If you are a mom or dad or child care provider, the importance of having a portable first aid kit available cannot be stated strongly enough. Sure, first aid kits are likely to be carried by an EMT, an athletic trainer and by any medical responder who may be called upon to treat the injured in the event of an emergency. However, as a parent or child care provider, you are in the unique position of being in charge of the safety and welfare of the child at all times. Regardless of whether or not you have any medical training, having the tools available to treat a child in the event of an injury or sudden impairment could prove to be extremely beneficial.
While most parents and child care providers will not have to see the child in their care sustain a serious injury, packing and carrying a medical bag of supplies can let you be ready for the worst case scenario. Additionally, many supplies you will pack will come in useful quite often. For instance, what child has not had a fall, bump, or bruise while playing at the park? The mom, dad, or child care provider with the proper supplies can quickly patch up scrapes, allowing the child to resume play with only a minor interruption. Quick treatment of the scrape does more than just allow a child to keep playing. Immediate attention to a wound, such as cleaning it, covering it, and causing the bleeding to cease, promotes good healthy habits and will likely keep the injury from becoming infected or from taking a long time to heal. Dressing a wound quickly will keep germs away from the area, and will also keep blood pathogens away from other children or from shared toys or playground equipment.
Packing a medical bag is not a difficult chore to complete. If anything, it is simply a matter of making it a priority. A wonderful option for a mom, dad, or child care provider is to purchase a pre-packaged bag, filled with ready to use supplies. These bags can be ordered online and are reasonably priced. The great benefit to ordering a bag which is ready to go, is that it is most likely going to have everything you will ever want or need contained inside. It is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the contents of the bag, making sure there is nothing additional you wish to include, as well as making sure you understand how to use each item.
Make sure to place your medical supply bag some place where it is easy to access. The great thing about a portable bag is that it is designed to be used for travel, and therefore, does not take up a great deal of room. One important thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the medical supplies are not some place where children can get into them. For obvious safety reasons, children should not have access to medicines and treatment supplies. Additionally, children can unwittingly misplace, consume, or render useless, supplies which you may assume are available in case of injury or emergency. find a caregiver
