Goodies for Peds..

Household6

Household6

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Do you keep anything in your bag or rig? Things for distracting kids who might be on a scene and need to be focused elsewhere? Beanie Babies or Slinkys or Silly Putty or baseball caps?

What works best for you?

I keep extra chem lights in my personal first responder kit--kids love glow sticks, and I can get them at the dollar store. Heck, *I* love glow sticks..
 
Apps on my phone. Sadly, that's my go-to. Alternatively, apps on the mom's phone.

Beanie babies or other stuffed animals are useful in giving them something to clutch, but won't necessarily occupy them. They do keep them forever and treasure them, though.

It's important to take a minute and get to know the kid themself and see what your best option for occupying them is- paper and pen is sometimes a good choice. Whatever happens, they need to be 100% supervised or contained in a seatbelt AND supervised 100% of the time if you are in charge of them. Don't ever trust them not to wander off.
 
Yes. My agnecy has a bin of stuffed animals that we can grab from and put on the truck. I've also supplied stuff from my family business.


I also walk around with Blue from Blues Clues in my breast pocket, peeking out at people. It gets a laugh and gets the job done.
 
Since I often had to purchase stuff myself, I always went with glow sticks.

They also served as lighting aid and markers when there was need.
 
I usually just use the glow sticks or I let them play with my stethoscope (only after I clean it) or things in the back of the ambo. Sometimes they life seeing their heart beat on the Monitor and "helping" by pressing buttons I instruct them to. Stuff like that has usually worked out well for me. I think they just like feeling involved, and heck, what kid wouldn't like to ride in an ambulance running code 3?
 
Veneficus said:
Since I often had to purchase stuff myself, I always went with glow sticks.

They also served as lighting aid and markers when there was need.
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I never mind spending a few bucks of my own.. It's a necessity as far as I'm concerned.. I get different colors, let them choose their favorite. I know they can't break them or choke on em..

And it's so funny if they've never a seen a chem light before. It's like you've handed them something magical.
 
glow stick.

1/4 mt dew
small bit of baking soda
3 caps of h2o2

Edit: The major benefit of University General Chemistry.
 
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Household6 said:
I never mind spending a few bucks of my own.. It's a necessity as far as I'm concerned.. I get different colors, let them choose their favorite. I know they can't break them or choke on em..

And it's so funny if they've never a seen a chem light before. It's like you've handed them something magical.
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They can chew them open and when they drool glowing liquid, they look pretty radioactive. It's cool in a 1-800-222-1222 kinda way.
 
abckidsmom said:
They can chew them open and when they drool glowing liquid, they look pretty radioactive. It's cool in a 1-800-222-1222 kinda way.
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I see what you did there :rofl:

We have stickers. Lots of stickers. Ranging from "Junior Paramedic" to Nemo or princesses.

It's al about the approach with the sticker. Used to have a "Kids Care" bin with stuffed animals but they took it away for some dumb reason.
 
abckidsmom said:
they can chew them open and when they drool glowing liquid, they look pretty radioactive. It's cool in a 1-800-222-1222 kinda way.
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lol
 
abckidsmom said:
They can chew them open and when they drool glowing liquid, they look pretty radioactive. It's cool in a 1-800-222-1222 kinda way.
Click to expand...

Fortunately, poison control will tell you the stuff is nontoxic and nothing to worry about. The worst thing that will happen is they might get a mild upset stomach if it was a really large glow stick, or they ate multiple ones. (Been there, done that, got the SOR.)
 
The local childrens hospital hates when we make balloon animals out of gloves (because you know, the kiddies are totally unattended by adults while in an ambulance and everything). So I make sure to make them for the kids.


I let the big mean hospital be the jerks to take them away.
 
Balloon animals from gloves are a good go-to. Usually, there's a stuffed animal or two (new, naturally) in the ambulance, which has been useful on several occasions.
 
EpiEMS said:
Balloon animals from gloves are a good go-to. Usually, there's a stuffed animal or two (new, naturally) in the ambulance, which has been useful on several occasions.
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I can't do it anymore with the stupid nitrile gloves.
 
EpiEMS said:
They're phasing them out where I am, is this a national trend?
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There is an effort to minimize latex in the medical environment.

What really sucks is the places that have replaced all of their foleys with silicon, the tip is very rigid comparitively. :unsure:
 
Veneficus said:
There is an effort to minimize latex in the medical environment.

What really sucks is the places that have replaced all of their foleys with silicon, the tip is very rigid comparitively. :unsure:
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I was under the impression that latex allergies were basically confined to the medical personnel themselves, due to repeated exposure?

Ow. Ow. Ow.
 
EpiEMS said:
I was under the impression that latex allergies were basically confined to the medical personnel themselves, due to repeated exposure?

Ow. Ow. Ow.
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Nope, anyone can be allergic to latex.
 
Epi-do said:
Fortunately, poison control will tell you the stuff is nontoxic and nothing to worry about. The worst thing that will happen is they might get a mild upset stomach if it was a really large glow stick, or they ate multiple ones. (Been there, done that, got the SOR.)
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Lawd-a-mersee.. What kind of mutant beaver/human cross-breed kids do you treat?? :rofl:

EpiEMS said:
They're phasing them out where I am, is this a national trend?
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All three hospitals in my area have declared themselves "latex free zones".. Visitors still manage to get helium balloons in though, but the florists making deliveries got the message. They still put "latex allergy" notices on doors if there's a pt with an allergy.
 
abckidsmom said:
I can't do it anymore with the stupid nitrile gloves.
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Yeah they too ours away too.

I used to put them over my head on the plane and blow them up till they popped. People loved it....or hated it, I couldn't really say as I couldn't see through the glove and my ears tended to have this permanent ringing sound from the repeated pops so I couldn't hear any complaints. I found it amusing though and that's all that really matters :)
 
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