If a child is really sick, hopefully the parents won’t be going out. If they still wish to and you don’t feel happy or confident about it, you would be within your rights to refuse to sit.
However, there are some ailments that can suddenly arise once the parents have left. Children can get sick with alarming speed and it’s a good idea to know how you would handle this – before it happens!
If a child or baby does suddenly become ill for whatever reason, you must contact the parents. It may be something initially fairly trivial like running a fever, but if the parents are aware, it gives them the option of deciding whether to return home or not.
It also covers you, as a sitter. If you don’t contact them and they return home to find their child sick, they may be angry that you didn’t make that call.
Fever!
Children up to the age of five can suddenly run a fever for no apparent reason. It is a good idea to ask the parents whether the child is prone to doing this. They may have a stock of the medication that the child usually receives – or they may just open a window, take off the bedclothes and repeatedly sponge the child with a cloth wrung out in tepid water to lower the fever.
It’s important to get the temperature down as quickly as possible as some children can develop ‘febrile convulsions’ – a type of fit caused by high fever. If this happens, lay the child on their side and let the fit take its course, simply staying with the child until the fit is over to ensure their safety. It used to be common practice to put something, like a spoon or stick into the mouth during a fit but this is now considered unhelpful and possibly dangerous.
If the child is known to be prone to febrile convulsions, the parents will need to take them to see a Doctor the following day.
If they have never had a fit before or if you are worried, always call 911.
I feel sick…
Children are also prone to upset tummies. They will already be over-excited and may have over-indulged in food or drinks. They may become tearful, or very quiet, complain of feeling sick or that their tummy hurts.
If vomiting and / or diarrhoea occur, you will need to overcome any squeamishness, bathe the child and get them into fresh nightwear and possibly a clean bed.
Try and get the child to drink some water or soda to replace the lost fluid. Don’t give them a milky drink as this can trigger another attack or prolong a viral tummy bug. Once the child is comfortable and settled, you can deal with any soiled nightwear or bedding. It’s often easiest to initially put soiled bedding into the tub to soak prior to washing.
This is freaking me out!
These scenarios sound worrying but the chances are that none of these things will ever happen while you are babysitting. However, if you recognise that they might and you would rather be prepared, it can be lot less scary.
The general rule when kids get sick is to try and stay calm and deal with what you can. Most ailments will be fairly harmless and short-lived but can be alarming to deal with when you are alone and in charge. Don’t forget that you can always call your own home and ask your Mom and Dad for help or support.
The golden rules are:
Always call the parents.
If you feel out of your depth, call your Mom or Dad or a neighbour close to the family that you are sitting for.
If a child has collapsed, stopped breathing, had an accident or you are really worried about their health, call 911 first.
Disclaimer: This is not intended as a first aid or other medical guide, we recommend it as a starting point for you to inform your training - Superbabysitting.com cannot accept any responsibility or liability for your actions based on this information article. When babysitting, if you do not have proper medical training you should seek the advice of a trained person as soon as practicable.
Avoid the bedtime battles - Super Babysitting makes it quick and easy to get babysitting advice and tips. To get your free babysitters handbook and first aid book visit the Super Babysitting web site right now!
Technorati tags ... babysitting, childcare, Parenting, Family, babycare, baby sitting
Technorati Profile
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment