CPR/First Aid Emergencies

Scenario #1
An 18 month old in a Group Daycare setting is believed to be choking on a toy.

Emergency Procedure
--Act immediately and remain calm
--Stay at the scene to reassure the victim and other children.
--Asses the victim from head-to-toe and do a senses check
--Administer CPR/First Aid techniques
--If necessary, call for emergency help or 911. All emergency number should be posted by
the phone.
--Notify parents and make a plan of action. If the parent cannot be reached then an emergency
contact must be notified. Also a backup teacher must be called in to take care of the other
children. Children must NEVER be left unsupervised.
--Treat the child for shock. Covering with a blanket if necessary to keep them warm.
--Stay with the child until the parents or emergency personnel arrive. Accompany the child if a
backup teacher is present and the parents cannot be there. If there is not a backup teacher
you must reassure the child that someone will be with them soon and that the emergency
professional are going to take care of them.
--Fill out an incident report. Study it to see if anything can be changed to avoid the same
situation from happening again.


Scenario #2
A 2 year old in a daycare center has come back from a physical at the Pediatrician office and spikes a high fever and goes into a seizure. They then stop breathing and are unconscious.

Emergency Procedure
--Act immediately and remain calm
--Stay at the scene to reassure the victim and other children.
--Asses the victim from head-to-toe and do a senses check
--Administer CPR/First Aid techniques
--If necessary, call for emergency help or 911. All emergency number should be posted by the
phone.
--Do not move a seriously injured child unless life-threatening. If they must be moved drag
them by their feet as to not aggravate the head and neck.
--Notify parents and make a plan of action. If the parent cannot be reached then an emergency
contact must be notified. Also a backup teacher must be called in to take care of the other
children. Children must NEVER be left unsupervised.
--Treat the child for shock. Covering with a blanket if necessary to keep them warm.
--Stay with the child until the parents or emergency personnel arrive. Accompany the child if a
backup teacher is present and the parents cannot be there. If there is not a backup teacher
you must reassure the child that someone will be with them soon and that the emergency
professional are going to take care of them.
--Fill out an incident report. Study it to see if anything can be changed to avoid the same
situation from happening again.


I believe very strongly that all people that work with children should be CPR and first aid certified. There should also be a training where real scenarios are acted out. One can never practice life saving techniques too much. The more we do the trainings for these emergency situations and have hands on experience the more they will become second nature. When they are second nature to us we are less likely to get swept up by the chaos of the moment.



In order to be fully prepared to handle emergency situations there is many things that adult can do. We need to go beyond just knowing CPR and first aid. In child care emergency information for all children should be in a conspicuous place where all staff know where to find them. This information should also be updated as need or at least every year. Posting all emergency procedures and phone number for emergency personnel near a phone is another must. At all times an adequately stocked first aid kit should be available in arms reach. Make sure to replace the used supplies after filling out the incident report. Another good practice would be is to discuss your emergency procedures and how the parents would want to deal with an emergency situation upon enrollment in the facility.