friends as long as you adhere to good hygiene practices.  Restaurants’ and bars closed - take a picnic and a flask.  The weather forecast, at least for next week, is quite good!

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• Check in with vulnerable or elderly neighbours and offer to shop for them or drop off a meal.  The last place they need to be is a busy supermarket

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• Check in with your friends via facetime or What’s app – use these platforms creatively to share activities you used to meet face to face or in a group for

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• Set realistic goals and don’t sweat the small stuff! Being at home with young children is tough so if household standards slip a bit bah so what…..this too will pass and life will return to normal
  

  
Lastly, watch out for each other and be aware of how you and those around you are coping with their stress, particularly those who are especially at risk and do what you can to practice good self-care and help others.

Written by Kate Ellwood 13/03/2020

​​LifeFirst provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. LifeFirst is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

​LifeFirst provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. LifeFirst is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

Alas, minor accidents and injuries happen so it is important to have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home so you can deal with them quickly and safely.  So, in case you don't have a first aid kit at home or yours needs a bit of tender loving care here are some things to consider.

Firstly:  

• Your first aid kit should be kept in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children

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• Keep your first aid items in a waterproof container. Make sure it's large enough so you can arrange the contents in such a way that you can find what you need quickly.  A plastic container with a close-fitting lid or a resealable plastic bag is ideal

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• ​Label the first aid box so you can recognise it easily. The standard labelling for a first aid kit is a white cross on a green background​​​​

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• Many people also keep a small first aid kit in their car for emergencies

What should you have in your first aid kit?​

A basic first aid kit should include:

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• gloves – both non sterile (to protect you from infection) and sterile for treating someone with deep wounds or burns*

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• 1 pair scissors – blunt end *

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• A face shield to protect yourself when resuscitating someone*

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​​​*Stored in your box so that they can be accessed immediately and easily 

• small, medium and large sterile gauze pads – can be used as dressings, as padding or swabs to clean around wounds

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• plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes

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• 1 packet of cotton wool – to be used as padding but never directly on a wound

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• 2 calico triangular bandages – (ensure they are calico not a cheap version made of paper) these are some of the most useful things in your kit.  Ideal, sterile, non-fluffy material to stop bleeding, can be used for slings and support bandages and far easier than a dressing to secure on head, knee and elbow wounds

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• safety pins

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• 1 pair sterile tweezers – for removing small splinters, that can easily be grasped and pulled out in the same direction that they went in (nothing else should ever be removed from a wound unless by a medical professional)

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•  sterile alcohol-free cleansing wipes to clean skin

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• micropore/sticky tape to secure dressings and tape fingers and toes.  Also useful for labelling things

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• eye dressings, can be used as small dressings for babies and toddlers

Useful but not essential items might include:

• thermometer (preferably digital)

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• burn gel or a burns dressing – to apply to a burn after cooling

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• instant ice pack – at home you can use a bag of frozen peas – Ensure it is wrapped in a cloth as it can cause ice burns

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• foil blanket – to keep the casualty warm, crucially important in helping to prevent them going into shock. They should ideally be insulated from the ground and have this wrapped round them to retain their body heat.

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• steri strips - great to help close gaping wounds. Always get major or deep wounds swiftly seen by a medical professional

​Here are some additional items you may like to keep at home:

• skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula​
• cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
• antiseptic cream
• painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen
• cough medicine
• antihistamine cream or tablets
• distilled water for cleaning wounds
• eye wash and eye bath

Any medicines should be checked regularly to make sure they're within their use-by dates.

​Written by Kate Ellwood First Aid Instructor (January 2020)
​​LifeFirst provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. LifeFirst is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

​Written by Kate Ellwood First Aid Instructor (December 2019)
​​LifeFirst provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. LifeFirst is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

Some babies have been strangled by looped cords hanging into their cot. This could be a string from a bag, or a blind cord, or a ribbon trailing into the cot. If you’ve got cot toys, make sure they’ve got short ribbons, and take them out of the cot when your baby goes to sleep. If there are cords nearby, like blind cords, make sure they are tied up high so that your baby can't reach them.

If your baby has a dummy (pacifier), the cord or string on the dummy can get looped around his neck. Although it might be annoying to keep retrieving lost dummies, having no cord on them is safer than tying them to your baby’s clothes.  If you do still want to tie them to your baby's clothes, keep the ribbon shorter than 150mm to reduce the risk of strangulation.

​Curious toddlers are especially vulnerable to strangulation because their heads weigh proportionately more than their bodies compared to adults and their muscle control isn’t fully developed, which makes it harder for them to free themselves if they get tangled up. Plus, their windpipes are smaller and less rigid than those of adults and older children. This means they suffocate far more quickly when their necks are constricted. In fact, it can take just 15 seconds for a toddler to lose consciousness if they get tangled in a blind cord. Death can occur in just two or three minutes.

​Even if your cords or chains are well out of the way, your child might still reach them. If your toddler can scramble up on chairs, beds, cots and tables, make sure they are well out of the way of blind cords or chains and other hanging strings and loops.​ 

NEVER cut a blind cord, as this will not only stop your blinds working, it can actually make your blinds more dangerous
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​You can also fit safety clips like those shown below:

​Roller Blind Cord/Chain Safety Clips

​ Strangulation Safety Tips

• Always clip blind cords right out of reach or use cordless blinds
• Never hang anything on the side of a cot or within reach of the child
• Small children should not wear necklaces or dummies round their necks
• Cot bumpers with ties should be avoided

​P.S.
As I was searching and reading around for this post I was reminded of the work of the Child Accident Prevention Trust. Their website is a goldmine of excellent, age appropriate safety advice that I would urge all parents to take a look at! 
​ https://www.capt.org.uk/capt-safety-advice  

App 112 BE
If you have a smartphone, the app 112 BE is one of the possibilities to contact the emergency centres when you are in distress and need urgent assistance of the fire brigade, an ambulance and/or the police in Belgium.

On the 112.be website there are 2 short films using sign language (in French) explaining how to use the app and SMS function:  https://112.be/en/for-deaf-people

Advantages of the 112 App:
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•   3 emergency services, 1 app: you don't need to remember the emergency numbers. You just click on the icon of the fire brigade, ambulance or police, depending on the type of assistance you need.

 

•    Localization: the emergency centres can find you more easily by means of the GPS function on your smartphone thanks to this app.  When your "location" is switched on in your smartphone, the app sends your location to the emergency centre as soon as you call and then sends an update of your location every 30 seconds for as long as you are calling.  If you called the emergency centres and you don't respond anymore after that, then the emergency centres let your smartphone ring so that the emergency services can find and help you more easily.

 

•    Chat function: as a deaf or hearing-impaired person, or as a person with a speech impediment, you can mention this while registering the app by checking this option.  The app will then activate the chat function when you make an emergency call by means of the app, allowing you to communicate with the emergency centre by means of messages.

 

•   Extra information: you can also provide certain medical information, such as a heart condition, allergies (to medication), epilepsy, diabetes, ... The operator has this information even before you have said something and can give this information to the emergency centres that come to help you.

Attention:

• Both the app 112 BE and the SMS service are only available in Belgium
• When you can contact the emergency centres by means of a normal voice call, please do not use the chat function of the app or the SMS service. By asking questions orally the operator can anticipate the answers faster.  Moreover, by means of a normal voice call operators can provide medical accompaniment such as resuscitation instructions

Download and register for the 112.be app:

With a good internet connection it only takes 112 seconds to download, install and register the app on your smartphone. To do so, go to the app or play store on your smartphone, insert “app 112 BE” in the search box and download the app. After the installation of the app you best put it immediately on the home screen of your smartphone so you can easily find it when you're in distress.  After that you only need to register.  This registration only consists of 2 screens with a number of short questions.
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I hope of course you will never need the app, but do register so you can contact the emergency centres using the app when you, your family or your friends need urgent assistance.

​Written by Kate Ellwood First Aid Instructor and Assessor (October 2019)
​​LifeFirst provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. LifeFirst is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

A poison is any substance (a solid, liquid, or a gas) which can cause damage if it enters the body in sufficient quantities.  It can be swallowed, breathed in, absorbed through the skin or injected.  Substances such as prescription or non-prescription drugs, household cleaning and DIY products and some plants and fungi can be harmful if you swallow them.  

Some poisons cause an all over reaction and can result in seizures, blurred vision, acute anaphylaxis and can be fatal – be cautious and always get the child quickly seen by a medical professional.

What to look for
If you think a child may have swallowed poison, these are the five key things to look for:

1. Nausea and vomiting (sometimes blood-stained) and later diarrhoea
2. Cramping stomach pains
3. Pain or a burning sensation
4. Partial loss of responsiveness
5. Seizures

What you need to do 
1. If the child is responsive ask them what they have taken, when they took it and how much they took.  Look for clues - for example poisonous plants, berries or empty containers. The emergency services will want to know this information. When you go to hospital, take the packaging and the remains of anything you think they have swallowed as this will help the doctors to treat them in the best way possible.
Tip : If a child has swallowed a berry from a plant – take a photo of the plant and a leaf as well to show to the doctors

2. Call 112 as soon as possible.  If you can’t call 112, get someone else to do it. The substance could be extremely harmful and the person may need urgent medical attention.

3. Do not make the person sick!  By making them sick, you can cause further damage to their throat or block their airway.  But, if they vomit naturally then put some of their vomit into a bag or container and give it to the ambulance crew. This may help them identify the poison.

4. If the casualty's lips are burnt by corrosive substances, ideally get them to swill milk or water around their mouth and spit it out and then give them small sips of milk or water to dilute the product down their throat.

5. If the casualty becomes unresponsive and stops breathing, you will need to resuscitate them by giving them breaths followed by chest compressions.   

If the casualty is contaminated with chemicals remember to protect yourself and wear protective gloves, goggles and/or a mask.  If they have become unresponsive and stopped breathing after eating something corrosive – protect yourself if doing mouth to mouth resuscitation.  This can be done with a pocket mask or plastic bag with a hole in it – cover the mouth with the bag and breath through the hole in the bag into the nose – thereby protecting yourself and ensuring that you are not burnt as well.

​For all urgent questions about poisoning in Belgium you can call  the:

Antigif Centrum/Centre Antipoisons

Open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Suspected poisoning is one of the most common reasons for young children to be taken to A&E.

Did you know…?

• Child-resistant tops and strip and blister packs for tablets help to slow children down but they are not childproof. Some 3-4 year olds can open them in seconds!

 

• Swallowing medicines, like everyday painkillers that you might keep in your handbag or bedside cabinet, is the most common way for children to be poisoned.

 

• The detergent capsules and concentrated liquids under the kitchen sink can harm children too – they can cause accidental poisoning but also squirt into the eyes and cause damage. The capsules come in boxes that aren’t child-resistant.

Safety reminders – how to prevent children from being poisoned

First steps
At around 6 months babies start to put things in their mouths, which means they are at risk of swallowing something harmful. You can stop them from getting hold of poisonous things.

The best place to keep medicines is locked away or up high where your baby can’t come across them. Fit safety catches on any low cupboard doors and drawers and make sure bottle tops and lids are on properly.

Don’t forget the painkillers in your handbag on the floor or the ones on the bedside table.

Before your baby starts to crawl and move around, move the cleaning products from around the toilet or under the kitchen sink into a high cupboard out of sight.

Look out for products that contain a bittering agent like Bitrex. It tastes so horrible it means that children are much more likely to spit the dangerous chemical out.

Remember, the newer liquid detergent capsules can be dangerous too - if children squeeze or bite them the liquid can squirt out. Keep them stored safely away.

Toddlers
Toddlers love to explore and will copy what you do. This means they are more at risk from poisoning than any other age group. Here’s how to make sure your toddler stays safe from poisoning. 

Keeping your medicines and cleaning things locked up or out of reach and sight is the safest way to protect your toddler. Ideally put them in a high lockable cupboard. It’s best to keep them in a room which people use a lot. That means if your child has climbed up on a chair or worktop and is exploring in cupboards they are more likely to be seen by an adult or brother or sister.

'Child resistant' caps are not 'child-proof'. Some 3-4 year olds can open them in seconds, so make sure they're locked away too.

Toddlers like to copy what you do. Try to take your medicine when your toddler isn’t watching.

Avoid pretending your child’s medicine is a sweet, even if it’s hard to get them to take it. It can be confusing for your toddler.

When you’re visiting friends or relatives, take a few moments to look out for medicines or cleaning products lying around, like in Granny’s bedside table, so you’re not taken by surprise.

Even small amounts of alcohol can be harmful to small children, so clear up any glasses with alcohol dregs left in them.

Remember to be careful with aromatherapy oils, perfumes and cigarettes too as they can all be harmful to small children.

Young children
Children between 3 to 5 may know something about what they can safely eat, but they are still at risk from accidental poisoning. They are much more likely to be able to open child-resistant tops too. 

Your child may easily be confused by colourful medicines that look like sweets. So keep them locked safely away and in the original bottles.

Do the same with cleaning products, DIY or garden chemicals, whether they are kept in the house or the garden shed.

Plants in the garden can be confusing too. Teach your child not to eat anything they pick outside. Poisonous berries can easily look like the ones they have in their pudding!

Carbon Monoxide 
You can't see, smell or taste it but if but if carbon monoxide creeps out from flame burning appliances it can kill children in seconds. 
Make sure that you have an audible carbon monoxide alarm fitted in your home – ideally one in every room with a fuel-burning appliance.  Available from GAMMA and Brico they are not so expensive...

Medicine use and storage: specific tips

If your child or another family member needs to take medicine, there are some simple things you can do to minimise the risk of accidental poisoning or overdose:

• Read the label, dosage and instructions carefully when your child needs to take medicine. Double-check everything before you give your child the medicine. If you’re not sure about how much to give or for how long, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

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• Avoid distractions when giving your child medicines. If possible, have a normal routine for giving or taking medicines. And always supervise your child while she’s taking medicine.

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• Set up a ‘checking system’ with your child’s other caregivers to avoid giving your child double doses of medicine.

 

• Ask your pharmacist to put child-resistant caps on your medicines if they’re not already on the bottle. Make sure you always put the caps back on the bottles immediately and correctly after use.

 

• Clean out your medicine cupboard regularly. Get rid of unwanted and out-of-date medicines and other poisons. You can return unwanted medicines to your local pharmacist for safe disposal.

 

• Rinse empty medicine containers with water before you throw them out.

 

• Refer to medicines by their proper names, rather than calling them ‘special lollies’.

It’s also a good idea to be careful when friends come to visit. For example, make sure their bags are out of your child’s reach, because the bags might contain medicines.
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Adapted from the Child Accident Prevention Trust website at https://www.capt.org.uk/poisoning-prevention by Kate Ellwood First Aid Instructor and Assessor (July 2019)
​
​LifeFirst provides this information for guidance and it is not in any way a substitute for medical advice. LifeFirst is not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made, or actions taken based on this information. It is strongly advised that you attend a First Aid course to understand what to do in a medical emergency.

When is the recovery position advised?
The recovery position is essential when a casualty is unconscious and breathing normally. It is a sensible way of positioning someone to allow the tongue to flop forward and any fluids to drain out, ensuring they do not enter the airway. If the casualty stops breathing normally at any time, or demonstrates agonal breathing, you should start CPR.
Professor Keith Porter (Professor of Clinical Traumatology) has developed a further option that makes it easier for one person to roll someone into the recovery position with minimal movement of their spine.

The recovery postion with a spinal injury
NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) estimate that approximately 700 people sustain a new spinal cord injury each year in the UK.  In the UK there are currently 40,000 people living with long term disabilities as a result of such injuries.

Helping the casualty to maintain a clear airway is critical and takes priority over any suspected spinal injury, as if their airway is blocked they are unable to breathe. Therefore, to maintain an open airway, anyone who is unconscious and breathing, should be rolled onto their side into the recovery position. Spinal injuries can be unstable and it is vital that in moving the casualty, you don’t cause further damage to the spinal cord.  If there are multiple people able to assist, then supporting the head and neck, and log rolling the casualty may be a better approach to minimise movement to their spine. However, if you are on your own, Professor Porter’s alternative approach is simple and effective. 

It is incredibly important to keep the spine in line and avoid them twisting. It is vital to keep checking the casualty is breathing.

Benefits of the new recovery position for suspected spinal injuries:

1. Reduces risk of movement to spine and inducing paralysis
2. Easier for a solo first aider to perform

How to do it:
Check out this film from First Aid For Life:
​youtu.be/-fbLFE4X3gE

World First Aid Day was introduced by the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement in 2000. It is a global opportunity to raise public awareness of how first aid can save lives in everyday and crisis situations.  In recognition of this day here are:

10 Powerful Reasons To Learn First Aid

1 – First aid saves lives
Basic first aid can mean the difference between life and death. A Red Cross survey showed a staggering 59% of deaths from injuries would have been preventable had first aid been given before the emergency services arrived.

2 – First aid can speed your recovery
First aid can have a huge impact on someone’s chances of recovery, and can mean the difference between them having a short term or more permanent disability.

3 – First aid reduces time in hospital
Early intervention with first aid can reduce the length of time the patient needs to stays in hospital.

4 – First aid prevents medical situations deteriorating
Knowing the basics of first aid can prevent a bad situation from getting worse. Consider a patient who is bleeding from a deep cut. Without intervention, the patient could suffer severe blood loss. By applying pressure using simple first aid techniques, you can prevent a medical emergency from rapidly deteriorating and stabilise the patient until further medical help arrives.

5 – First aid can reduce unnecessary visits to hospital
Not every accident ends up in hospital but still needs medical attention. Some injuries such as a bumped head, bruised knee or sprained ankle can be managed at home with basic first aid. First aid training also teaches you to prioritise injuries, giving the most seriously injured or ill the very best chance. As well as equipping you with the knowledge to establish whether someone needs further care and whether that care should be given by the GP, at a hospital or needs immediate paramedic intervention.

6 – Competent first aid can often reduce the amount of pain experienced by casualties
Knowing how to respond helps you stay calm in an emergency situation. Staying calm allows you to provide emotional support to the patient and help prevent them from panicking – which can often be a very effective form of pain relief. In addition, knowing how to physically move someone in pain, support their injuries and administer appropriate bandaging and dressings can also greatly reduce the amount of pain they experience.

7 – Crucial communication for the emergency services
Staying with the patient until the emergency services arrive to take over means you can convey vital information about how the patient sustained the injury or information about their condition. This information is vital to the emergency services for the effective treatment of the patient and can also aid the patient’s treatment and recovery.

8 – First aid increases awareness and reduces your susceptibility to accidents
Learning first aid and becoming alert to potential hazards and medical issues increases our health awareness and allows us to take better care of ourselves, our friends and families. It creates resilient communities and relieves pressure on healthcare services.

9 – First aid makes you feel empowered
Learning first aid will give you the confidence to act appropriately when an accident occurs. It is vitally important to deal with any life-saving injuries before reaching for the phone to call for an ambulance.
It is also very useful to know when and if to move someone following an accident and when they should be kept still.

10 – Be prepared for anything
None of us know what the future has in store for us or for our loved ones. Sudden illness such as heart attack, stroke, severe bleeding and breathing difficulties require immediate attention, which after a course, you will be well equipped to provide. First aid also equips you to deal with bleeding, burns, breathlessness, bites, shocks stings, splints and fainting so whatever medical situation life throws at you, you can respond effectively.

Adapted from a post written by Emma Hammett First Aid for Life. 11/09/2019