Emergency Education for pre-schoolers

[Cheekiechick]

Hi everyone
I would be grateful for a few minutes of your time to explain what my project is all about......

http:/www.izzyandollie.com materialised when my daughter (aged 2 & a half) called 999 for me following an anaphylactic shock.

In the days that followed, my daughter Isabelle experienced her 5 minutes of fame! I was taken aback by comments made by the general public. As most parents do, I thought Isabelle was a bright child, but firmly believe children can be taught anything if you repeat it often enough to them. I do not consider my child to be a genius as one article kindly described her, just one who listens and absorbs information.

This made me consider how wonderful it would be if all young children could be educated about emergency situations. To simply learn their full name, age and address as early as possible is highly beneficial to themselves, to help saves someone?s life is truly amazing.

I have no doubt there are many people in the country who suffer from an illness or acute condition which could require emergency care. Diabetics and epileptics are just a couple to mention, and a common condition. If, like I was, you were at home with only your young children, you may be relying on them for assistance one day. It would be tragic if parents had not considered teaching their children a basic emergency response simply because they considered them too young to understand, or incapable of doing so. My daughter is living proof! It is because of this I have written four children's books (currently with Publishers) targeted at pre-school children. The stories are based on a brother and sister who find themselves in various predicaments and what course of action they take. My DH and I are supporters of Help For Heroes. This charity does fantastic work with our service personnel and their families. We will therefore be fundraising to support this wonderful charity.

Please feel free to view the website and help me to encourage other parents to do the same. For those on Face Book 'Izzy and Ollie' is the page with all the relevant information on, please click 'like' if you did, so I have an idea of how many people have visited! Thank you in advance for any assistance you can offer.
Jo

you've every right to be proud of your DD,

but I'm torn on this, after my own DD managed to unlock my mobile phone dialed 999, & reported that "Mummies broke a cup" okay I had, but she was 18 months old at the time, & the emergency services rang me back & gave me a real telling off for letting DD play with my phone

I hadn't of course, she'd taken it out of my bag I didn't even know she'd could use it, or knew about 999, until they rang me back to give me a right old rollicking ,

so its a great idea in some ways, (I have health problems, so can see the benefits) but I'm sure from the emergency services point of view, it needs very careful handling

Hi there,

Thanks for your message. I am a Police Officer so am only too aware of the non-emergency 999 calls we get. Never would I tell anyone off though, we'd far rather go out and discover there was nothing seriously wrong, than to a real emergency. Sometimes children play with the phone and the parents are totally unaware until we arrive!!!

Clearly there has to be a fine balance as with many things you teach your children. Izzy was 2 and a half so in effect a year older than your DD. I always told her that you only ever use 999 when we needed an ambulance, otherwise she knew how to speed dial my DH and that was who she should call if she needed help. I did stress the fact that the emergency services would be very cross with her if she called when she didn't need an ambulance and as such she never has done. I have covered this aspect in my first book, the other stories are based around scenarios (stranger danger, getting lost, water safety etc) the children find themselves in and the necessary action they must take.

I fully appreciate your comment, thank you for taking the time to respond :o)

It occurred to me today ( when I was feeling really sick) that my son ( who is seven and the only other person in the house) cannot even open the front door by himself because it is particularly difficult to pull open. If there was an emergency, not only does he not know how to use the phone yet, but he couldn't even leave the house to get help.

thanks for your thread which reminds me to do something about this right away.

Hi Lauree
You get that door seen to straight away! Glad I have been of some assistance!!! Please feel free to pass on the website link or FB page to anyone else, who knows who else it may help :O)