Recovering Your Child from an Electric Shock

Electric shock can cause burns on the skin or even affect the heart rate and breathing. The effects of electrical shock on your preschooler depends on several factors such as--- how high the voltage is, how the current passed through the body, the child’s overall health and how quickly the child was treated. Take your child immediately to a hospital if any of these signs or symptoms is present

• No pulse or heart rate (Cardiac arrest)
• Heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias)
• Respiratory failure (Not breathing)
• Has muscle pain and contractions
• Seizures
• Complaints of numbness and tingling
• Unconsciousness

First aid for electric shock

• Don't touch the child before ensuring that he or she is not in contact with electrical source. Touching the child while in contact with the electric source can cause the current to pass through you.
• Before touching the child turn off the source of electricity if possible or move the source away with a non-conducting object such as cardboard, plastic or wood.
• Check for signs of circulation such as breathing, pulse, coughing or movement. If signs of circulation are not present, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) immediately.
• To prevent shock, lay your child down, if possible, with the head slightly lower than the trunk, and elevate the legs.