Possible Emergencies

Two Scenerios’

           Emergencies can occur anywhere and anytime.  The can occur on bus rides, on the “playground equipment,” in the classroom and other locations where children are. Teachers need to be “prepared to handle emergencies” (Robertson 2010, p. 166). Teachers need to be properly trained and prepared to act to emergency situations they are able. The following two scenarios describe possible emergencies that occur in any early childhood setting.

            Scenario 1: Pizza is on the menu today and the kids are very excited. Harley (name changed) is excessively excited. It is his “absolute favorite food in the whole word” (Harley, 2010).  When lunch starts Harley is eating his food quickly, he wants to get as much pizza as he can. The teacher reminds him to slow down, and that there is plenty of pizza available. As the teacher helps other students she turns to look at Harley and notices he is choking. He is coughing and gasping for air. Harley is able to spit up the food which he was choking on.

            The teacher will need to rely on emergency policies to help her handle the situation. When a policy for possible emergencies is written, read, and reviewed often confusion and panic is lessened when emergencies do occur.  Once the teacher notices Harley is choking she should alert the other teacher in the room that there is an emergency and she will need assistance.  Since Harley is still alert and appears to be breathing the teacher can help him remain calm. While staying with Harley she must continuously perform a “head-to-toe check” (Robertson, 2010, p.178).  It is almost important to survey the surroundings to make sure Harley is in a safe environment.  Due to the situation it would be helpful to have the other children in the room removed from the scene.  As long as Harley is coughing it is best to not move or do anything else to him. A calm reassuring voice will be the best thing for Harley. Once Harley has spat up the food he was choking on he is upset and crying. The teacher will need to evaluate Harley’s emotional and physical status. If at any time Harley lost conscious or was unable to breath “emergency help” when need to be called (Robertson, 2010, p179). A teacher or an assistant should be able to dial 911 as needed. If the child continues to choke there is a choking procedure that can be done.  All staff working with children should have prior training on choking emergencies.

            The  choking procedure is called a “five-and-five approach”
(Mayo Clinic, 2010a). This done by switching between five hand blows to the back “between” the “shoulder blades” followed by “5 abdominal thrust” (Mayo Clinic 2010a).    All incidents occurring at school should be reported to the parents.

            Scenario 2:  It’s a beautiful day outside, the sun is shining and the air feels crisp. The children (and teachers) are eager for so much needed time outside. A group of girls run for the slides. Once they reach the top they are trying to create a train to slide down together.  During the movement of everyone finding a place Autumn (name changed) falls off the slide. The teacher on duty runs over to her immediately and notices she is unconscious and not  breathing. The teacher yells for another teacher to call 911 immediately. A third teacher gathers the rest of the students. The teacher who is with Autumn begins CPR.

            During this scenario all three teachers must “act immediately and remain calm” (Robertson 2010, p.178). The students being removed from the scene will need reassurance that everything is okay and the teachers are able to handle the situation.  When a teacher calls 911 for “emergency” assistance, she needs to “remain calm” in order to give clear and correct information to the emergency personal (Robertson 2010, p.178-179). The teacher assisting Autumn will need to do a “head-to-toe check” of Autumn (Robertson 2010. p. 178). She is evaluating the child and making a mental check list of possible injuries. Since Autumn is unconscious and not breathing and this appears to be the only outward sign of injury the teacher must begin CPR. CPR will need to be continued until Autumn begins to breathe on her own or emergency assistance arrives.

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and is used to keep “oxygenated blood flowing to the brain and other vital organs” (Mayo Clinic 2010b). The first step in CPR is to check to see if the individual is alert, this is often done by asking in a loud voice “are you okay” (Mayo Clinic, 2010b)  If there is no response one person needs to call 911 while the teacher staying with the child continues with CPR.  At this point the teacher will make sure the child is flat on her back while “kneeling next” to the “neck and shoulders” (Mayo Clinic 2010b).  The teacher will check to see if there is any air movement in the individual, this can be done by observing the chest rising and falling. Now the teacher will perform 30 chest compressions, followed by checking the airway. This procedure of 30 chest compression and checking the airway will continue until the child begins to breath and/or emergency staff arrives. All staff and teachers should be trained in CPR.  (note that time is no longer taken to check for a pulse)

 A teacher must remain with Autumn until emergency personal arrives. CPR will continue to be administered until help arrives.  Once the teacher contacting 911 has completed that phone call she must contact Autumn’s parents.

            Both scenario’s described above describe possibilities that could occur in any early childhood programs.  Training, planning and safety policies can help lessen the amount of emergencies and provide a plan for when they do occur.  Training such as “first aid for infant and children” along with “basic CPR” provide the necessary skills for early childhood educators to assist when emergencies do occur (Robertson 2010, p. 171).  When early childhood educators have “emergency response plan(s)” they are able to act appropriately when emergencies occur (Robertson 2010, p.171).  Plans for how to “respond” allow teachers to fill in control and provide them with the knowledge needed to care for the child or children needing assistance (Robertson 2010, p.171).  Whether the emergency is a child who is choking, becomes ill, vomits or falls teachers need to know in advance how to act.

           

Reference

Robertson, Cathie (2010) Safety, Nutrition, and Health in Early Education, Wadsworth, Belmont CA

Mayo Clinic (2010a) Choking First Aid, Retrieved on January 11, 2011 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-choking/FA00025

Mayo Clinic (2010b) Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) First Aid, Retrieved on January 11, 2011 from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/first-aid-cpr/FA00061