BBC News Online: Health

Parents lack first aid knowledge

The national "Save a Life Survey" reveals that a third of all parents have had to rush their child to hospital at some point.

Despite this, the vast majority admitted that if their child started to choke, fell down the stairs or burned themselves, they would not have a clue about what to do.

The survey, carried out by Mother and Baby Magazine in association with supermarket chain Tesco and St John Ambulance, found that just 19% of the 2,000 parents interviewed, had been on a first aid course over the previous five years.

Learn first aid

Only a quarter of parents who took part in the survey said they would know how to resuscitate their child or dress a deep wound.

One in five said they did not hold their child's hand while crossing the road and 20% said they had left their child alone in the bath while they answered the front door or the telephone.

Dani Zuri, editor of Mother and Baby Magazine, said parents must learn first aid.

"Young children have an incredible number of accidents and although thankfully most are relatively minor, it is every parent's duty to know what to do in an emergency.

"It should be top of every parent's list to learn basic life-saving first aid," she said.

Mark McGee, of St. John Ambulance said: "It is surprising that nine out of ten parents don't know first aid that might be able to save their child's life."

The Save a Life Campaign is now offering three-hour first aid courses for £5 at selected Tesco stores to help prevent accidents.