BE PREPARED FOR AN EMERGENCY
When a child has to be taken to hospital due to a sudden
illness most of us go unprepared. We forget that we maybe there
overnight, there will most likely be nothing to eat, nappies will be
in short supply (if any), there will be nothing to sleep on and you
will probably be vomited on at least once. Nice thought isn't it!
But making an emergency visit easier all round can take some of the
trauma out of this very stressful time. Following these simply
guidelines, it just may help you get through it:
1. If going away on holiday, ALWAYS take your
child's medicine with you, and for under fives - your baby's Plunket
Record Book. Keep medicine stored in a safe place away from children.
2. A couple of weeks before you go on holiday check
that your child's medicine has not expired or will run out over the
time you are going to be away.
3. Make an emergency contact list, in advance,
to give to the person who is left in charge of other children, if you
are rushed off to hospital with a sick child. Don't leave it until an
emergency, when you finish reading this newsletter, do it then. The
list should include the following:
-
Both parents cellular phone numbers, and home and work
numbers.
-
Someone you trust to look after your children in the middle of the
night, while you go to hospital with the sick child, should be
included as well. Kids alway seem to be worst at night.
-
Lastly, a list of family or friends phone numbers, so that your
helper can contact someone in case your visit will be longer than a
few hours.
4. If you need to go to visit the doctor, take any
medicine your child is currently taking with you. It will save you
remembering all the details. If you have been giving your
child medicine prior to visiting the doctor, write down when and how
much was taken in the last 12 to 24 hours.
5. Get someone to throw the following into a spare bag for
you to take with you: a change of clothes for both you and your child,
nappies (if used and about four), wet wipes, some food - I suggest
fruit, water and biscuits, a cell phone and phone charger and about
$20.00 in change.
6. When going on holiday check out to see if there
is a 24 hour doctor available and write down the number and keep it
near the phone. That way you won't have to look for it in an
emergency. If urgent help is required dial 111.
7. If you have a child with asthma, life threatening
allergies or other conditions that may require urgent medical
assistance and you are visiting a rural district, find out from the
local doctor what sort of delay there maybe in getting additional
services, like an ambulance. In one case, it took the ambulance over
50 minutes to get to a child with breathing problems to the closet
hospital. It only takes a few minutes to make a call to find out
these details, and it will give you peace of mind.
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