I was both surprised, and very impressed, with my three-year-old granddaughter Maya, a Down syndrome child, when we were eating out at a restaurant. I had these reactions because, when the waitress asked her name, Maya clearly said both her name and her address. Maya’s response also reminded me of how important it is for young children to learn basic information about themselves that they can convey in emergencies. I was reminded of a story that recently made national headlines. Two-year-old Alana Miller had picked up the phone and dialed 911 and given the operator her name and address. Her mother, who suffered from severe migraine headaches, had taught her to dial 911 when her mother had an “Owie.” Alana Miller called 911 when her mother had a severe “Owie” and passed out.

While this is clearly an exceptional event, I do believe children as young as 3 and 4 should be taught their name and address as a basic safety precaution. While it is true that three and four year old children can also be taught to use 911, parents, have to be discriminating if they do this. In Alana’s case her mother suffered from a condition for which it might well be necessary for her daughter to call 911. Fortunately, most parents are not in that situation. But, if there is the very real likelihood that your child might need to call 911, then it makes sense to prepare the child to do so. The child should be told in simple language when to make the call and how to explain what has happened to the operator.

Young children should also be taught basic first aid when they receive a cut or bruise. Attending to the injury, provides the opportunity to explain how important it is to wash and clean the area and to apply something (antiseptic ointment) to kill the germs before putting on the bandage. It is also important to have a first aid kit and to show children what is in it and how to use each item in the kit. The kit should be in a place that the child can easily get to it. It is also important to have essential phone numbers, of parent’s work place and of friends who can be called in an emergency, in large characters on the refrigerator. Children should be told that these are numbers, which are to be called if there is a problem.

The most common injuries for which children are seen in the emergency room come from falls. That is why it is so important that children wear helmets when biking, even when riding a tricycle. The second most common cause of injury is motor vehicle injury. It is probably unnecessary to remind parents that a young child should always be in a car seat, or when a bit older, wear a safety belt. There is a great deal of truth to the old adage “It is better to be safe than it is to be sorry.”