Cindy’s diaper bag first aid picks (Chicago CPR ‘approved’, of course):

1.     Emergency Information – On a piece of paper or index card write down:

• Children’s names and dates of birth
• Your mobile phone number
• Spouse’s mobile phone number
• Pediatrician’s name and number
• Poison Control (The national emergency hotline: 800.222.1222). Check out the IL poison control center page for more tips.
• Any allergies
• The proper doses for the medications included in your kit

 2.     Minor injury First Aid items:

• (5) 3/4”x3” self-adhesive bandages (standard self-stick bandages)
• (2) 3” knee & elbow bandages
• Sting/pain relief spray or pads (Benadryl makes one, and there is a CVS brand that is much less expensive). The CVS brand relieves the itching and pain from minor cuts, burns, scrapes, rashes (e.g. poison ivy) and insect bites.
• (4) 2”x2” gauze pads
• (4) Antiseptic wipes
• Antibiotic ointment – Neosporin makes a convenient spray-on version (Neo To Go).  I have also found a CVS generic version. Target’s regular price on the Neo To Go was less expensive than the CVS brand.
• Tweezers for splinters

 3.     Over the Counter Medicines – Keep in separate zip-close bags to avoid messes caused by spills. Always check proper dosages based on your child’s age and weight. When in doubt, consult your child’s physician or pharmacist.

• Fever reducer – Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Upset stomach medication – Kids Tums, Little Tummies, Queasy Pops Kids, or natural ginger hard candy (I put 5 in a small baggie to save space).
• Anti-allergy – Benadryl for allergic reactions.  Make sure you buy one made for kids and review the proper dosage

4.     Distraction items

• Stickers and organic Lollipops – Add a few stickers and a lollipop to your kit.  Your little patient may need a distraction after getting a skinned knee.

We love Cindy’s final idea – set a reminder in your calendar or iPhone to check all of your first aid kits once a year to make sure none of the contents have expired. And lastly, don’t forget to take a CPR class. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all parents learn CPR, and so does Chicago CPR!  Our American Heart Association certified CPR instructors have experience working with more than 20,000 new families. We are skilled in the safety challenges that new parents face. Our Chicago and Illinois classes include additional safety information specific to new families: SIDS prevention, poison control & car seat safety. We also offer first aid and CPR certification classes. Our CPR classes are concise and fun – no pain medication needed.

In addition to raising her two daughters in Chicago, Cindy McCarthy is an urban explorer of kid-sized Chicago and founder of onthegoChicago.com, Chicago’s most comprehensive and searchable site.  Get the inside scoop where to go eat, shop, play and learn in Chicago. Plus, hundreds of dollars in member exclusive discounts. See for yourself why Parents Magazine named on the go the BEST Local Site in the Nation.  Join on the go today and save $10 off an annual membership with coupon code SAVE2

CPR, or Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation, is an extremely useful skill that can end up saving someone’s life. While it is so valuable, many Americans simply do not know it and do not plan on learning it. If every American takes a class and gets their CPR certification, then thousands of deaths could be prevented each year. In instances where someone begins to go into cardiac arrest, their chances of survival are much larger if they are immediately given CPR. It is a vital skill that must be taught to more people and everyone should begin taking CPR classes. While it is not a common skill, it is not difficult to learn and can be administered fairly easy.

When a person goes into cardiac arrest, they will need all the extra time you can give them to hold on until the emergency medical technician (EMT) arrives. Going into cardiac arrest prevents oxygen and blood from entering the heart, brain, and lungs. If you can give a person CPR when they enter this state, you can add valuable minutes to their life and ultimately, you can keep them alive long enough until they are rescued. By taking simple CPR courses, you are given the ability to help give someone a second chance at life.  CPR training can also help other different types of medical emergencies.

If a person has obstructed airways, you can learn exactly what you need to do in order to save his/her life. CPR classes can teach you how to administer the Heimlich Maneuver to the affected person and this simple act can keep someone alive. CPR courses are also able to teach you how to help someone who is drowning, suffocating, overdosing on drugs, and being electrocuted. While it does not seem like you will ever need to know these skills, it is much better to be safe rather than sorry. Knowing these skills can be the difference between life or certain death in many cases. If you can begin the CPR as soon as the medical emergency occurs, the chances that the victim will survive are greatly increased.

Even when some people have taken CPR classes, they are still reluctant to attempt it when it is needed because they feel that they may administer it wrong. It is important to remember that even if you give CPR and it is not perfect, it is still much better than not even attempting to help at all. These first aid classes can teach you the skills that you need in order to attempt to save someones life.  Any kind of CPR is better than no CPR. CPR courses are very important and it is crucial that every American should learn how to use these needed skills.

There are excellent CPR classes Chicago and CPR classes Illinois that can teach you the skills that you need to know in order to perform CPR. Do not hesitate to learn the skills that you can use to save a life. Would you rather stand by and watch the individual die or be able to save him/her from certain death? Take a class by Chicago CPR today.

• Take a CPR class, one meant for humans.  This will benefit your family more than a pet course and provide you with the basic skills which you can then translate into helping your pet.  Then, you may want to consider taking a Pet CPR class, offered through the American Red Cross.
• The American Red Cross also sells  Dog first aid and a Cat first aid book
• Tips on performing CPR on a dog:
  • Veterinary experts recommend that those without hands-on CPR training should not attempt animal resuscitation, as there is the potential to do more harm than good. However, CPR-trained people should do the following while transporting the animal to the vet emergency room:
    • 100 – 120 Chest compressions, pushing the chest to 1/3 to 1/2 its normal depth. Allow the chest to come back up fully inbetween pushes.  If the animal is really small, the ‘two hand technique’ may be not be appropriate and pet owners will need to modify using one hand, or even 2 fingers instead. Compressions should be at the lower half of the breast bone.
    • Trade off doing compressions every 2 minutes if there are enough people present, as responder fatigue may results in leaning on the chest between compressions, reducing their effectiveness.
    • Give 2 one-second breaths mouth to snout (mouth) after every 30 compressions. (Depending on the breed of dog and the injury involved, it may be easier to hold the mouth closed and breath into the snout).

Sounds a lot like human CPR, doesn’t it?  Take a regular, good-quality CPR class – that’s how we train at the firehouse.  And, we have snout barrier devices on the firetruck that we can use for resuscitating dogs.  I haven’t had to do it yet, but I’m prepared to, if necessary.  Photo:DrJustlinLee.com

1. Have a positive attitude -People who are positive have a 22% lower risk of cardiovascular disease
2. Hug each other – hugging produces oxytocin, the ‘feel good’ hormone which lowers stress hormones and blood pressure
3. Lock Hands – holding hands with someone decreases anxiety which can keep blood pressure in check.  This effect is even greater when holding hands with someone you love:)
4. Laugh often – Mental stress causes narrowing of the blood vessels. Laughter has the opposite effect.
5. Take a CPR certification class with Chicago CPR - prompt and effective CPR saves lives – no doubt about it. Our instructors work hard and play hard.  We like to laugh and have fun during class, and sometimes we even hug.   We generally don’t hold hands during class, but nothing is off the table.

Need a CPR class in Illinois? We hold our classes at fantastic venues throughout the city and western suburbs.  Find the one that is right for you at www.chicagocpr.org.

So, what happened? It’s hard to imagine that a seemingly healthy child would be in a situation of respiratory and cardiac compromise. Kids aren’t having heart attacks, like adults. However, they are prone to accident or injury. And, sometimes, there are undiagnosed medical conditions that can lead to a cardiac arrest. Each of the situations in yesterday’s newswire represent these two main reasons that kids might need CPR:

1. An accident or injury - the 15 month old in Sydney was found face down in the family’s swimming pool
2. A medical condition/illness - The 3 week-old infant, from suburban Chicago, had a cardiac arrest during a diaper change because of an undiagnosed brain anomaly

Prevention is key when raising children, but no one can prevent every single injury, every time. It is critical that parents take a CPR certification lass, at least every 2 years.  Furthermore, taking a class with a team, such as those from Chicago CPR, who specialize in child safety and infant CPR  is helpful. Chicago CPR has spent the past 5 years educating more than 11,000 new families in car seat safety, home safety, and CPR. Our team has decades of real-world experience and we base our education on the American Heart Association standards as well as our experience in the field.

Prevention and knowledge in how to respond are both important in keeping our children safe.  All of us parents are fearful of drowning.  Most kids have healthy hearts, so drowning can be one of the situations that has a high recovery rate from quick action and prompt infant CPR or child CPR (depending on the exact circumstances). Even if you do not have a swimming pool at your home, your kids will undoubtably spend time at a pool.  These drowning facts are important for all parents:

• Most children drown at home or in a family pool
• In most situations, one or both parents were home at the time of the drowning
• In most situations, the parents report less than a 5 minute window of the child being ‘unsupervised’

More than 80% of injuries happen in the home. In most circumstances, the parent will be the ‘first-responder’. Life is unpredictable.  Kids are unpredictable. Stack the odds in your favor. Practice drowning prevention practices,  and register for a CPR certification course.

Are you ready for baby? Prioritize the top 3 safety concerns. At Chicago CPR, we focus on the 3 C’s – CPR, car seats, and cribs. We know new parents have a lot of things on their ‘preparing for baby to-do list”. Simplify your list by focusing on what you need to know before baby arrives. These three topics will have the biggest impact on your child’s safety and well-being right from the beginning:

1. According to the American Heart Association,  infant choking is the #1 cause of unintentional death in infants. It is critical that expectant parents take a CPR class, taught by a certified instructor.  Research demonstrates that people best learn CPR by taking a live CPR class that provides demonstration and practice on training manikins, like the classes offered by Chicago CPR.  CPR is a hands-on skill that requires hands-on learning. After the initial education, parents needs to refresh their skills frequently, every few months.

2. Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of accidental death in children under the age of 4. Research demonstrates over and over again that the best way to protect your child in the event of a car crash is to have your child in a properly installed and used child car seat. Yet, 3 out of 4 well-meaning parents are using their car seat incorrectly. Don’t assume you are one of few who have figured it out. And, don’t take chances in a moving vehicle – injuries sustained in a car crash can be disabling and life-altering for the entire family. Use the services of a seasoned, certified child passenger safety technician. Certified car seat technicians have completed a 32 hour training course by the federal government. Safety Squad, in Chicago, is one of the leading car seat teams in the nation. They have worked with over 10,000 families, with virtually every car seat and every vehicle on the market. Don’t stress over this and don’t waste hours of fruitless internet research – make an appointment today.

3. Next to your infant car seat, your crib will be the most important piece of baby gear you will purchase. Effective 6/2011 crib standards have changed and crib manufacturers now need to meet stricter standards. Do not use a crib manufactured prior to 6/2011. Your child will spend more than 1/2 of his first year of life in a crib. Buy a new crib, assemble it correctly, inspect it often to be sure all the parts are secure, and engage in a proactive recall process so you will know if the crib has been recalled. Kids in Danger is a chicago-based organization that has worked hard to advocate for safer baby products. Download their free publication on crib standards. Secondly, be sure you know to keep your child’s sleep area safe and minimize the risk of SIDS and suffocation. Remember the ABCs safe sleep – baby sleeps Alone, on his Back, in a safety-approved Crib. Kids in Danger and the Illinois SIDS alliance both have free information on safe sleep. Since the Back to Sleep campagin, the incidence of SIDS has drastically decreased.

Chicago CPR offers CPR certification classes as well as CPR pregnancy classes, especially designed for expectant or new parents. Our new parent classes are customized to include information on SIDS, safe sleep, and motor vehicle safety.

Do you think it is a good idea? Should Chicago be the next area to pilot this initiative? Would you download and use this app? Chicago CPR thinks this is an interesting idea, but first we need to get more people comfortable with CPR by taking a CPR certification course.

If you have a strong opinion about this one way or the other, there is still time to send an email to one of the alderman on the committee.

Would you know what to do for the sprained ankle while diving for that fly ball, or the tree stick “pirate sword” that ends up in someone’s eye? Chicago CPR’s first aid certification covers all it all, because we know there is no plateau to our kids’ creativity. And, we go a little more technical too by teaching you how to use an epinephrine pen to prevent a life-threatening allergic reaction. I know some of you are thinking ‘my kids don’t have any allergies’. Well, childhood allergies have increased exponentially over the past few years. A good friend of mine is a school nurse. She often tells me that 12 years ago, she had 1-2 epinephrine pens in her office for the kids. Now, she has over 10 of them! Chances are, at least one of your kids’ friends will have a serious allergy and carry an epinephrine pen. Will you know what to do if a reaction occurs on your watch?

Chicago CPR provides CPR classes & first aid classes at many locations, or in your home.  We’ll even come to your business to provide CPR certification for your employees.

1. Push fast enough to give 100 or more compressions within a 60 second time frame. That means you are pushing quicker than 1X per second.
2. Push as fast as you can, and still ‘release’ briefly on the upstroke.

How can you keep the beat when performing compressions? The American Heart Association has identified several tunes that are set to the pace of about 100 beats per minute:

1. For those who are close to my vintage, you should remember “staying alive‘ by the Bee Gees
2. Maybe classic rock is more your style. “Another one bites the dust” by Queen is also set at 100 beats per minute.
3. Prefer something without lyrics? The American Heart Association has created the Hands Symphony.

Our suggestion is to download one of these tunes to your smartphone. Performing CPR is physically exhausting. Research demonstrates that rescuers always slow down after 2 minutes. Playing the beat on your phone may help you, or another rescuer, keep the proper pace. And, as always, sign-up for a CPR Certification class to fine tune your skills.  Check our schedule of Illinois CPR classes.  We  also have CPR classes in  Downers Grove.  And, remember, push hard and fast.

SUPER SEXY ABDOMINAL THRUSTS: Viewed 1.6 Million times

So, just to be sure that we’re very clear: This is serious stuff. You are learning how to save a life. When you learn about CPR or learn Abdominal Thrusts, you’re learning about what to do when people are dying or choking. While notably sexy, these videos also make this subject matter more memorable than other boring imagery that has plagued CPR for years. Also, if you don’t notice, it’s a lingerie ad, and a brilliant one at that. Sexy CPR, funny CPR, & boring CPR… all save lives. Your victim won’t care which way you learned. And you’ll just be grateful that you remembered.

SUPER SEXY CPR: Viewed 5.6 Millions times
PLEASE NOTE: AHA has changed ABC’s to CAB’s, so this video is now outdated, but still effective. Take a CPR class to get up to date.