In case of an accident

Falling accidents

Observe the child’s behaviour to check for possible concussion. Call the doctor if the child has been unconscious after the fall, vomited violently, has become lethargic or irritable, or behaves differently than usual. Call your local emergency service if the child is unconscious.
If you suspect that an arm might be broken, the fracture should be supported with a scarf or similar support before going to the emergency room.
When you suspect that a leg might be broken, let the child lie down. Support the leg with a duvet/ blanket or similar items. The call your local emergency service.

Contact accidents

If something has fallen on top of the child’s head or toes, make sure to check for any signs of concussion or a fracture as mentioned above.

Squeezing, stings and cuts

The wounded area should be cooled with ice wrapped in a tea towel. If the damage is severe, take the child to the emergency room.
Superficial wounds can be cleaned at home. Use soap and water followed by bandages. More severe wounds must be treated in the emergency room. Stop the bleeding and bandage the wound with a clean bandage before leaving.
For stings or cuts: Press your thumb directly against the bleeding area until the bleeding has stopped. In the case of more severe bleeding, call your local emergency service. Continue to apply pressure to the wound until the paramedics take over.

Burns and scalding

Rinse immediately with cool water. The water must not be too cold as it may result in cooling the wound too drastically and cause discomfort for the child. If necessary, remove loose-fitting clothes from the burned area. Rinse until the pain subsides; however, you should rinse the burn for at least 30 minutes and preferably longer, if necessary. Seek medical attention if blisters have formed after 30 minutes of cooling.
In case of major burns: Start cooling the burn and call your local emergency service. Make sure that the child does not freeze as a result of the cooling. Wrap the child where possible.

Poisoning

In case of poisoning, call your local emergency service. If the child has ingested a corrosive product, it should never be forced back up – as such, never attempt to make the child throw up before you have sought proper guidance from your own doctor or the emergency room. Always bring the packaging of whatever product your child has ingested with you to the emergency room.

Choking accidents

If your child is breathing, can say something and cough, ask them to cough as hard as they can.
When the child is under the age of 1 and cannot breathe or cough, place the child as shown in the drawing and complete 5 blows with a flattened hand between the child’s shoulder blades. If the foreign object does not come back up, then turn the child on its back and do 5 compressions on the lower 1/3 of the sternum. Switch between the 5 blows to the back and the 5 compressions to the chest until the foreign object is successfully removed.
If the child is over the age of 1 and cannot breathe or cough, alternate between completing 5 blows to the back and 5 presses to the stomach by holding the child as shown in the drawing: curl your fist and place it with your thumb inwards between the navel and the bottom of the ribs. Place the other hand on top and press up and down quickly. Try to remove the foreign object if it is visible to you.
Call your local emergency service if you cannot remove the foreign object, or if the child becomes unconscious.