Managing paediatric illness, injuries and emergencies — Highfield Qualifications End-Point Assessment Childcare & Early Years Revision

    This subtopic covers the essential first aid interventions for paediatric patients suffering from a range of traumatic injuries and medical emergencies, in

    Topic Synopsis

    This subtopic covers the essential first aid interventions for paediatric patients suffering from a range of traumatic injuries and medical emergencies, including fractures, head and spinal trauma, sensory organ conditions, acute illnesses, thermal extremes, electric shock, burns, poisoning, and anaphylaxis. Candidates will learn to recognise signs and symptoms and deliver appropriate, prioritised care, emphasising safety, reassurance, and timely escalation.

    Key Concepts & Core Principles

    Exam Tips & Revision Strategies

    Common Misconceptions & Mistakes to Avoid

    Examiner Marking Points

    Managing paediatric illness, injuries and emergencies

    HIGHFIELD QUALIFICATIONS
    vocational

    This subtopic covers the essential first aid interventions for paediatric patients suffering from a range of traumatic injuries and medical emergencies, including fractures, head and spinal trauma, sensory organ conditions, acute illnesses, thermal extremes, electric shock, burns, poisoning, and anaphylaxis. Candidates will learn to recognise signs and symptoms and deliver appropriate, prioritised care, emphasising safety, reassurance, and timely escalation.

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    Learning Outcomes
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    Assessment Guidance
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    Key Skills
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    Key Terms
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    Assessment Criteria

    Assessment criteria

    Highfield Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF)

    Topic Overview

    The Highfield Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF) is a regulated qualification designed for individuals working with children, such as nursery staff, childminders, and early years practitioners. This course covers essential first aid skills specifically tailored to infants and children, including CPR, choking, bleeding, fractures, and allergic reactions. It meets the requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and Ofsted, ensuring that practitioners can provide immediate care in emergency situations until professional medical help arrives.

    This qualification is crucial because children are more vulnerable to accidents and medical emergencies due to their developing bodies and curious nature. Unlike adult first aid, paediatric first aid requires different techniques, such as using two fingers for chest compressions on infants and adjusting rescue breaths for smaller lung capacity. The course also emphasizes the importance of communication with emergency services, record-keeping, and infection control. By mastering these skills, students not only comply with legal requirements but also gain the confidence to act swiftly and effectively, potentially saving a child's life.

    Within the broader context of Childcare & Early Years, this award integrates with safeguarding, health and safety, and child development knowledge. It complements other qualifications like the Level 3 Diploma for the Early Years Workforce, as first aid is a practical application of theoretical understanding of children's physiology and risk assessment. The RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework) status ensures that the certification is nationally recognized and meets industry standards, making it essential for career progression in childcare settings.

    Key Concepts

    Core ideas you must understand for this topic

    • →Primary survey (DRABC) – Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation – the systematic approach to assessing an unresponsive child or infant.
    • →Paediatric CPR – Using 5 initial rescue breaths followed by 30 chest compressions (at a depth of 4cm for infants and 5cm for children) and 2 breaths, at a rate of 100-120 compressions per minute.
    • →Choking management – Back blows and chest thrusts for infants (under 1 year) and abdominal thrusts for children (over 1 year), with specific hand positioning to avoid organ damage.
    • →Recovery position for infants and children – Maintaining an open airway while placing the child on their side, with modifications for infants to support the head and neck.
    • →Management of anaphylaxis – Recognizing signs (swelling, breathing difficulty, rash) and administering an adrenaline auto-injector (e.g., EpiPen) into the outer thigh, with emphasis on calling 999 immediately.

    Learning Objectives

    What you need to know and understand

    • 1. Be able to provide first aid to an infant or a child with suspected injuries to bones, muscles and joints2. Be able to provide first aid to an infant or a child with suspected head and spinal injuries3. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with conditions affecting the eyes, ears and nose4. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with an acute medical condition or sudden illness5. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who is experiencing extremes of body temperature6. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who has sustained an electric shock7. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with burns and scalds8. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with suspected poisoning9. Be able to provide first aid to an infant or a child with anaphylaxis

    Assessment Criteria

    Key criteria assessors look for in your portfolio

    • Award credit for demonstrating effective manual stabilisation of a suspected spinal injury by maintaining inline neutral alignment and minimising movement until emergency services arrive, while communicating calmly with the child.
    • Assess candidate's ability to recognise anaphylaxis and administer an adrenaline auto-injector following current UK Resuscitation Council guidelines, including checking expiry date, injection site, and massage of the area afterwards.
    • Credit is given for correctly identifying signs of shock in a child with burns and applying cling film or a non-adherent dressing, avoiding adhesive materials, creams, and contamination of the wound.
    • Look for correct positioning of an unconscious breathing child in the recovery position, with continuous airway assessment and monitoring of vital signs, differentiating between infant and child techniques.

    Assessment Guidance

    Guidance for achieving higher grades

    • 💡During practical assessments for spinal injuries, verbalise each step clearly, especially when calling 999 and relaying vital information such as the child's age, condition, and mechanism of injury.
    • 💡For burns management, remember the acronym CLAP – Cool under running water for at least 20 minutes, Loosen constricting items, Apply cling film loosely, Call 999 if severe – and demonstrate each stage.
    • 💡When dealing with anaphylaxis in a scenario, always state that you would check the adrenaline injector’s expiry and clarity, administer into the outer thigh, and monitor for improvement; be prepared to explain repeat dosing if no response after 5 minutes.
    • 💡Be ready to adapt techniques between infants and children, such as using the infant recovery position (cradle hold) and adjusting CPR hand placement, as these are common assessment points.
    • 💡When answering scenario-based questions, always start with the primary survey (DRABC) and state your actions in order. Examiners award marks for demonstrating a systematic approach, even if the scenario is simple.
    • 💡Memorize the exact ratios and depths for CPR: 5 initial breaths, then 30:2 for both children and infants, with compression depth of 4cm for infants and 5cm for children. These numbers are frequently tested.
    • 💡For questions on anaphylaxis, emphasize the importance of calling 999 immediately after using the auto-injector, and mention that a second dose may be given after 5-15 minutes if no improvement. This shows depth of knowledge.

    Common Mistakes

    Common errors to avoid in your coursework

    • Failing to immobilise the entire spine when only a neck injury is suspected, thereby risking further spinal damage.
    • Applying ice directly to burns or adhering dressings to the site, contrary to first aid protocols that require cool running water and loose coverings.
    • Misidentifying anaphylaxis as a mild allergic reaction, resulting in delayed administration of adrenaline and potential deterioration.
    • Neglecting to perform a scene survey and check for dangers before approaching the child, compromising personal and casualty safety.
    • Misconception: You should tilt a child's head back as far as possible when giving rescue breaths. Correction: Over-extension can block the airway in infants; use a neutral or slightly extended position (sniffing position) to open the airway.
    • Misconception: Abdominal thrusts (Heimlich maneuver) are safe for infants under 1 year. Correction: Abdominal thrusts can cause internal injuries in infants; instead, use back blows and chest thrusts for choking infants.
    • Misconception: If a child is bleeding heavily, you should remove any embedded objects. Correction: Removing objects can worsen bleeding; apply pressure around the object and seek medical help.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions students ask about this topic

    Before You Start

    Prior knowledge that will help with this topic

    • •Basic understanding of child development stages (e.g., infant vs. child anatomy) to appreciate why first aid techniques differ.
    • •Familiarity with health and safety legislation in early years settings, such as the EYFS statutory framework, which mandates paediatric first aid training.
    • •Completion of a Level 2 qualification in childcare or equivalent is recommended but not mandatory, as the course is designed to be accessible.

    Key Terminology

    Essential terms to know

    • 1. Be able to provide first aid to an infant or a child with suspected injuries to bones, muscles and joints2. Be able to provide first aid to an infant or a child with suspected head and spinal injuries3. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with conditions affecting the eyes, ears and nose4. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with an acute medical condition or sudden illness5. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who is experiencing extremes of body temperature6. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child who has sustained an electric shock7. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with burns and scalds8. Know how to provide first aid to an infant or a child with suspected poisoning9. Be able to provide first aid to an infant or a child with anaphylaxis

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