Coming to your Aid?

Anyone who inhabits the world of Facebook will know the adverts for apps pop up in your news feed all the time.  It gets quite annoying really.  However, I have been asked to review an app via Mumsnet that I would be delighted to pop up in my news feed. In fact my advice to the marketing team for this app would be to get it on Facebook to reach as many people as possible.

You're intrigued aren't you?

Do you want to know what app I'm talking about?

Don't worry, I'm not going to keep you in suspense.  The app I'm talking about is:

Baby and Child First Aid 

from the British Red Cross

This app is a basic first aid course for all the emergency situations that might arise in your home or whilst out and about.  It is incredibly easy to use and features an alphabetised index of the most common emergency situations; from allergic reactions and burns and broken bones to choking; croup; seizures; head injuries; poisoning; unconscious and not/breathing to vomiting and diarrhoea.


Each section has a short 15-20 second video clip that accompanies the written text and Q&As so you could easily refer to the app in an emergency.  There are 11 test sections so you can test your new knowledge (and gain badges!) and there is a toolkit where you can find the location of your nearest hospital and add your child's medical records with all the medical information on your children.  It's short and succinct and it does what it says on the tin so to speak.

I completed the whole app in less than an hour and feel reassured that I could now
respond with more confidence in an emergency situation.  I learned some new things, particularly about the first aid I might need for Pip who is still only 14 months old, and realised that some of my old medical knowledge might be a bit out of date.  I was always told to give someone milk to drink if they swallowed something poisonous but it's actually a massive no-no because it can break down the poison or tablets quicker than they might otherwise break down in the body.  Did you know that you should run a burn under cold water for 10 minutes?  I knew about the cold water but didn't know that you should run it over the burn for that long.  Pip has had croup recently and there is even a small section on croup and how to treat it.  Thankfully I had picked up lots of tips by the osmosis procedure of listening to all my friends over the years whilst we were waiting to have children and didn't panic when Pip was unwell.  I had tears though when watching the clip on choking.  Pip had a choking incident a few months ago and it scared the living daylights out of me.  I wish I had seen this app before that event occurred because I think I would have handled it all much better.  Just seeing the 20 second clip was enough for me to remember the panic I felt at the time.

All I can say is get this app on your tablet and phone.  You never know when you might need it and you could refer to it easily in an emergency.

Here is the link to the app.

I can't say anymore than that except.....

Good job British Red Cross!  

This is a great idea and a brilliant app!

P.S. A note to any adoption agencies reading this blog.  Tell your prospective adopters about this app.  When you are thrown in at the deep end as a new adopter (or any parent for that matter) having information like this in advance would be unbelievably beneficial.  Even better, fund first aid training for all prospective adopters so that we are armed with as much practical parenting knowledge as is possible!