Pediatric/child patients

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Amycus

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Hello.

So, today, we happened to on site a 5 year old who injured herself at school today (long story, but anyways).

When it was just myself, a teacher, and her, she was mostly calm- quiet, obviously shy, and a bit scared. I tried being as nice as I could, but being a single guy with no kids, no young siblings, etc...I don't have alot of experience with children. She mostly held it together, until the mom arrived and decided she wanted transport, and then she lost it when my partner and I came in with the rest of the staff (I think she was overwhelmed with everything).

Anyone have any advice or tidbits of information to share about how to get on the "good side" of children, for someone with little to no experience with children? I was thinking maybe of keeping a stuffed animal or something on the rig to use as a friendly gesture of sorts. I'm sure also working with the parent is great too, but in this case the parent wasn't there til the very end.
 
Each age group has their own 'quirks' at how to handle them, and whilst some EMS text attempt to describe the mentality of each age, your best thing to do is just be exposed to them... which is why Paramedic school has many clinical hours dealing with just peds.


As for kids of her age, start by talking to the parent or caretaker, and the kid will see you as a trustworthy person. When you go to physically assess, and they are not critical, start at the feet and move on up.



Take a PALS, PEPP or EPC, or even all 3, and you'll learn a lot more.
 
Get a kid? I dno .... perhaps Mrs Brown will let you have one of ours? :D
 
Depends on the kid's age but, in general, make yourself small (eye contact at their level) and, whenever possible, let them try stuff on you before you do it to them (e.g. steth, pulse, penlight).
 
Glove balloons.
 
Watch Sesame Street lol
 
Go to a dollar store, buy a few stuffed animals. When you get a young kid, give one to the kid.
 
JJR512 said:
Go to a dollar store, buy a few stuffed animals. When you get a young kid, give one to the kid.
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Just make sure not to go in your nondescript van with tinted windows that plays music :D

Bro that sounded creepy, it works, but it still sounds creepy lol
 
MrBrown said:
Just make sure not to go in your nondescript van with tinted windows that plays music :D

Bro that sounded creepy, it works, but it still sounds creepy lol
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I don't see why it sounds creepy. I suppose maybe it might if we were on a non-EMS forum and that was some random non-contextual comment I'd made, but given where we are, and the context of the conversation, I don't see anything creepy there.

I think I got this idea from the Fox television show COPS. I forget the exact situation, but an officer gave a stuffed animal to a kid who was in some kind of bad situation, and the kid really brightened up.
 
once you're in a lull with the youngster...

"Whatever you do, don't laugh."
 
usalsfyre said:
Spoken like a true parent B). If you haven't thought this, you don't have kids.
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I have kids, but the reason I haven't thought of this is because I don't know what it is.
 
JJR512 said:
I have kids, but the reason I haven't thought of this is because I don't know what it is.
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baby want a nap??? :lol:
 
Our rigs are stocked w/ stuffed animals and i believe our ped NRB masks have animal faces on them. and yes get small maintain eye level. Some kids love the siren too. Make sure to use words they will understand and explain everything
 
JJR512 said:
I have kids, but the reason I haven't thought of this is because I don't know what it is.
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midazolam = versed = sedation (with the proper dosage)
 
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