Home Environment - Handling an Emergency
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Standard 2 / Indicator 2.1

• Demonstrate changes in home environment that support literacy and child development.
• Provide a safe and healthy home environment.

Materials:

Pencil or pen
Family Literacy Journal  (view instructions here)
Emergency Contact Sheet - Use this page for Activity 1

Lesson:  

Know When to Call the Doctor:  Sometimes, you are not sure if you should call the doctor.   If you are not sure, then go ahead and call.  Do not be afraid that you might bother the doctor.  Your child’s health and safety is very important.    Go the following website for more tips on knowing when you should call the doctor.
http://www.vh.org/pediatric/patient/pediatrics/cqqa/callthedoctor.html

Teach your child how to use 911:  If they are old enough to talk on the telephone, teach your children how to dial 911.  The following website will explain how to teach your child to use this emergency number.  Remember that you do not want your child to call unless it is an emergency.   However, sometimes parents have accidents, too!  Your child will need to be able to tell the operator your name, phone number and address.  Keep this information by the phone for your child to read.
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/emergencies/911.html

Know what to do in an emergency:  This lesson will help you prepare for an emergency in your home.  In Activity 1, you will read an article “What You Need to Know in an Emergency” Then you will complete an Emergency Contact Sheet to display near your phone.  Make sure that everyone in your family knows where it is and how to use it.  Also, tell your baby sitter about the important information.

The article will ask you to gather the following medical information.

·         Allergies – List allergies to medications (prescription and non–prescription), food allergies, and others like insect bites and stings.

·         Medications – List all medications your child is taking both prescription and non-prescription.

·         Pre-existing conditions or illnesses – Does your child have any other serious health problems?  Asthma, Epilepsy, Diabetes, etc.

·         Hospitalizations or Operations – Has your child required any serious medical treatment?

·         Immunizations (Shots) – Are your child’s shots up-to-date?

·         Height and Weight – What is the current height and weight of your child?

·         Blood Type – This is not critical if you do not know it, but it might come in handy.

Activity 1:  

Go to the following website and read “What You Need to Know in an Emergency.”  On this web page, you will see a button that says “Emergency Contact Sheet click here”.  Print the contact sheet.  As you read the article, you can fill in the information.
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/healthin.html

Activity 2:  

Create a First Aid Kit.  Go to the following website for a list of household items that you can use to create a First Aid kit.  You do not have to have everything on the list to have a good kit, but a few of the items are important.  Be sure to keep it in a safe place out of the child’s reach.  The list for the First Aid kit can be found here:
http://www.kidshealth.org/parent/firstaid_safe/home/firstaid_kit.html

Assessment:

1.      Complete the Emergency Contact Sheet.

a.      Put the sheet in an open location near the phone.

b.      Tell everyone in your family (and the baby sitter) where it is and how to use it.

2.  Print or email the assessment to your mentor

Emergency journal entry  [Word format to email] or [Adobe format to print] get adobe acrobat.

For more information: 

Hosted by
Northwest Florida State College
100 College Boulevard
Niceville, FL 32578
850-729-5344
literacy@nwfstatecollege.edu