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Why you should not immediately pick up a child after a fall.

Are you prone to worry when it comes to your children? Or do you remain very relaxed when your child falls? Personally, I'm not so anxious. I'm often that mother who first checks if her child is crying before picking them up after a fall. It's happened to me more than once that three other parents were around my child to help, while I did nothing. You should have seen the looks! Is this a problem?...

You frequently read about it in the news. People who have gotten into trouble (and worse, even death) due to the strong current of a rip current. Among others, in Julianadorp (North Holland), a Polish man (37) lost his life after rescuing three children from the water and a 15-year-old boy from Monster. The rescue brigade saved 42 people from a life-threatening situation last weekend...

With this delightful weather, a bit of cooling down is more than welcome. That's why we gratefully head out to the beaches and recreational lakes. Unfortunately, high temperatures often coincide with the appearance of blue-green algae in swimming waters. We are all warned about it, but how dangerous is blue-green algae really, and how do you know where you can swim safely?...

It may seem like a beautiful and harmless plant, but it is not: the giant hogweed. If you come into contact with the sap of this plant, it can lead to severe skin damage. So be cautious! What should you do if something goes wrong? You can read it here...

What? Chantal from EHBO Bureau is shadowing for an evening

Breath-Holding Spells are episodes where young children hold their breath, causing them to turn blue and sometimes briefly lose consciousness. BHS is harmless, but it is very frightening for both parents and the child to experience. An episode is short; lasting from seconds to over a minute and is triggered by intense emotions in the child, such as a tantrum, crying, frustration, or pain...

Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye, especially if you have young children. As summer approaches, children are at a higher risk of (minor) accidents. Consider risks such as wasp stings, tick bites, overheating, sunburn, and burns from the barbecue. Fortunately, as a parent, you can significantly mitigate many of these risks. How?...

Carbon monoxide: you can't see it, taste it, or smell it, yet it can be extremely harmful to your health. Particularly young children, unborn babies, and pregnant women are at greater risk of carbon monoxide poisoning because they are more sensitive to this gas. It's not without reason that warnings...

In the Netherlands, an estimated 119,000 children fall victim to child abuse each year. Terrible. And these figures may even be much higher. After all, many cases of child abuse occur behind closed doors and go unnoticed by the outside world. Since January 1, 2019, the new Domestic Violence and Child Abuse Reporting Code has been in effect to ensure that both domestic violence and child abuse can be identified and addressed as quickly as possible...

Did you know that poisonings are the most common cause of hospital admission in children under 5 years old, after fall accidents? Fortunately, as a parent, there is much you can do to ensure this doesn't happen to your child. In this article, we explain how to recognize poisoning and what to do if your child comes into contact with a toxic substance. Finally, we provide tips on how to prevent poisoning...

Have you ever heard of a nursemaid's elbow? I wasn't familiar with it until I experienced it myself a few years ago with our daughter Robin when she was just a few months old. What was supposed to be my first day back at work after maternity leave turned into a long day at the hospital. The pain Robin was in, the panic we felt: it's something you wouldn't wish on anyone. That's why...

A completely babyproof home doesn't exist, of course. However, you can take several measures to ensure your home becomes much safer for your baby, toddler, or preschooler. Did you know that 140,000 children end up in the Emergency Room (ER) annually after an accident? A significant portion of these accidents occurs in or around the home. That's why we're providing you with 5 tips to make your home as safe as possible for children....

From 6 months old, your child can start eating solid foods. But what is the best method to transition your child from breastfeeding/formula to solid foods? A well-known approach is the Rapley method. The principle here is to teach your child to handle solid foods through play. No jars of pureed food, but a piece of carrot straight from the hand. Some parents find it daunting, while others swear by it. What do you need to know about the Rapley method?...

Young children are susceptible to febrile seizures when they have a fever. It is an incredibly frightening sight because during a febrile seizure, a baby makes jerking movements, the eyes roll back, and breathing becomes difficult. It resembles an epileptic seizure and looks serious, but generally, it is not. 5% of children experience a febrile seizure at some point. How can you ensure that as a parent, you don't go into full panic mode but respond appropriately? Read it here...

In the Netherlands, as a parent, you are required to use an approved car seat until your child is 1.35 meters tall. It is important to check whether the seat is R44 or R129 approved, but just as important is using the seat correctly. Although most parents are convinced they are doing the right thing, in practice, this is often not the case. What should you pay attention to? 5 tips!....

Meningococcal disease has been in the news a lot in recent months. The number of people infected with this bacterium has significantly increased over the past three years. Particularly, meningococcal type W is exceptionally common. Should you, as a parent, be concerned about this rapidly spreading disease?...

What do you do when your 4-year-old daughter suddenly decides to become a vegetarian? I recently faced this dilemma myself. Robin refused to touch the delicious chicken drumstick on her plate, asking "how can we eat dead animals?" Of course, I respect her choice, but...

After postponing it for a year, Ulla finally decided to take the initiative and enroll in a first aid course for babies and children. Right at home, on her own couch. Naturally, we are curious about her opinion on the course: 5 questions for a participant.

Enjoying a lemonade on the terrace or having a nice lunch in the garden in peace: although the weather permits, wasps are spoiling the fun. In recent months, significantly more wasps have been spotted than in previous summers. Therefore, we would like to explain how to prevent getting stung and what to do if it happens...

This past weekend, a three-year-old girl drowned in a holiday park in Limburg. Terrible news. And she is not the only child to die in this way. Did you know that someone who is drowning usually does not call for help? Drowning is therefore difficult to recognize. In this article, we explain what the possible signs are...

Do you know Annic ten Duis? This entrepreneur is involved in a variety of activities. She is an advisor & coach for entrepreneurs, a speaker & moderator, a vlogger, and recently became a mother to her daughter Juliëtte. This little girl was the reason for her and her husband Robert to participate in our first aid course for babies and children at Femme midwifery practice in Amsterdam...

Christa Meuleman, 26 weeks pregnant with her first child, knows better than anyone that a first aid course can be not only very useful but also quite enjoyable. Last week, she organized a first aid course for babies and children at a special location in Amsterdam...

Are you going on holiday to France, Italy, Greece, or Romania this summer? Be cautious: measles have broken out in these countries...

Does your child regularly cry for three hours or more a day, and are you at your wit's end? Rocking, reading, singing, walking, picking up, and comforting... sometimes nothing seems to help. Yet, according to developmental psychologist Annemie Ploeger, the cause lies with us. She explains children's issues from an evolutionary perspective and suggests that we are creating our own crying babies. How this works, you can read here...

If something happens to your child, there's a good chance you'll panic. Understandably, but if you panic, it affects your child, which is why it's important for you as a parent to remain calm. Often, this panic is caused by not knowing what to do. Especially when it involves a life-threatening situation. The ABC method provides guidance in such a situation...

Oak trees covered with white webs around the branches: perhaps you've already spotted them this month. This phenomenon is caused by the oak processionary caterpillar. Harmless, until you come into contact with the stinging hairs of this caterpillar...

Every (expectant) mother is aware—partly thanks to the advice of the midwife—of the risks of toxoplasmosis and the listeria bacteria. However, what most pregnant women do not know is that another danger should be added to this list: the infectious disease cytomegaly. The virus that causes this disease can be easily contracted from a big kiss from your niece or licking your toddler's spoon. But beware: the risks to your unborn child are significant...

The sun is making more frequent appearances in the Netherlands. Wonderful, but don't forget to apply sunscreen to yourself and your kids. Even in this spring sun, you can get sunburned in just 20 minutes. Therefore, it's important to protect yourself from the sun by applying a suitable sunscreen. But which sunscreen is best to use? And is a sunscreen with factor 50 better than one with factor 30?...

Only 10% of children play outside more often than inside

Fewer and fewer children are learning how to cycle. Especially in the big cities, the number of children with cycling experience is decreasing. And that is a bad thing according to Safe Traffic Netherlands...

What lovely weather! High temperatures are forecast again for the coming weekend. Enjoy, of course, but do take care. The spring sun is more treacherous than you think. Due to the sun's strength, your skin—which likely hasn't seen much sun this year—can burn within just 20 minutes. Your child's skin is also particularly susceptible to the sun's UV radiation. So be cautious!...

We already know that a glass of cola or a pack of fruit drink contains a lot of sugar, but did you know that ready-made soups, breakfast cereals, and pasta sauces also contain a lot of sugar? On average, Dutch people consume – often unknowingly – 20 sugar cubes per day instead of the recommended 12.5 (for women) or 15 sugar cubes (for men). Most children even consume their own body weight in sugar over the course of a year. And that is far too much according to the Diabetes Fund...

High fever, frequent coughing, sore throat, and red or inflamed eyes: these are symptoms of measles. An infectious disease that is generally rare in the Netherlands. You can simply be vaccinated against measles in our country. Yet, the disease is gaining ground again in Europe...

We already know that smoking during pregnancy is harmful. But did you know that dirty air also impacts the brain development of unborn children?...

An Apparent Life Threatening Event, or ALTE. Have you ever heard of it? It's a situation no parent wishes to experience. One of our participants encountered it up close and decided to immediately enroll in a first aid course with a group. What exactly is an ALTE and what can you do about it as a parent?...

Today marks the start of Money Week. This themed week is designed to teach children how to manage money. According to the initiator, Wijzer in Geldzaken, you cannot start early enough. Therefore, many primary schools are organizing various activities this week centered around the theme of money, but there is also an important role for parents...

Lennart was 7 years old when he suffered a severe burn. "The burn on my stomach and chest was so large and intense. I had to undergo surgery immediately, otherwise, I wouldn't have survived." A large scar reminds Lennart of the incident that happened years ago...

Every day, 35 people die from a heart attack outside the hospital. Extremely many. But did you know that with an Automated External Defibrillator (AED), you can increase the survival chance of someone having a heart attack by 50%? Yet, it was reported in the news this week that less than 1 in 3 Dutch people without a first aid certificate is willing to use an AED. And that's while it's incredibly easy...

Today is International Epilepsy Day. On this day, extra attention is given to epilepsy. Did you know that approximately 20,000 children in the Netherlands have epilepsy? Here we explain what epilepsy is, how it can be treated, and what to do if someone around you has an epileptic seizure...

Last weekend, a young player from the football club Zeeburgia in Amsterdam collapsed on the field. Fortunately, there was a doctor on the sidelines who knew what to do: CPR. This young player survived the incident, but unfortunately, things often go wrong...

A child choking on a piece of apple or a grape. It's something you don't want to imagine. Unfortunately, choking can have fatal consequences. Do you know what to do when your child is at risk of suffocating?...

A grape going down the wrong pipe. Or a piece of sausage getting lodged in the windpipe. It's every parent's nightmare. Desperation and panic. You don't want to imagine it happening to you. Unfortunately, it occurs regularly: a child choking on a piece of apple, a cherry tomato, or a simple pea.

The ICUs in the Netherlands are currently filled with children who have contracted the RS virus. This cold virus—most common in winter—can cause severe symptoms in young children. Parents should therefore be extra vigilant during this period...

Rockets, beautifully colored spinners, loud bangs, or just simple sparklers: fireworks are naturally a part of New Year's Eve. Are you planning to go outside with the kids this year to ring in the new year with a bang? Or have your children pooled their savings to stock up on (loud) fireworks again this year? Then quickly read our tips before you hit the streets so you can enter 2018 not only festively but also safely.

Rapid breathing and intense shivering: these are signs of hypothermia. Hypothermia occurs when the body temperature drops below 35 degrees. But what can you do about it?..

Conducting a first aid course while the cameras are on you and a Dutch celebrity is standing in front of you: it doesn't happen every day. And that's a good thing, because instructor Jan Schouten has experienced firsthand how exciting it can be...

Increasingly, Dutch citizens without a first aid certificate refuse to provide assistance when they witness an accident on the street. And this while the first few minutes can be crucial. The cause?..

One chatters all day long, while the other is a bit quieter. Once your child starts speaking in short sentences, it's nice to have a conversation with the little one from time to time. Have you already made many attempts...

Since we ourselves are almost online day and night, our children naturally can't be left behind. More and more children have a mobile phone, and there's a good chance that your toddler can handle the iPad even better than you can...

Each year, an estimated 5,000 children in the Netherlands end up in intensive care. Fortunately, more and more children are surviving this. However, according to Dr. Madelon Bronner of the AMC, we must consider the consequences of such a significant event.

A 26-year-old man from The Hague has been sentenced to two years and three months in prison for violently shaking his daughter, which led to her death in 2012. Unfortunately, this girl is not the only child to lose their life in this manner.

Did you know that children between 12 and 18 months old are at the highest risk for burns? Nearly half of all these accidents in children are caused by a cup of hot coffee or tea.

Have you seen it in the news? In Leiden, a quarter of children under 18 have never been to the dentist. And the national figures aren't very encouraging either: 20% of children never go...

Daycare Requires First Aid. During the opening hours of the childcare facility, it is mandatory from January 1, 2018, for at least one adult to be present with a valid and registered first aid certificate for children...

Perhaps you have been involved in an accident where bystanders helped you. You are incredibly grateful at that moment, but they often remain strangers you know nothing about...

A seventeen-year-old girl saved the life of an elderly woman in the Belgian city of Roeselare. She was able to perform CPR on the woman because she had learned it at her high school...

In the past, many children in the Netherlands died from infectious diseases that can now be vaccinated against. Almost all children are vaccinated, which is why these diseases are now rare.

While in 2013, 62% of parents had no idea what to do if their child choked on a grape (source), the number of participants in first aid courses has fortunately increased significantly each year. Last year, there were 65,000 participants, compared to 9,000 in 2013...

Pregnant. You feel nauseous. You have a headache. You are tired, have a cold, or a fever. Perhaps you have also taken paracetamol during your pregnancy. Midwives do not advise against the use of paracetamol during pregnancy, as it is a relatively safe medication.

Six months ago, Jeniffer took a first aid course for babies and children from EHBO Bureau. She didn't know that she would later need to use the information she received to save her own child...

June 9, 2016

The delicate child's skin

The weather is becoming delightful again. It's great to go outside, preferably on a bike. But how do you do that with a baby who is still too small to sit in a seat? It's obviously super easy to transport your baby in a carrier on the bike from A to B. However, there are several points that are important to consider before making that decision...

“Choking on even a hot dog” This was a remarkable insight from one of the parents who participated in the EHBO workshop yesterday. A hot dog is one of the notorious choking hazards for babies and children. In this blog, you will read why and what you can best do to prevent this...

Oh, how bothersome it is when your little one has a cold. Ever since my daughter Robin started going to daycare, she has been catching colds frequently. After long periods of continuous colds, coughing fits, and lethargy, I sometimes wonder: Is my child just having a cold, or have we entered the flu phase?...

One of your worst nightmares becomes reality. As a mother, you find yourself submerged in water with your toddler. Yesterday, this drama unfolded in Amsterdam. Fortunately, it ended well because they had four guardian angels nearby. These men did not hesitate and immediately dived after the car...

The children are going back to school. Lunchboxes, rush, lice, and bruises. Ready? We share a few tips to help you get started...