The British Red Cross is promoting a new campaign intended to teach children how to help those suffering asthma attacks, epileptic seizures and other injuries. The most interesting component of the campaign is its emphasis on dealing with alcohol-related issues.
The program, which teaches children resuscitation techniques and the recovery position, was prompted by a Red Cross survey which found that 14 per cent of youths between the ages of 11 and 16 had been involved in an alcohol-related emergency.
It’s hard to find fault with a program that is so in touch with the realities of youth, but it is important that such a program be properly applied and structured.
There is a reasonable concern that the training might create a false sense of security among youth. Young people are often over-confident about their ability to handle alcohol, and brief first-aid training might lead some to believe they are prepared for emergencies beyond the training program’s scope. As with any emergency, seeking properly trained adult assistance is the best first step.
Fears that the program’s teachings might go misapplied and make a bad scenario worse are equally hard to disperse. In the case of alcohol-related emergencies, especially those involving head and neck injuries, minor decisions can make the difference between life and death.
For this reason, it’s probably best that the program be voluntary—but strongly encouraged—so that only those who are interested in learning attend.
The concern that this sort of training might act as an enabling device—putting ideas about drinking into young minds—is hard to stomach. Drinking and alcohol poisoning are realities young people face in most cultures around the world, Britain being no exception.
While this program won’t solve every drinking-related problem young people face, it’s certainly a beneficial and common-sense solution.
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