Oh baby! It’s a first aid course with a difference
Parents learn how to deal with emergency situations
Almost a dozen parents in Cambuslang learned what to do should their child choke, fall ill suddenly or be involved in an accident.
The men and women were among some of the first ever to attend a first aid course for babies and children in the town on Monday.
They were led by Theresa Gallagher, a Rutherglen woman who has just launched her company Helping Hands First Aid Ltd.
As someone who has dealt with several emergency situations as an air hostess, Theresa has realised that many members of the public feel ill-equipped to support loved ones in a crisis.
Her new company aims to change that.
It will deliver first aid training specifically geared towards parents, guardians and people who look after children.
Theresa said: “It’s so important to learn first aid. It gives you the skills that make you feel more confident that if anything should happen that you would know how to deal with it.
“I wanted to make it more accessible for parents who can come along with their babies and children to a class, not a formal environment.”
Eleven people took part in Theresa’s class in Cambuslang Institute.
Mother of one Nicola McMahon, from Cambuslang, took part.
She said: “I think it’s a really important skill to have. There are so many things to watch for with children, they are into everything, so it is good to be prepared. Choking is a major one, they can pick up anything and put it in their mouths.
“On the course there were a lot of things covered like minor injuries. It would help the NHS if parents knew what to do with minor bumps and cuts. I feel like I can deal with it myself.”
Nicola added: “Theresa was great, she was so informative and no question was a daft question.”
Theresa was inspired to launch her business after dealing with a number of emergencies as an air hostess.
She said: “I work for an airline at the moment and I have 16 years experience in first aid, from cardiac arrests to epilepsy and allergies.
“I realised their was a gap in the market for parents to learn first aid.
“There are other companies that do it in England and it has been taking off there. I thought no one is doing it in Scotland so why not bring it here.”
For more information on Theresa’s courses search for Helping Hands First Aid Ltd on Facebook.