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QUAPAW, Okla. — Knowing how to tell if a child’s injury is an accident and when it’s not is a situation first responders face daily.
How they respond to that situation can be a matter of life and death.
Sometimes, when first responders get called to provide emergency care for a young patient it’s simply the result of an accident.
“Often times medical providers are the first people that victims encounter,” said Laura Kemerling RN, Children’s Mercy Hospital Center For Childhood Safety.
But other times, it’s not accidental, they’re being put in a situation by an adult that someone their age shouldn’t be in at all.
“You should always be concerned if the child obviously discloses some kind of concern in terms of how they’re cared for, if they are having to submit themselves to dangerous activities in order to meet their primary needs,” said Laura Kemerling RN, Children’s Mercy Hospital Center For Childhood Safety.
Whether it’s child abuse, neglect, or even trafficking, the patient won’t always come right out and admit they’re being mistreated.
It’s up to the first responder to pick up on those clues and do something about it.
“Often times this kind of injury can be difficult to detect so having awareness of it so that they can then communicate appropriately and get the right resources in place is really the best way to take care of the kids,” said Kemerling.
That next level of care might be necessary to save a life.
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