Can Your Babysitter Handle an Emergency?

It's an uncomfortable thought for parents, but anything that can go wrong while you're watching your child can also go wrong when a babysitter is in charge. Weather dangers, fires, poison and injuries don't take a break while you're away from home.

How would your babysitter react if your child needed immediate medical attention? Would he or she know what to do, and have the information needed to get your child emergency care? Make sure your sitter is prepared to handle any emergency with these tips.

• Post any medical information. Create a list of known allergies or medical conditions and post it on the refrigerator, which is the easiest place for your babysitter or emergency responders to find it.
• Provide a medical consent form. This allows your babysitter to authorize life-saving treatments for your child if you cannot be reached. Go over this form carefully with your babysitter, explaining what it means and what her responsibilities will be. Post this form on the refrigerator as well.
• Know who to call first. In an emergency, your babysitter's first call should be to 911, unless the child has ingested something dangerous, in which case the first call should be to a posion control center. Post the number on the refrigerator or near the phone if it's not already there. Go over this process with your babysitter until you're sure she understands it. Her first reaction may be to call you or a neighbor; in any emergency, even a simple broken arm, the best advice is to call 911 and let professionals evaluate the sitation.
• Contact the parents. Once emergency personnel are attending to the child, your babysitter should get in touch with you to let you know what's happening. Make sure she tells you which hospital your child is taken to if there are several nearby.
• Stay with the child. Your babysitter should stay with your child until you arrive at home or at the hospital. If she's watching several children, she should bring them with her and keep everyone together, unless you've designated a neighbor who can watch the children in an emergency.
• Arrange a meeting place. In case of a natural disaster or a fire, have a prearragned meeting place that your babysitter and children can easily reach. Teach this location to your children as well as your babysitter so that someone will always know where the family should meet.

Worrying about emergencies shouldn't keep you tied to your children during every hour of every day. By providing the right information and choosing a responsible babysitter, you can be confident that your children will get the care they need if an emergency arises.