Being able to handle emergency situations calmly and confidently is an important life skill and crucial for teens to learn before they are out on their own. Every high school student should know basic first aid. These valuable life skills are the difference between panic and action when something goes wrong, so parents should take the time to discuss the critical information below.

Over-the-Counter (OTC) Medications

Many teens have very little understanding of how and when to take basic medications. Talk to youth about the difference between ibuprofen and acetaminophen, and reasons for taking each. Go over any drugs that you use with your teen, ranging from cold symptom relief to allergy relief to digestive aids. Teach them how to read the drug labels so they are familiar with figuring out how much and how often to take medications and for what purposes.

Cuts and Scrapes

Teach your teen these basic steps if they, or someone they care for, has a cut. First, wash hands before touching any wound to prevent infection. Next, if the wound is still bleeding, apply gently pressure with a clean cloth. If that doesn’t stop the bleeding, elevate the wound above the person’s heart. When the bleeding has stopped, clean the wound by rinsing it with clean water. Pat it dry gently and apply antibiotic ointment. Apply a bandage using a pad that covers the entire wound without being too tight.

Call for help if the cut is deep, will not stop bleeding, has something stuck in it, or if you can see ligaments or bone.

Burns

A mild burn should immediately be run under cool tap water for 15 min and repeat as needed. Explain that this helps reduce pain and prevents further damage. If the burn blisters, leave it alone as much as possible. After the burn is cooled, apply aloe vera and bandage it loosely to keep air off the area without putting pressure on the burn.

Call for help if the burn is preventing movement, waxy looking, deep, severely blistered, or bigger than a couple of inches.

Bruises, Bumps or Sprains

Teach teens that when someone gets hurt, but the skin isn’t broken, they should apply an ice pack to prevent swelling and reduce pain. Teach them to wrap ice in a cloth and apply for 10-15 minutes at a time. It’s important they understand not to put ice directly on the skin or to leave it on longer than 15 minutes at a time.

Call for help if the individual has a head injury and is acting strangely or if they are experiencing nausea, vomiting, confusion, or vision changes.

Stings

If your teen or someone they know gets stung by an insect, teach them the following steps: remove stinger with fingernail or credit card; gently wash area with soap and water; apply ice for swelling and pain for 10-20 minute; and apply calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream to help with itching.

Call for help if the individual seems to be having an allergic reaction.

Choking

Teach teens how to determine how severely someone is choking. They should remain calm and ask the person questions. If the victim can answer, they are still able to breathe. If the victim is coughing, wait and see if they are able to clear the airway on their own. If the victim cannot answer or cough, use stomach thrusts (formerly known as Heimlich maneuver) to help dislodge the item that is choking them.

Reasons to Call 911 and What to Say

In an emergency situation, we don’t always know the right thing to do, so it’s helpful if you can give your teen some clearcut instructions. Let your teen know that they should always call 911 if an individual is having difficulty breathing, is unconscious, experiencing severe bleeding, appears to be having an allergic reaction, or might have broken a bone. Whenever you call 911, teach teens to provide the following information:

• Their name and location
• What happened
• How many people are hurt
• Whether the person is awake and breathing

Final Thoughts…

For more first aid strategies, consider having your teen take a first aid class through the American Red Cross. These classes are excellent and cover all of first aid, as well as CPR. Online class options are available.