Do not be afraid, learn first aid
Keeping the family safe is a number one priority for parents and guardians, and with so many dangers out there, learning first aid could be a skill used on multiple occasions.
Family First Aid is a first aid awareness course designed specifically for carers, parents, grandparents or guardians of children and infants. The three-hour class teaches the basic life saving techniques needed to act quickly in the event of an infant or toddler first aid emergency.
Taking place in Studio 3 Yoga, Pilates and Holistic Centre, Monread Avenue in Naas, Co. Kildare on Sunday, April 28, it teaches several important skills.
These include applying CPR to infants and toddlers, techniques for dealing with choking, asthma, basic burns and scalds, infantile convulsions, fractures and sprains, meningitis and various childhood illnesses and ailments.
TurnAround safety run Family First Aid classes across all Kildare, Carlow, Kilkenny and Dublin in local venues, at times which suit busy family lifestyles. Cost of the class is €42.50 and tickets can be found here.
Sip, stow and go
Perfect for on the go, you can pick up a nifty reusable coffee cup that’s in a league of its own when it comes to portability. Collapsible travel mugs are super compact, leak-proof and simple to use – and limit the wastage from disposable coffee cups. Once you have finished your drink, you can simply collapse the cup and store it in your purse, pocket, backpack or briefcase – perfect for the whole family.
They can be taken to the office, airport, gym, cafe, or park. Perfect for hiking, skiing, snowboarding and camping too.
These eco-friendly collapsible cups can be bought in several shops and online, priced between about €9-€15.
Watch out for youth depression
A study published in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology finds the percentage of US teens and young adults reporting mental distress, depression and suicidal thoughts and actions has risen significantly over the past decade.
While these problems also increased among adults 26 and older, the increase was not nearly as large as among younger people.
Last week’s study findings suggest a generational shift says psychologist Jean Twenge, from San Diego State University. To see a significant increase in negative psychological states “among our vulnerable population of teens and young adults is absolutely heart-breaking”, she says.
Twenge and her colleagues analysed data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, a government survey that tracks mental health and substance use in individuals age 12 and over. They looked at survey responses from more than 200,000 adolescents ages 12 to 17 and almost 400,000 young adults ages 18 and over between 2005 and 2017.
They found the rate of individuals reporting symptoms consistent with major depression over the past year increased 52% in teens and 63% in young adults over a decade. Girls were more vulnerable than boys.