Could YOU give aid to your kid in a crisis? Dear Miriam.

Byline: MIRIAM STOPPARD

School holidays are nearly here and I love to see kids running around having fun. But all that activity is bound to result in cuts, bumps and bruises.

Do you know how to react when your child hits their head, faints or starts to choke? A survey by OnePoll shows that one in five mums have been in a first-aid situation where they couldn't cope - and a third of dads admit their first- aid knowledge is limited to plasters and Calpol.

So I'm delighted that St John Ambulance and Elastoplast are launching a First Aid for Children campaign. It consists of a website www.elastoplast.co.uk full of basic first-aid and lifesaving advice for parents, including free first aid fact sheets.

I also feel that anyone expecting a baby should get some first-aid training and have a kit handy. To test your knowledge, why not try my quiz?

(1) You think a child has broken their leg. Should you:

a) Call an ambulance then give the child a drink.

b) Move them to somewhere comfortable then call an ambulance.

c) Keep them still, stem any bleeding and get someone to call an ambulance.

Answer: c) Never move anyone with a broken bone unless you have to, as it could make the break worse. Also, don't give them anything to eat or drink in case they need an operation.

Reassure them and keep them still to avoid aggravating the break. Support the injured leg with your hands then stem any bleeding by pressing a clean pad over the wound, followed by a bandage.

Get someone to call an ambulance and, while you wait, bandage the injured leg to the good leg at the knees and ankles, as well as above and below the injury.

(2) A child hits their head, passes out but comes round quickly. They seem fully recovered after five minutes. Should you:

a) Treat any cuts and get them to rest.

b) Sit them down, apply a cold compress to the injury then take them to A&E.

c) Clean any cuts, stick on a plaster then let them play.

Answer: b) Head injuries can cause bleeding, swelling or fluid build-up inside the head, leading to potentially-fatal brain damage.

Even if they're only unconscious for a short time after a head injury, take the child to A& E for a check-up.

If they haven't fully recovered five minutes after a head injury, call an ambulance.

(3) A child's face is swelling after being stung by a wasp. Should you:

a) Take the sting out with your fingers, apply a cold compress to the swelling and wait.

b) Take the sting out with tweezers and apply antiseptic cream.

c) Ask if they carry a syringe of adrenaline in case of an allergic reaction and, if so, use it. Also get someone to call an ambulance, remove the sting and sit them up.

Answer: c) A swollen face can be a sign of a life-threatening allergic reaction that needs urgent help. Other symptoms may include puffy eyes, tingling, swollen lips and tongue, wheezing and an itchy rash.

If the child has a known severe allergy, they probably carry a syringe of adrenaline for emergencies, so check. Get someone to call an ambulance while you remove the sting, using something flat like a plastic card as tweezers or fingers could push more poison into the skin. Sit them up to make breathing easier. Apply a cold compress to the sting and reassure them.

(4) A child faints but is otherwise uninjured and breathing. Should you:

a) Raise their legs.

b) Call an ambulance.

c) Gently slap their face to bring them round.

Answer: a) When someone faints, they've briefly lost consciousness because blood flow to the brain has been interrupted temporarily. Place the child on their back and raise their legs, supporting them until they recover.

However, if they don't come round within two minutes, lie them on their side, turn their head to the side with their chin up slightly so they can breathe easily and place their top leg bent at right angles to their body. Call an ambulance.

(5) A child has a small foreign object on the iris (coloured part) of their eye. Should you:

a) Dab at the object with a damp piece of material until it comes out.

b) Dig out eyewash from your first-aid kit.

c) Don't touch it and go to A& E.

Answer: c) Never touch or try to remove a foreign object that's on the iris or pupil as you may cause damage - seek immediate medical attention from your doctor or A&E. However, if it's on the white of the eye, try to wash it out by pouring clean water or a sterile eyewash into the inner corner of the eye - check the eyewash is within its useable date as, once opened, it doesn't last long.

If the object doesn't come out, moisten the corner of a tissue or hanky and gently dab the object to see if it comes out. But if it's stuck to the eye or embedded in the eyeball, leave it and go to A& E.

(6) A child who's older than one starts to choke. What should you do first?

a) Lean them forward, supporting them with one hand, then slap them firmly on the back.

b) Get them to cough.

c) Tip them upside down.

Answer: b) Coughing may dislodge the object. If not, lean them forward, support them with one hand then slap them firmly between the shoulder blades five times, checking if the blockage has cleared each time.

If that doesn't work, and their airway is fully blocked so they can't speak, give up to five abdominal thrusts.

To do this, stand behind them, place your arms around their waist and bend them forward. Clench one fist and place it right above their belly button, then place your other hand on top, and thrust both hands sharply inwards and upwards.

If the object is still stuck after three sets of back blows and thrusts, call an ambulance and carry on until it arrives. If you've carried out abdominal thrusts, always take the child to A& E for a check-up as they can cause injuries.

(7) A child has a nosebleed. Should you:

a) Tip their head back until it stops.

b) Lean them forward and pinch the nostrils and the soft part of the nose.

c) Give them a hanky.

Answer: b) If you tip their head back, they may choke on the blood. The best way to stop bleeding is to tip the child's head forward and pinch the tip of their nose for at least 10 minutes, getting them to breathe through their mouth.

If the bleeding is heavy, or doesn't stop after 20 minutes, seek medical help.