Emergency Medical
Care for Children
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Each year, more than 14 million children under the age of 15 will be
injured seriously enough to require medical attention. Every day
in this country, over 24,000 youngsters under 15 need emergency care, and
children account for approximately 10 percent of all emergency response
transports.
These statistics are chilling for both parents and emergency care providers.
For children, aged 5 to 14, injuries claim more than three times as many
lives as the next leading cause of death.
There is a complex network of protocols and services for getting ill
and injured children the emergency care they need.
Children are physically, psychologically and physiologically different
from adults so emergency care providers are trained not only to recognize
the difference ways that children’s bodies respond to traumatic injury
and illnesses, but also to communicate and comfort young patients effectively.
“People need to know how to respond when a child may need emergency
care,” said Brad England, executive director of Cypress Creek Emergency
Medical Services. “Call 9-1-1 at once if the child’s condition is
— or could become — life-threatening; if moving the child could cause additional
injury; and if the child needs the skills or equipment that only trained
care providers can access.”
When in doubt, make the call. The 9-1-1 dispatch center should
be able to help in sorting out what kind of emergency help is needed.
“It certainly isn’t easy to be calm when a child has been injured or
is in pain,” England continued, “but this is important both to help keep
the child reassured and comforted and to be able to provide accurate information
about the illness or injury to paramedics or emergency room personnel.”
“During the summer months, youngsters are subject to all kinds of accidents
and injuries which require immediate, skilled care and attention.
These include bike crashes, near drownings, fireworks injuries and burns,
and the gamut of cuts, scrapes and broken bones.”
Sometimes it is hard to know when a child suddenly needs medical care
outside of the obvious indications like unconsciousness or severe bleeding
after a car or bike accident. Medical help is appropriate if a child
is observed showing any of the following signs or symptoms:
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Acting strangely or becoming more withdrawn and less alert.
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Having increasing trouble breathing.
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Skin or lips that look blue or purple (or gray for darker skinner children).
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A seizure — rhythmical jerking and loss of consciousness.
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Very loose or knocked out teeth, or other major mouth or facial injuries.
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Increasing, severe and persistent pain.
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Any loss of consciousness, confusion, a bad headache or vomiting after
a head injury.
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Decreasing responsiveness when being talked to.
| There is, of course, no way to keep kids absolutely safe from illness
or injury, but a healthy dose of prevention can go a long way toward reducing
the likelihood of injury occurring. According to the American Academy
of Pediatrics, parents can help “child proof” their homes by eliminating
the dangers — especially by securing poisonous chemicals and firearms completely
out of a child’s access. |
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“We also encourage parents to discuss safety issues when leaving their
children in the care of others, whether it is for just a few minutes or
for all day,” England advised.
“Be sure you go over emergency procedures with any new baby-sitter so
they will know what you expect them to do if the need arises. Leave
your emergency phone or pager numbers where you can be reached, as well
as the phone number of your pediatrician or family doctor,” he said. |
