MedicPrincess
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After passing out, at home with my kids there, I have begun thinking lately of a section of our population that is being completely missed in terms of learning CPR. I am a single mother of a 7-year-old boy (my mom adopted my daughter). It would stand to reason, if I going have a medical emergency my son is quite likely going to be the one that will need to call 911 and get help. While both he and my daughter reacted perfectly a few weeks back – she called 911 and sent him to the neighbors to get an adult (turns out she wasn’t home), and then she stayed on the phone with 911 and he waited in the driveway for the first responding units to arrive – I have began to think maybe a program for the schools to teach the younger kids first aid and CPR would be beneficial.
I am thinking I could work with the local schools to get into the classrooms and teach it, maybe during fire safety month or something like that. What I am looking for now is ideas on how to get started. At what age would y’all say the average kid is capable of learning these skills? My son’s class is the gifted class, so these kids have taken full-scale IQ tests and scored over 130, so I can’t base the fact that I have taught him what to do as a gauge on the appropriate age.
Would kids as young as kindergarten be able to comprehend the basics, or would first and second grade be better? I understand the concept of teaching to your audience, so obviously they couldn’t be expected to master it in a short amount of time. I figure if I can get started with just a couple classes, the idea would catch on in the schools and then we could get most of our kids knowledgeable enough that they to could ACT in the time of crisis instead of emotionally react.
On a personal note about my kids, they used to get so mad at me when I would give them little “mock drills” regarding fire in the house, or their grandma or I needing an ambulance. Now, after having to use 911 twice (once for an electrical outlet that was sparking, and then my medical), my 11-year-old told me the other day she was so glad I made them practice, because she didn’t feel to panicky when it happened since she knew just what to do. I love those kids!!!
I am thinking I could work with the local schools to get into the classrooms and teach it, maybe during fire safety month or something like that. What I am looking for now is ideas on how to get started. At what age would y’all say the average kid is capable of learning these skills? My son’s class is the gifted class, so these kids have taken full-scale IQ tests and scored over 130, so I can’t base the fact that I have taught him what to do as a gauge on the appropriate age.
Would kids as young as kindergarten be able to comprehend the basics, or would first and second grade be better? I understand the concept of teaching to your audience, so obviously they couldn’t be expected to master it in a short amount of time. I figure if I can get started with just a couple classes, the idea would catch on in the schools and then we could get most of our kids knowledgeable enough that they to could ACT in the time of crisis instead of emotionally react.
On a personal note about my kids, they used to get so mad at me when I would give them little “mock drills” regarding fire in the house, or their grandma or I needing an ambulance. Now, after having to use 911 twice (once for an electrical outlet that was sparking, and then my medical), my 11-year-old told me the other day she was so glad I made them practice, because she didn’t feel to panicky when it happened since she knew just what to do. I love those kids!!!