First aid: everything a parent should know

If your little one got hurt, injured or started choking, would you know what to do? Brush up on your first aid know-how right here.

We'd all like to wrap our little ones up in cotton wool so they can't get hurt, but sadly that's just not possible. And sometimes, as much as we try to keep them safe, they get hurt.

Accidents of all kinds happen – that's just the way life goes – but while you may not be able to stop your child getting hurt, knowing how to deal with it can give you some peace of mind, at least.

'Put simply, first aid can be the difference between life and death. Life-saving first aid is quick and easy to learn, and just knowing the most basic skills will give you the confidence to help your child when they need it most,' says Isobel Kearl, National Training Officer for St John Ambulance.

From bumps, bruises and burns to more serious accidents, here's how to help your child – or even someone else's – when they need it.

First aid for babies

If you're a parent, grandparent, a carer or if you work with children, learning first aid will give you confidence to save a life when it really counts.

St John Ambulance covers a whole range of different conditions and techniques – from knowing how to put a child or infant in the recovery position if they are unresponsive but breathing, to giving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if they’re not.

'First aid techniques including CPR and choking do differ depending on your child’s age and size. It is vital that parents and carers be aware of the differences in the technique, so that they can make the difference when it really counts,' says Isobel.

If you're a new parent or parent-to-be, click on the links below for first aid advice, that's specific to your baby's age.

First aid advice for newborn babies

First aid advice for babies around six-months-old

First aid advice for babies over nine-months-old

CPR for little ones

How to perform CPR on babies under one, as recommended by St John Ambulance:

1. Call 999/112 for an ambulance.

If you’re on your own, you need to give one minute’s worth of CPR before you can call for help, taking your baby with you.

2. Give five puffs

Put your lips around their mouth and nose and blow steadily for up to one second. Give five puffs in total.

3. Give thirty pumps

Using two fingers in the centre of the chest, give 30 pumps at a rate of 100-120 per minute (around two pumps a second).

4. Repeat two puffs and 30 pumps until help arrives.

How to perform CPR on children between one and puberty:

1. Call 999/112 for an ambulance.

If you’re on your own, you need to give one minute’s worth of CPR before you can call for help.

2. Give five puffs

Put your lips around their mouth and blow steadily for up to one second. Give five puffs in total.

3. Give thirty pumps

Place the heel of one hand on the centre of the chest and give 30 pumps at a rate of 100-120 per minute (around two pumps a second).

4. Repeat two puffs and 30 pumps until help arrives.

First aid by topic

Click on the links below for first aid advice for many different conditions, from dealing with a choking child or baby, to recognising the signs of meningitis, and much more.

Asthma attack

Bites and stings

Choking

Croup

Dehydration

Fever

Head injuries

Hypothermia

Meningitis

Nose bleeds

Seizures (fits) in babies

Seizures (fits) in children

Unresponsive and breathing baby (under one year old)

Unresponsive and breathing child

Unresponsive and not breathing baby (under one year old)

Unresponsive and not breathing child

First aid kit: what to have at home

According to the NHS, a basic first aid kit may contain:

• plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes
• small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
• at least two sterile eye dressings
• triangular bandages
• crêpe rolled bandages
• safety pins
• disposable sterile gloves
• tweezers
• scissors
• alcohol-free cleansing wipes
• sticky tape
• thermometer (preferably digital)
• 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 (check use-by dates and keep out of reach of children)
• antihistamine tablets
• distilled water for cleaning wounds
• eye wash and eye bath

Find a first aid course

Fancy doing a first aid course? Here's how to find your nearest.

In the meantime, these videos are well worth a watch.

How to save a choking baby

How to perform CPR on a child