KeepaBeat First Aid Hertfordshire

08/08/2025

A short demo on what to do for a choking baby (under 1) if you have any questions do not hesitate to ask in the comments! SR Nutrition

08/08/2025

Sun stroke (medically known as heat exhaustion)

Children are unable to regulate their temperature as well as adults 🥵

Early recognition and treatment of sun stroke (heat exhaustion) will help to prevent the condition worsening and becoming heat stroke

The signs of heat exhaustion include:
* a headache
* dizziness and confusion
* loss of appetite and feeling sick
* excessive sweating and pale, clammy skin (may say they feel cold)
* cramps in the arms, legs and stomach
* fast breathing or pulse
* a high temperature of 38C or above
* being very thirsty

The symptoms are often the same in adults and children, although children may become floppy and sleepy

If someone is showing signs of heat exhaustion, they need to be cooled down

Hydrate with water, isotonic drinks or re-hydration sachets

Seek medical advice if there is no improvement or the child/adult is worsening

Source: NHS

07/08/2025

We hope you are all having a lovely summer with your little ones! ☀️

We have 6 weeks to go until the start of our exciting new term. Look out for our upcoming bookings announcement for your chance of an early bird discount! 🐦

06/08/2025

Every month we run live, online First Aid For Weaning sessions

These sessions are perfect for anyone that's starting the weaning journey with their baby

One of the biggest worries for parents is that their baby may choke and they wouldn’t know what to do

Feeling confident is key when you start your weaning journey! 🥦🥕🍓
💪Learn how to prep food safely
🥵😰Learn how to recognise the difference between gagging and choking
😌Learn how to react if your child is gagging
🖐🏽🚑Know how to start emergency treatment if your child was to choke
🥜learn how to recognise symptoms of allergies

Our sessions are just £11.99 per person! The next one is Wednesday 13th August at 7.30pm and can be booked at https://www.keepabeat.com/firstaidforweaning

01/08/2025

Today we are looking at BBQ safety - hopefully the sun 🌞 will keep popping out over the holidays which means lots of people will be enjoying eating in the garden or other public spaces

BBQs and the ground they may be on can stay hot enough a long time after use to cause serious burns

Keep in mind that if you use a disposable BBQ on the beach the sand acts an an insulator which can then cause severe burns if touched 🏖️

BBQs in grassed areas are really dangerous as if flames, sparks or hot embers touch dry grass a fire can start and quickly get out of hand 🌳

Children should be kept well away from the cooking area during use and until the area has completely cooled 🔥

Also keep in mind that fire pits can stay hot for a significantly longer period of time and are usually lower to the ground so more accessible to tiny hands

Always have a bucket of water to hand for emergencies 🪣

It is also important to make sure that the BBQ is properly extinguished as smouldering ashes can give off fatal carbon monoxide fumes

If someone does get burned cool under running water for at least 20 minutes and then seek medical advice if it is more than superficial 💦💦💦

Sources: CAPT, London Fire

30/07/2025

When preparing foods be aware of the size, shape and texture that you are giving when you are starting your weaning journey

Some foods are more problematic than others so try to make them safer where possible. It can also be a little bit trial and error as some children will find certain foods easier than others 🥑 is super slippery and maybe hard for little hands to hold!

To make these foods safer we can prepare them in a way that reduces the risk of choking. Never cut foods into circular pieces - for example sausages and carrots

As a guide:
🍎 Remove tough skins, pips, seeds and peels to start
Cut into long thin pieces - aim for around the size of your index finger - this makes foods easier to grip before the pincer grip has developed
🥦 Cook raw hard foods so that they are soft enough for you to easily break them down when you pinch them between your finger and thumb
🍇 When offering circular foods like grapes, cherry tomatoes or large olives chop them lengthways into quarters

Supporting our babies to feed themselves encourages independence and confidence

Join our Online First Aid For Weaning session and hear about a range of foods and how to make them safer

It’s live so you can ask questions too!

27/07/2025

A good friend of mine runs a local charity called Hearts for Herts. He has done an awesome job at placing loads of extra public access defibs around hertfordshire including bleed control kits too.

Next weekend at Rock at the Castle he needs some helpers to collect donations in a bucket to raise funds for another unit to be placed within Hartman Common.

This units save lives. Bleed kits save lives. Can you help at all?

I’m going with a few from KeepaBeat to support and if anyone else can spare a few hours whilst listening to some local music it would be very much appreciated.

Message me or contact Hearts for Herts directly.

Sunday 3rd August - hertford event is 11-7 but any help would be amazing!

🚨 Can you spare 2 hours to help save lives in Hertford? 🚨

Hearts for Herts is the official charity for this year’s Rock in the Castle – a brilliant day of live music and community fun at Hertford Castle on Sunday 3rd August.

We’re raising money to fund: ❤️ A solar-powered defibrillator at Hartham Park
❤️ Two public access defibrillators in Hertford Town Centre
❤️ Bleed control kits to help in emergencies

We just need volunteers to rattle a bucket for 2 hours – that’s it!
📍 Hertford Castle
🕒 Slots between 11:30 AM – 7:30 PM

Every pound raised could help save a life.
Comment below or message us to sign up – and bring a friend! 🙌

25/07/2025

As the weather is so lovely right now people are spending more time outdoors doing activities with their children🚲🛴

The minute your child goes on anything that has wheels and picks up some speed you should put a lid on it. Scooters, balance bikes, bikes, skateboards, skates ANYTHING…teaching them young will help to instil the rules for life

The rule for any children should be - if it has wheels & moves you have a lid on! No lid no go!

Why risk it? Please protect their precious head - and not just theirs, yours too!

23/07/2025

Highchair safety 👶🥕🥦🫐🍅

A common question we get asked during a first aid session is…

“Should I leave the straps undone on my babies highchair in case they choke?”

Answer: Always use the straps! In reality it only takes a few seconds to unclip those straps in an emergency and it’s far safer to have your child strapped in than not. Always follow the manufacturers instructions ✅✅✅

👍Do not use on an uneven surface - make sure it can not topple over

👍If you use a fold out highchair make sure its locked into position each time you use it

👍Watch out for hazards that are now in reach - hot drinks, knives, small objects, unsuitable food

👍Hook on style highchairs - always check the table will hold the weight of your child

👍Place the highchair away from the table and sideboards so babies can not use their feet to topple the highchair over

👍Never leave a baby or young child unsupervised in their highchair

Our babies learn by example, whenever possible sit with them and eat, even if its not your meal time have a little snack break, try and make food time as relaxing as possible for both of you 👶❤💙

Our beautiful baby in our picture is thoroughly enjoying his weaning journey and his mum joined one of our First Aid for Weaning sessions in Yorkshire, you may see his cute face pop up on some of our future posts 😍

18/07/2025

July is Group B Strep Awareness month and for our final post we are looking at symptoms to watch out for

2/3rds of babies infected with GBS are early onset (0-6 days) usually within the first 12 hours

Symptoms for early onset GBS

🔹Grunting or noisy breathing
🔸Very sleepy or unresponsive
🔹Inconsolable crying
🔸Unusually floppy
🔹Not feeding well
🔸High or low temperature
🔹Changes to skin colour
🔸Abnormal heart or breathing rate

Symptoms for late onset GBS (7-90 days)

🔹Any of the early onset symptoms
🔸Irritable or high pitched cry
🔹Blank, staring face
🔸Floppy, dislike of being handled
🔹Tense or bulging fontanelle (soft spot)
🔸Turning away from bright light
🔹Involuntary, jerky movements
🔸Pale, blotchy skin

The most important thing to remember is that you know your baby best, if you are concerned about any of the symptoms always check with a health professional as early recognition could be life saving

Sources www.gbss.org.uk, NHS

Group B Strep Support (GBSS)

16/07/2025

Every month we run live, online First Aid For Weaning sessions

These sessions are perfect for anyone that's starting the weaning journey with their baby

One of the biggest worries for parents is that their baby may choke and they wouldn’t know what to do

Feeling confident is key when you start your weaning journey! 🥦🥕🍓
💪Learn how to prep food safely
🥵😰Learn how to recognise the difference between gagging and choking
😌Learn how to react if your child is gagging
🖐🏽🚑Know how to start emergency treatment if your child was to choke

Our sessions are just £11.99 per person! The next one is Wednesday 23rd July at 7.30pm and can be booked at https://www.keepabeat.com/firstaidforweaning