Would you know what to do and how to respond if your child was choking, had ingested poison, had breathing difficulties or was unconscious, needing CPR? Kids First Aid runs an online first aid course which you can complete in just 2 hours. Here’s my review of the Kids First Aid course.
Introduction to Kids First Aid
Have you ever watched as your child has an accident or incident, needing emergency assistance? I have attended to multiple emergency situations, including watching as my son, Andy fell at preschool, bumping his forehead on the concrete floor, getting a huge egg-sized bump on his forehead, getting temporarily blinded as he went into concussion. I have also coached a family member over the phone on how to administer Andy’s Epipen to him as he screamed in fear, after accidentally consuming one bite of a peanut biscuit. As an early childhood teacher, I have been required to keep my First Aid knowledge and qualifications up to date which has helped me in numerous situations but I also believe that all parents and carers should have basic first aid knowledge too.
There are many courses out there offering accredited courses for those that require a certificate as a job prerequisite or as a legal requirement but Kids First Aid offer an online course that covers all the First Aid basics that parents would need to know, it is run and presented by an intensive care paramedic and the course is only a 2-hour commitment. Accredited first aid courses generally require several hours of pre-course study and completed content, before a full-day workshop, followed by an exam to test your knowledge. Of course, this is very important to ensure correct knowledge for those that need to get that full qualification, but for parents and carers who don’t require the certification, a 2-hour online course such as the one run by Kids First Aid just seems to make sense for so many parents.
Course Content
Although I have an accredited First Aid certificate as it has always been a requirement of my job, I did complete this online course to refresh my knowledge, as well as to be able to complete this review thoroughly and accurately. I do have to say I was impressed with how much was covered in 12 short videos! It covered everything that would normally be covered in an accredited First Aid course, albeit in a condensed version and with much less detail and explanation, but it included the most important stuff!
The Kids First Aid 2 hour online course is made up of 12 video lesson modules, of different lengths, each covering a different topic.
The video lessons cover the following:
- Intro video
- DRSABCD – Danger, Response, Send for help, Airways, Breathing, Compressions, Defibrillation. Remember compressions need to be one third the depth of the chest.
- Drowning – Remember, effects of drowning can even come hours later as fluid builds up in lungs
- Choking – This is often silent. Try the flat hand, hard slap to the back.
- Breathing Difficulties – Children can turn pale, there can be skin pull as they struggle to breath. Be aware of asthma, and use Ventolin if necessary.
- Poisoning – Remember the Poisons Info Line number! 13 11 26
- Meningococcal – Remember ‘SERIOUS’ – Serious, Extremities, Rapid Onset, Illness, Other Symptoms, Unresponsive to meds, Skin Abnormalities
- Bites and Stings – Remember, don’t wash it, don’t suck it, and use a Pressure Immobilisation Bandage for the dangerous ones. Ice pack for all others.
- Burns – WATER! Use running water to reduce pain and to reduce the actual temperature of the burn
- Fits and Fevers – Keep the child safe if convulsing, it usually doesn’t last long. Reduce fevers however you can.
- Allergies and Anaphylaxis – Be aware of known allergies. Learn how to use an Epipen if a child has anaphylaxis.
- Trauma and Conclusion – Head injuries can be serious – know the signs of concussion – confusion, vomiting, altered vision.
There are also some bonus resources available for download including a CPR chart.
Is the Kids First Aid course fully accredited?
No, the course is not accredited and there will not be a certificate issued. This is due to the fact that it is a short course only, for information purposes. It is not designed to replace complete and proper first aid training which involves a lot more time, including pre-course study, a full-day workshop, and an exam. If you’re looking to do an accredited first aid course you can look at options such as CPRFIRSTAID or St Johns.
This online course gives the most important First Aid content, broken up into 12 videos, delivered by an intensive care paramedic.
Is there an exam at the end?
No, as it is not an accredited course, it is for information purposes. You can also revisit this content at any time after completing the course, as you will gain lifetime access.
Can you do the course in person?
Yes, you can choose to do the course in person, though many prefer to simply do it online.
The options include attending a workshop at a specified location (many venues across Australia), or a paramedic coming out to your home or workplace for a group session (with a minimum of 10 attendees).
The third option is just doing the 2-hour online course.
How much is the Kids First Aid online course?
The Kids First Aid online course is normally $69, but it’s only $59 if you use the promo code TEACHINGBRAVE when signing up, which you can do HERE.
Kids First Aid online course – Advantages
- Delivered by an intensive care paramedic with many years experience in the field
- Only 2 hour commitment – all online
- After paying, you get lifetime access, so after another baby, or years down the track, you can still access the content and refresh your memory
- Course covers the 10 most common emergency situations
- Videos are packed full of useful, relevant, up to date content, all relevant to caring for kids
- Videos can be paused, repeated and revisited again and again
- Very reasonably priced ($69, or $59 using the code ‘TEACHINGBRAVE’)
Kids First Aid online course – Disadvantages
- Not an accredited course (though, it’s not intended to be – accredited courses are more intense and take a lot longer than just 2 hours)
- When doing it online, you don’t get the opportunity to practice CPR in person with a dummy, though you can watch the demo video
- Content not as detailed as in a full first aid course
Is the Kids First Aid online course worth it?
In my opinion, 100% yes! $59 (discounted rate with the TEACHINGBRAVE code) is what you might pay on a pub meal with a couple of drinks. For this price, the amount of content you get access to is very much worth it. This knowledge saves lives!! What price can you put on that?
You can read the many reviews on the Kids First Aid website here, from parents who have been so happy they completed it and improved their own knowledge and therefore their confidence to deal with emergency situations when they inevitably present themselves. And they will!
YOU CAN CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE KIDS FIRST AID ONLINE COURSE – DON’T FORGET TO ADD THE PROMO CODE TEACHINGBRAVE TO GET THE DISCOUNTED PRICE OF $59, RATHER THAN $69.
Summary – Kids First Aid
Children should be encouraged to engage in risky play, as it helps them to develop important fundamental physical skills as well as independence, but there will always be accidents and incidents as they grow and learn.
The Kids First Aid online course has the most important information you need to know and covers 10 of the most common emergency situations involving children. The 12 videos are easy to follow and can be done over and over again.
If you’re a parent, a carer, or other family member caring for young children, I highly recommend this course – it’s only a 2-hour commitment, all online and can be done all together or in stages. You can use this link to sign up – don’t forget to use the promo code TEACHINGBRAVE to pay only $59, rather than the usual $69.
First Aid knowledge saves lives!
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