Consultant emergency physician Dr Elayni Borhan doing a CPR demonstration during the children’s first aid workshop last Saturday. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)

PETALING JAYA:

Accidents can happen, anywhere and at any time. No matter how well you look after your young children, a medical emergency could strike when you least expect it. And knowing what to do could save your child’s life.

With this in mind, Sunway Medical Centre (SMC) has released a Paediatric First Aid Guide, an e-book designed to help caregivers and parents deal with minor injuries as well as critical incidents, from allergic reactions and choking to electrical injuries and seizures.

According to SMC consultant emergency physician Dr Nur Elayni Borhan, long weekends or school holidays often see a rise in incidents that require medical attention.

Many parents, she said, are uncertain about when to seek help at the hospital for their children, or are unsure what to do before arriving at the emergency department.

“The launch of our e-book aims to address this knowledge gap, providing practical insights on administering crucial care at home before reaching the hospital,” Elayni said.

“This resource is designed to help parents recognise emergencies that require immediate attention and guidance.”

Children learning how to make an arm sling from Dr Betty Chan at the workshop. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)

She added that it is beneficial for children to learn first-aid skills, as this critical knowledge will help them throughout their lives.

“Teaching children first aid ensures they are prepared to handle unexpected situations, no matter where they are,” she noted. “Training sets a foundation for them to continue learning and practising these skills as they grow older, so they are prepared to respond effectively to emergencies as adults.”

To commemorate the launch of the e-book, SMC organised a children’s first-aid workshop at its centre in Bandar Sunway, Selangor, last Saturday. Attended by children and their parents, the session included live demonstrations of basic first-aid techniques in various emergency situations.

The event also marked the relaunch of SunMed Kid’s Club, SMC’s healthcare programme catering to over 4,500 children.

One of the techniques featured during the workshop was how to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation, or CPR, on a child. Do note that there are slightly different approaches to performing CPR on an infant, as demonstrated in the video above.

How to perform CPR on a child

1. Assess your surroundings before attending to the child who needs help. Ensure that the location wherein you are about to administer CPR is safe, with no environmental hazards.

Dr Lim Jinn Yih showing a young volunteer how to assess their surroundings in an emergency situation. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)

2. Try to elicit a response by shouting the child’s name, and tapping their shoulder or the bottom of their feet.

3. If there are people around you, shout for help and get someone to call 999. Find out if an automated external defibrillator is available: this portable device, available in certain locations, restores normal heart rhythms and is safe to be used on children. If you are alone with the victim, start CPR.

4. First, check the child’s airway by tilting their head and lifting their chin.

5. Check if they are breathing by positioning your cheek close to their nose and mouth, and observing any chest movement. If they are not breathing:

seal the child’s nose and mouth with your mouth;
take a deep breath and deliver five rescue breaths – one breath per
second – into the victim’s mouth;
check for rising chest movement.

Dr Lim showing a young volunteer how to check for breathing. (Muhammad Rabbani Jamian @ FMT Lifestyle)

6. Check for circulation by gently placing two fingers on the child’s inner arm or groin for 5-10 seconds until you feel a pulse.

If you cannot find a pulse, perform chest compressions (more below). A full cycle is 30 chest compressions and two rescue breaths.
If you are alone, repeat the full cycle for five sets, then call 999.
Reassess the victim, constantly checking for breathing and feeling for a pulse.

7. How to do chest compressions on a child:

Place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest. Interlace your fingers.
Keep your hands in line with your shoulders, lock your elbows, and keep your arms straight.
Push down hard, around 5cm in depth.
Allow the chest to recoil to its normal position after each compression

8. Continue CPR until

the child shows signs of life;
qualified help arrives and takes over;
you have become exhausted.

Finally, it’s important to note that CPR is only performed if the heart has stopped beating. Do not perform CPR if a pulse is felt or if there are signs of life.

More detailed information about CPR and other life-saving techniques can be found in the Paediatric First Aid Guide. Click here to download your copy, and learn more about SunMed Kid’s Club here.

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Knowing CPR could save your child’s life

A recent workshop organised by Sunway Medical Centre provided crucial pointers alongside the launch of its Paediatric First Aid Guide.