by Jen Thorpe

Created on: April 01, 2009

A loud, shrill, scream pierces the air in what was, seconds ago, a room filled with busy, happy people. The injured person cannot tell you what happened, and does not seem to understand your questions. You don't have any medical training, beyond basic first aid, and there isn't a doctor in the house to help you. Absolutely everyone is looking at you, right now, to make things better, and the longer you hesitate, the worse things might get. Welcome to the nightmare of a daycare provider who has had a child hurt in their care.

Fortunately, there are things a daycare provider can do to help a child who has gotten hurt while in their care. As a former daycare teacher, I have learned from experience what works best in these highly stressful situations. It is extremely helpful to have a plan in your head, ready to go.Once a daycare provider learns this plan, he or she will know what to do, how to do it, and which thing to do first when a crisis occurs. The more familiar you become with this plan, the faster and more effective you can be at helping an hurt child. Keep in mind that your goal is to provide the best help you can to the hurt child, and let that motive guide your actions.

Step One: Assess the situation

Find out what happened. A child lying on the ground and crying might have tripped, or might have been pushed by another child. Preschoolers often hold an injured body part with their hands, which can give you a clue about where the injury is located. Look for bite marks, cuts, or signs that a bruise is forming on the child who is crying and hurt. A child might be underneath a large object, such as a piece offurniturethat he or she tried to climb, which then toppled over. If food is being served, it is possible that the screaming child touched or tried to eat food that was still too hot, and got injured that way. Look around, use whatever clues you have to determine what happened, and where the child has been hurt. This step should, ideally, take no more than a few seconds.

Step Two: Be calm

An child who is hurt is a frightened and emotional child, who will be seeking comfort. Talk to the child in a calm, quiet, soothing voice. Use the child's name when speaking to him or her. Infants and toddlers will want an adult to pick them up and hold them until they are no longer so upset. A daycare provider should be calm in tone of voice as well as body posture and facial expression in a crisis, because children are amazingly able to pick up on when an adult is tense.

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