Boo To Age Restrictions

[JuNii]

The reason for lack of restrictions in the past was mainly because parents were a lot stricter...and the fact you couldn't be sued for every mishap.

Well, yes people can sue for basically anything now. But i don't mean something like this:

Example: Grizzly Bear Hunt! Any Age Allowed!

I mean:

Example: Basic Chemistry And Biology! Ages 8 And Up!

I don't mean getting rid of all age restrictions. Some restrictions are plain stupid and need to be lowered or abolished , while others make a point and should stay.

Or maybe some age restrictions are stupid because you are too young to fully comprehend their reasoning.

Every few years I challenge you to walk into a middle school, or a high school and ask yourself how many of that general population you would like to see with certain responsibilities you advocate for yourself now.

The unfortunate thing about life is that you see it most clearly when it is over.

AKA... Hindsight is always 20/20.

[RhynoD]

People, i am 11 years old. And today i phoned St.Johns First Aid Course Centre in Whyalla(Australia) Guess what? You have to be 15 , which is a punch in the pants since i really interested in doing a first aid course. And personally someone who is 11 isn't a guaranteed intellcually insuperior to someone who is age 15. When i asked the reason for the restriction they claimed "Children under 15 should not be in control of someones life in a dangerous situation as they may not remember what to do or fall under the pressure" Pressure? Memory? Oh please i'm not exactly 2 here, it's not that hard to "handle the pressure" and remembering? Children have better memories than adults so i don't know what she was on about. Besides thats just my story, many children "under the right age" have been denied access to certain things, even though they are comeptant enough. Of course i understand about alcohol and ciggarettes and things like that.

But enough about me. Some age restrictions have either got to be lowered or abolished completly, it is tearing some possible important things from childrens lives. Back in the old day children hanged around their suburb with basically no restrictions to what they can do. Sure theirs some downs but theirs some ups too.

Have you ever been in a life-threatening situation? Do you have any idea the kind of pressure involved in life-saving? Do you have any idea what is actually involved in CPR? For instance, CPR requires you to depress an adult's chest up to two inches, which will crack and possibly break ribs. Are you both prepared to do that and physically capable of it?

[Greed and Death]

People, i am 11 years old. And today i phoned St.Johns First Aid Course Centre in Whyalla(Australia) Guess what? You have to be 15 , which is a punch in the pants since i really interested in doing a first aid course. And personally someone who is 11 isn't a guaranteed intellcually insuperior to someone who is age 15. When i asked the reason for the restriction they claimed "Children under 15 should not be in control of someones life in a dangerous situation as they may not remember what to do or fall under the pressure" Pressure? Memory? Oh please i'm not exactly 2 here, it's not that hard to "handle the pressure" and remembering? Children have better memories than adults so i don't know what she was on about. Besides thats just my story, many children "under the right age" have been denied access to certain things, even though they are comeptant enough. Of course i understand about alcohol and ciggarettes and things like that.

But enough about me. Some age restrictions have either got to be lowered or abolished completly, it is tearing some possible important things from childrens lives. Back in the old day children hanged around their suburb with basically no restrictions to what they can do. Sure theirs some downs but theirs some ups too.

Have you ever been in a life-threatening situation? Do you have any idea the kind of pressure involved in life-saving? Do you have any idea what is actually involved in CPR? For instance, CPR requires you to depress an adult's chest up to two inches, which will crack and possibly break ribs. Are you both prepared to do that and physically capable of it?

Ever read on the children soldiers in Africa?
They are largely more effective combatants because their sense of empathy has not developed yet.
To them it is just about repeating the training.

[Mad hatters in jeans]

ah yes a common stumbling block for first aid is avoiding getting sued.
In some cases people have sued other's once rehabilitated because some of their ribs were cracked. I mean how fucked up is that? the person wouldn't be alive to sue them if it wasn't for them.
I can almost guarantee this age restriction is to avoid being sued.

[RhynoD]

People, i am 11 years old. And today i phoned St.Johns First Aid Course Centre in Whyalla(Australia) Guess what? You have to be 15 , which is a punch in the pants since i really interested in doing a first aid course. And personally someone who is 11 isn't a guaranteed intellcually insuperior to someone who is age 15. When i asked the reason for the restriction they claimed "Children under 15 should not be in control of someones life in a dangerous situation as they may not remember what to do or fall under the pressure" Pressure? Memory? Oh please i'm not exactly 2 here, it's not that hard to "handle the pressure" and remembering? Children have better memories than adults so i don't know what she was on about. Besides thats just my story, many children "under the right age" have been denied access to certain things, even though they are comeptant enough. Of course i understand about alcohol and ciggarettes and things like that.

But enough about me. Some age restrictions have either got to be lowered or abolished completly, it is tearing some possible important things from childrens lives. Back in the old day children hanged around their suburb with basically no restrictions to what they can do. Sure theirs some downs but theirs some ups too.

Have you ever been in a life-threatening situation? Do you have any idea the kind of pressure involved in life-saving? Do you have any idea what is actually involved in CPR? For instance, CPR requires you to depress an adult's chest up to two inches, which will crack and possibly break ribs. Are you both prepared to do that and physically capable of it?

Ever read on the children soldiers in Africa?
They are largely more effective combatants because their sense of empathy has not developed yet.
To them it is just about repeating the training.

This is a good thing?
I'd also like to point out the bolded phrase: can most 11 year old kids depress a 300 pound man's chest 2 inches? Or better yet, a pregnant woman's chest without hurting the baby?

[RhynoD]

ah yes a common stumbling block for first aid is avoiding getting sued.
In some cases people have sued other's once rehabilitated because some of their ribs were cracked. I mean how fucked up is that? the person wouldn't be alive to sue them if it wasn't for them.
I can almost guarantee this age restriction is to avoid being sued.

Depends on where you are. Many places now have Good Samaritan laws so you can't be sued if you provide proper life-saving care. That should include people under the age of consent.

[JuNii]

ah yes a common stumbling block for first aid is avoiding getting sued.
In some cases people have sued other's once rehabilitated because some of their ribs were cracked. I mean how fucked up is that? the person wouldn't be alive to sue them if it wasn't for them.
I can almost guarantee this age restriction is to avoid being sued.

Depends on where you are. Many places now have Good Samaritan laws so you can't be sued if you provide proper life-saving care. That should include people under the age of consent.

... I believe, and I could be wrong, that the Good Samaritan law only covers when one tries to render aid they are not trained to give...

[Greed and Death]

ah yes a common stumbling block for first aid is avoiding getting sued.
In some cases people have sued other's once rehabilitated because some of their ribs were cracked. I mean how fucked up is that? the person wouldn't be alive to sue them if it wasn't for them.
I can almost guarantee this age restriction is to avoid being sued.

Depends on where you are. Many places now have Good Samaritan laws so you can't be sued if you provide proper life-saving care. That should include people under the age of consent.

... I believe, and I could be wrong, that the Good Samaritan law only covers when one tries to render aid they are not trained to give...

Even if your trained it is covered.
What they can do is sue the person who trained you in CPR if he received compensation.
It is one of the reasons I am not an instructor right now, even though I am certified.
I need a 1 million dollar insurance policy for most organizations will let me teach.

[Risottia]

Holy shit. I'd never guessed that the US scouts taught such things.
Impressive.

Well if your out in the woods and the scout leader(adult) breaks his leg, you have to know how to get him back to civilization. So I think that sort of training is needed in the scouts.

Yep... I guess that this side of the pond it isn't that necessary, given that anywhere you are, you are within at most 8 hours walking away from a place with a telephone or a radio.

[Greed and Death]

Holy shit. I'd never guessed that the US scouts taught such things.
Impressive.

Well if your out in the woods and the scout leader(adult) breaks his leg, you have to know how to get him back to civilization. So I think that sort of training is needed in the scouts.

Yep... I guess that this side of the pond it isn't that necessary, given that anywhere you are, you are within at most 8 hours walking away from a place with a telephone or a radio.

Tehe are still some places here that are 2 or 3 days hike in and out.

[JuNii]

Even if your trained it is covered.
What they can do is sue the person who trained you in CPR if he received compensation.
It is one of the reasons I am not an instructor right now, even though I am certified.
I need a 1 million dollar insurance policy for most organizations will let me teach.

I was partially right.

one tends NOT to be covered if one is expecting reimbursement or it's part of your job (a.k.a. you are a paramedic/firefighter/etc on lunch break or you were called to the scene.)

[Greed and Death]

Even if your trained it is covered.
What they can do is sue the person who trained you in CPR if he received compensation.
It is one of the reasons I am not an instructor right now, even though I am certified.
I need a 1 million dollar insurance policy for most organizations will let me teach.

I was partially right.

one tends NOT to be covered if one is expecting reimbursement or it's part of your job (a.k.a. you are a paramedic/firefighter/etc on lunch break or you were called to the scene.)

they have other laws protecting EMS personnel while on duty.
Though i have heard of nurses and EMTs refusing to render aid when not on duty for fear of a lawsuit.

[Quelesh]

Another absurdity of age restrictions: In most US states you have to be 16 to drive a car and consent to sex; 18 to vote, join the military, get married without parental consent, sign legally binding contracts and walk into a convenience store and buy a pack of cigarettes or a Playboy magazine; 21 to drink alcohol and generally 25 to rent a car. But in many states you only have to be 10 or so to be tried as an adult for a crime and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

Also, here's an interesting story I read today about children engaging in life saving behavior in Australia. And some people say that 11-year-olds don't possess the physical or cognitive capabilities necessary to save lives? These 8-year-olds certainly did.

[Lackadaisical2]

Another absurdity of age restrictions: In most US states you have to be 16 to drive a car and consent to sex; 18 to vote, join the military, get married without parental consent, sign legally binding contracts and walk into a convenience store and buy a pack of cigarettes or a Playboy magazine; 21 to drink alcohol and generally 25 to rent a car. But in many states you only have to be 10 or so to be tried as an adult for a crime and sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

All those issues deserve their own thread.

Also, here's an interesting story I read today about children engaging in life saving behavior in Australia. And some people say that 11-year-olds don't possess the physical or cognitive capabilities necessary to save lives? These 8-year-olds certainly did.

The physical issues they've mentioned apply only to CPR, which is what the thread is about. I honestly don't see the harm in teaching a kid the necessary moves, I don't see it as causing any harm, as long as he knows to call an ambulance as well.

[Dazchan]

Also, here's an interesting story I read today about children engaging in life saving behavior in Australia. And some people say that 11-year-olds don't possess the physical or cognitive capabilities necessary to save lives? These 8-year-olds certainly did.

So a couple of eight year olds pulled a body out of the water (aided, of course, by the fact that the human body is very bouyant - I can lift my 130kg boyfriend when he's submerged) and this means they have the stamina to perform rapid-fire chest compressions (not to mention, as I and others have said in the past, the physical strength to compress deeply enough) for an undetermined period of time?

Surf rescue is not the same as first aid.

[Iniika]

The reason for lack of restrictions in the past was mainly because parents were a lot stricter...and the fact you couldn't be sued for every mishap.

Well, yes people can sue for basically anything now. But i don't mean something like this:

Example: Grizzly Bear Hunt! Any Age Allowed!

I mean:

Example: Basic Chemistry And Biology! Ages 8 And Up!

I don't mean getting rid of all age restrictions. Some restrictions are plain stupid and need to be lowered or abolished , while others make a point and should stay.

Or maybe some age restrictions are stupid because you are too young to fully comprehend their reasoning.

Every few years I challenge you to walk into a middle school, or a high school and ask yourself how many of that general population you would like to see with certain responsibilities you advocate for yourself now.

The unfortunate thing about life is that you see it most clearly when it is over.

AKA... Hindsight is always 20/20.

Yup!

Though it goes without saying that some people never grow out of that "seemed like a good idea at the time" stage.

[EvilDarkMagicians]

You're right, age restrictions are terrible! We should change it so parents can bottle-feed babies vodka!

FUCKING, sigged.

[Sarzonia]

Age restrictions are in place at least in part because the powers that be need some mechanism to prevent those who are not mentally ready for certain things from doing them. If the government did away with age restrictions in favour of a system whereby someone's mental acuity or maturity could be tested, it would bog the system down so much that it would create a logistical nightmare.

Should some of those age restrictions be reduced? That depends. In some cases, they probably should. In others, they probably shouldn't. But they need to be there. Too many parents have shown conclusively that they can't police their children without help from the government.

[Velka Morava]

I daresay someone in danger would feel a lot better with an adult applying the first aid than a child. Face it, age barriers exist for a reason.

What if no adults were available?

[Midnight Wandering]

I daresay someone in danger would feel a lot better with an adult applying the first aid than a child. Face it, age barriers exist for a reason.

What if no adults were available?

I'd rather have a trained kid help me rather than nobody help me.
...
Actually - I'd probably prefer a trained kid over an untrained adult as well

[Greed and Death]

Also, here's an interesting story I read today about children engaging in life saving behavior in Australia. And some people say that 11-year-olds don't possess the physical or cognitive capabilities necessary to save lives? These 8-year-olds certainly did.

So a couple of eight year olds pulled a body out of the water (aided, of course, by the fact that the human body is very bouyant - I can lift my 130kg boyfriend when he's submerged) and this means they have the stamina to perform rapid-fire chest compressions (not to mention, as I and others have said in the past, the physical strength to compress deeply enough) for an undetermined period of time?

Surf rescue is not the same as first aid.

So lets say this 11 year old cant. What differences does it make ?
An 11 year old trained in CPR is not going to deprive a dying man of an adult trained in CPR.
The natural reaction of both children and adults is when it is an emergency let the adult do it.
A child trained in CPR can only be a good thing, there is no negative consequences because an adult will naturally take over in those sorts of situations.

[Velka Morava]

I was certified in first aid through the boy scouts when I was 8.

I'm afraid that the OPer is looking for an higher degree of certification.

No it was about as high of a certification as you can get without getting an emergency medical Tech certification.

Weird. Nothing between a boy-scout grade and professional certification? Huge gap, I'd guess.

There is the AED {Automated external defibrillator}certification. But the AED didn't exist when I was in the scouts.
Most of the adults today just learn CPR. in the scouts I learned CPR, how to splint broken bones and how to make a tourniquet.
the only time I learned more first aid wise was in the combat lifer saver program in the army. and that was stuff like boarder line professional stuff like giving IV's, J tube insertion(collapsed airway.), and such.

Holy shit. I'd never guessed that the US scouts taught such things. Impressive.

Meh... I did that around 12 because of FIN (Federazione Italiana Nuoto) regulation. It was a federation requirement.
And Czech Pioneers had that too AFAIK. My oldest son (9 yo next week... ) already received his first aid course at school this fall.
Actually IMO it is a good idea to have kids with a basic knowledge of first aid. Sure, they might not have the physical strength to perform some manoeuvres but:
a) they'll grow up;
b) they can tell a non trained adult what to do.

For those saying "just call emergency". Even in Central Europe there are places where there's no cellular signal.
For those saying "what's an 11 yo kid doing alone". We go biking or trekking with our kids it happens that the only adult in the range of a couple of Km is either me or my wife. What if something happened to us?

[Blouman Empire]

The reason for lack of restrictions in the past was mainly because parents were a lot stricter...and the fact you couldn't be sued for every mishap.

Well, yes people can sue for basically anything now. But i don't mean something like this:

Example: Grizzly Bear Hunt! Any Age Allowed!

I mean:

Example: Basic Chemistry And Biology! Ages 8 And Up!

I don't mean getting rid of all age restrictions. Some restrictions are plain stupid and need to be lowered or abolished , while others make a point and should stay.

Or maybe some age restrictions are stupid because you are too young to fully comprehend their reasoning.

Every few years I challenge you to walk into a middle school, or a high school and ask yourself how many of that general population you would like to see with certain responsibilities you advocate for yourself now.

The unfortunate thing about life is that you see it most clearly when it is over.

Many members of the adult poulation I wouldn't trust with the same thing.

[Dazchan]

Also, here's an interesting story I read today about children engaging in life saving behavior in Australia. And some people say that 11-year-olds don't possess the physical or cognitive capabilities necessary to save lives? These 8-year-olds certainly did.

So a couple of eight year olds pulled a body out of the water (aided, of course, by the fact that the human body is very bouyant - I can lift my 130kg boyfriend when he's submerged) and this means they have the stamina to perform rapid-fire chest compressions (not to mention, as I and others have said in the past, the physical strength to compress deeply enough) for an undetermined period of time?

Surf rescue is not the same as first aid.

So lets say this 11 year old cant. What differences does it make ?
An 11 year old trained in CPR is not going to deprive a dying man of an adult trained in CPR.
The natural reaction of both children and adults is when it is an emergency let the adult do it.
A child trained in CPR can only be a good thing, there is no negative consequences because an adult will naturally take over in those sorts of situations.

Um... I can't follow your reasoning. We should allow children to train in CPR because they'll naturally let adults do it instead? Why bother training them in the first place, then? Why not wait until they're old enough to do it?

[Dyakovo]

Also, here's an interesting story I read today about children engaging in life saving behavior in Australia. And some people say that 11-year-olds don't possess the physical or cognitive capabilities necessary to save lives? These 8-year-olds certainly did.

So a couple of eight year olds pulled a body out of the water (aided, of course, by the fact that the human body is very bouyant - I can lift my 130kg boyfriend when he's submerged) and this means they have the stamina to perform rapid-fire chest compressions (not to mention, as I and others have said in the past, the physical strength to compress deeply enough) for an undetermined period of time?

Surf rescue is not the same as first aid.

So lets say this 11 year old cant. What differences does it make ?
An 11 year old trained in CPR is not going to deprive a dying man of an adult trained in CPR.
The natural reaction of both children and adults is when it is an emergency let the adult do it.
A child trained in CPR can only be a good thing, there is no negative consequences because an adult will naturally take over in those sorts of situations.

Um... I can't follow your reasoning. We should allow children to train in CPR because they'll naturally let adults do it instead? Why bother training them in the first place, then? Why not wait until they're old enough to do it?

No he was saying train them in CPR in case there are no trained adults to handle it. A child trained in CPR is better than nothing.