Category: First aid blog

A cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops beating blood around the body. This is not the same as a heart attack, we’ve discussed the difference in a previous first aid blog post....

Babies, toddlers and preschoolers are highly susceptible to colds. On average, a child may have three to eight colds a year. For unknown reasons, some children are more prone to getting colds than others....

A first aid book is a must-have for any family. Even if you’ve attended a first aid class, it’s impossible to remember everything. Therefore, having an up-to-date first aid book handy is vital.  When...

This serious inflammation of lung tissue is caused by either a bacterial or a viral infection. Newborns sometimes acquire pneumonia from bacteria in the maternal genital tract. More frequently, however, viruses are to blame...

An inflammation of the bronchioles—small, thin-walled airways leading from the bronchi (which run from the windpipe to the lungs) to the alveoli, the air sacs of the lungs—is known as bronchiolitis. The infection causes...

Between five and ten percent of children in the United States suffer from asthma, a respiratory disorder that causes episodes of wheezing, coughing and breathlessness. In most cases, the symptoms are mild, but some...

Dermatitis, or eczema, is a broad term used to describe dry, itchy inflammation of the skin occurring most commonly among children under the age of two. The two primary types of eczema are atopic...

Also known as heat rash and miliaria, prickly heat is a common problem among children who are still in diapers. Prickly heat is a skin irritation resulting from too much heat and moisture. It...

Lyme Disease was first identified in the town of Old Lyme, Connecticut, in 1975. The disease is caused by a bacterium transmitted by the bite of infected ticks. Cases of Lyme disease have been...

A rash typically manifests itself as red, inflamed and often itchy skin. There may be Rashescrusty scales, pimples, hives or wheals. It is important for a parent to distinguish between the different categories of...

This is the most common neurological disorder affecting children, and may be characterized by sudden, recurrent episodes of uncontrolled motor activity and, in some cases, impaired consciousness (seizures). Any condition that triggers disruptive electrical...

Disturbances in the brain’s electrical activity cause involuntary muscle spasms and jerky movements known as seizures or convulsions. Seizures are especially common in young children, often occurring during a high fever. Other common causes...

Food poisoning, a type of gastroenteritis (digestive tract inflammation) caused by eating contaminated food, results in severe abdominal cramps, repeated vomiting, diarrhea and muscle weakness. These symptoms develop suddenly between three and 24 hours...

Epiglottitis medical emergency is caused by inflammation and swelling of the epiglottis, the flap of membrane-covered cartilage lying behind the tongue that keeps food and drink entering the windpipe. It is almost always caused...