Accidents
and emergency situations...
can
happen to anyone. Even if you protect your family
it could still happen to you. That's why it's
always important to know what to do in case
of an emergency. If you think you already know
what to do, it is still a good idea to brush
up on the information every now and then. Be
prepared in all things.
Choking
A
child who is choking while eating or drinking will most likely
cough. This simple thing will usually clear the airway without
any intervention from yourself. DO NOT slap the child on the
back or reach in the child's mouth with your fingers. This
action may lodge the object deeper into the windpipe.
If
the child is no longer coughing, crying or speaking and their
face is turning blue, step in and help. If you are with other
people, have someone call 911 and follow the steps given below.
If you are alone with the child try the following steps for
one minute. If you can not clear the child's airway within
this time call 911.
How
to save a child under the age of one who is choking-
(1)
Hold
your baby face-down on your forearm with the head
toward your hand. You may
need
to brace your arm on your thigh. With the heel
of your other hand, slap the baby 5
times
between the shoulder blades with a firm but gentle
force.
This
should cause the baby to cough up the offending
object. Turn the baby over and
check
his mouth. If you can see the object, try to sweep
it out of the mouth with your
finger.
Be careful not to push the object back into the
windpipe.
(2)
If
the baby does not cough up the item, lay him on
his back on a flat, firm surface.
Take
your three middle fingers and place them just
below the line of the nipples on the
center
of the baby's breastbone. Give 5 quick chest thrusts.
These thrusts should be 1/2 to 1 inch deep. Look
into the baby's mouth again. IF you see the object,
try to sweep it out with your fingers.
(3)
If
you do not see the object, repeat the steps above
until the object is coughed up.
(4)
Take
your baby to the doctor even if he seems fine.
If
the baby loses consciousness or stops breathing while
choking, do the following.
(1)
Lay
the baby on a flat, firm surface and tilt the
baby's head back so that the chin is
pointing
up.
(2)
Firmly
seal your lips around the baby's mouth AND nose.
(3)
Give
the baby 2 slow breaths. This will send oxygen
into the baby's lungs. Give 2
more
slow breaths. This is considered to be rescue
breathing. If the baby begins
breathing
on his own, keep a close watch until help arrives.
(4)
If
after the 4 breaths have been given and there
is no response, continue to give back
slaps
and chest thrusts as listed above for choking.
If there is still no breathing do the
rescue
breathing again. Continue these steps until the
baby has coughed up the item or
starts
breathing on his own.
How
to save a child older then one year old who is choking-
(1)
Perform
the Heimlich Maneuver. To do this you need to
stand behind the choking
child,
kneeling for smaller children. Wrap your arms
around her waist. Make a fist with the hand closest
to the body. Position your fist in the middle
of the child's stomach above the navel. With your
other hand, grab your fist. While pressing firmly
and gently, give 5 quick upward thrusts. Continue
this until the child coughs up the object.
(2)
Take
the child to the doctor even if she seems to be
all right.
If
your child loses consciousness or stops breathing while
choking do the following-
(1)
Lay
the child on a flat, firm surface. Check her mouth
to see if you can see the
offending
object. If you can see it, try to sweep it out
of the child's mouth with your
finger.
Do not feel around for an object you can not see.
This can cause the object to
become
lodged in the windpipe.
(2)
Tilt
the child's head back so that the chin is pointing
up. Pinch her nose shut and firmly
place
your lips over the child's mouth.
(3)
Give
the child 2 slow breaths. Repeat and give 2 more.
This is considered rescue
breathing.
If breathing begins, watch the child closely until
help arrives.
(4)
If
the child still is not breathing, you will need
to give more chest thrusts. Since the
child
is laying down, straddle the child's hips. Place
the heel of one hand between the
navel
and the rib cage. Put your other hand on top of
the first. Give 5 firm but gentle
upward
thrusts into the child's abdomen.
(5)
Check
the child's mouth again for the object. If you
do not see the object and the child
is
still not breathing, continue the rescue breathing
and chest thrusts until the object is
coughed
up or the child starts breathing again.
Always
have the number of your local Poison-Control Center
near your phone. Look in the front of your phone book
under Emergency Numbers.
If
you think your child has ingested a poison, follow these
directions.
1-Find
the packaging for the substance that has been ingested.
Wash and remove any poison still remaining on your child's
mouth and hands.
2-If
your child is convulsing or unconscious, call 911 immediately.
If your child is not breathing, call 911 and start CPR.
If your child
is not doing one of the above, call Poison-Control.
3-Answer
Poison-Control's questions calmly. They will need to know
your child's age, weight, symptoms, and the poison or medication
taken. If you can not find the name of the poison or medication,
give a description. You will also need to estimate the amount
ingested.
4-Follow
Poison-Control's instructions. Always consult Poison-Control
before following the treatment instruction on the substance
packaging. DO NOT make your child vomit unless you are told
to.
Burns
Not
all burns are alike. There are three different kinds of burns,
each with a separate treatment pattern. It is always good
to know how to recognize and treat each separate type.
First
Degree Burns
What
it Looks Like:
The
skin on a first degree burn will appear bright pink
or red. It will not have any blisters on it.
How
to Treat it:
Rinse
the burn in cool water for 5 minutes or
more. To
control the pain after rinsing it, keep a cool wet cloth
over the burn. An aloe
vera-based lotion may also help to soothe the burn.
Second
Degree Burns
What
it Looks Like:
Skin
with a second degree burn will appear red, swollen and
blistered.
How
to Treat it:
Rinse
this burn in cool water and keep cool, wet compresses
on it. Keep this form of burn covered and go
to a doctor.
DO NOT break the blisters.
Third
Degree Burns
What
it Looks Like:
The
appearance of the skin with a third degree burn will
be white and leathery. It will almost look ashy.
How
to Treat it:
Call
911 immediately! Do Not put ice or water on this type
of burn. Make sure your child is breathing. Use CPR
if necessary.
Bleeding
For
a small cut or injury with little bleeding, cover the wound
with sterile gauze or bandage. By taping or using your hand,
apply pressure to the wound. This will usually help to stop
the blood flow.
For
bigger cuts or injuries with more severe bleeding, you will
need to cover the wound with sterile gauze or a clean cloth.
You can use clean towels or even a clean t-shirt. Cover the
wound and apply pressure with your hand. If the blood begins
to soak through the cloth, add another clean cloth on top
of the first. Do not remove the first cloth as this will cause
the blood flow to increase.
If
the wound is on an arm or leg, have the injured person hold
the area with the wound up. This will make it harder for the
blood to travel to the wound, causing the blood flow to slow
and stop.
If
the blood flow is not slowing down you will need to find a
pressure point above the wound. Look for a vein above the
wound and apply firm pressure.
Call
911 if the bleeding is not stopping and the injured person
becomes unconscious or goes into shock. A person who is going
into shock will have cold, pale, clammy skin. Their pulse
is weak and rapid. Their breathing maybe rapid but shallow
and may even be
irregular.
Always call 911 if you feel the situation is an emergency.
AHHH!
Summertime! Parades, lemonade, swimming pools, and snowcones.
OHHHH! Summertime!
Bug bites,
bee stings, sunburn and dehydration. We all want to remember
the good days of summer, not the days we suffered from
itching
bites and too much sun. Too keep bad summertime memories to
a minimum you need to know what to look for and what to do if
trouble hits or bites, as the case may be. The following are
soothing treatments and medical answers to some of the summertime
blues.
Bee,
Hornet, Wasp and Yellow Jacket Stings
A
sting will look swollen. The insect will have left the
stinger in the skin in most cases. The stinger should
be removed as soon as possible. DO NOT press on the stinger
or pull it out with tweezers or your fingers. This will
only cause more of the venom to be released into the skin.
With a laminated card or credit card, scrape the stinger
off gently.
Clean
the area with soap and water for a few minutes. Ice
and cool cloths may ease the pain.
If there
are many bites and they seem to be overly itchy, call your doctor.
He may give you a prescription for a topical steroid cream.
There
is a serious condition, though rare, associated with bee,
hornet, wasp and yellow jacket stings. This is the life threatening
allergic reaction called anaphylactic shock. If your child
has been stung and 10 -20 minutes later has hives, flushed
skin, sudden difficulty breathing, and swollen lips and/or
eyes, call 911 immediately. Other symptoms could include sudden
collapse or unconsciousness.
Mosquito
Bites
These
pesky little bugs will bite you anywhere and everywhere. The
bite looks like a red bump on the skin. It is very itchy.
It can be 1/4 of an inch wide or bigger.
Calamine
lotion or cool compresses give the quickest relief. A paste
of water and baking soda will also soothe the bite. If your
child has quite a few, you may consider an oatmeal bath.
Red
Ant Bites
These
bites look similar to mosquito bites. They are usually found
on the feet or legs. These can be very painful to a child.
They are itchy too.
Cool
compresses and Calamine lotion work well. Sometimes an ice
pack will help take the pain and itchiness away. Baking soda
and water mixed to paste and placed on the bite will soothe
as well.
Sunburn
As
with any burns, there are varying degrees of sunburn.
A mild sunburn will appear pink or red. A medium sunburn
can look swollen as well as red and will show the straplines
from your swimsuit or clothing. A severe sunburn will
look like the above burns but will also include blisters.
Other symptoms of a severe sunburn are fever (elevated
temperature), chills, nausea and vomiting. In this case,
you will want to get the sunburn victim to a doctor immediately.
Mild
and medium sunburns are uncomfortable but treatable
at home. Cool baths are very soothing as are lukewarm
oatmeal baths.
Lotions
that contain aloe vera gel are very good for soothing
the pain and moisturizing the burned skin.
Almost
all sunburns are preventable. The American Academy of
Dermatology suggests the following.
Babies
under the age of six months should have limited time in the
sun. If they are out in the sun they should always wear protective
clothing. A wide brimmed hat and protective sunglasses that
filter UV rays are highly suggested.
Children
should wear a sunscreen that is at least SPF 15. This sunscreen
should be applied at least 30 minutes before going out into
the sun. Reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours. Even if the sunscreen
states that it is waterproof, it still needs to be reapplied
to
effectively
protect your child's skin.
Dehydration
Our
bodies are almost 60 % water. On hot summer days our active
children lose some of this precious water. Make sure that
there are always drinks in easy reach of your children. Remind
them to drink frequently, even if they are not thirsty. This
early action will help
prevent
dehydration from occurring.
The
symptoms of dehydration are dizziness, body weakness, cool
and clammy skin, and possibly nausea. If these symptoms occur
in your child, get him inside or at least to a shady spot.
Have him drink cool water and rest in a cooler environment
for awhile.
Warning
signs are dry, red skin, a fast pulse and a confused or disoriented
demeanor. Call 911 if any of these symptoms are evident in
your child.
Heat
Exhaustion/Heat Stroke
This
is caused from too much heat and dehydration. The symptoms
of heat exhaustion are paleness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting,
fainting, a moderate fever (elevated temperature), and headache.
A
child with mild symptoms will need rest and cool water. Ice
packs and a cool environment will also help.
For
severe exhaustion call 911 immediately.
Heat
stroke symptoms are flushed, warm skin, temperature above
106 degrees, delirious, unconsciousness and seizures. This
is a serious medical emergency. If your child displays any
of these symptoms call 911 immediately!
The
Ultimate First Aid Kit
As
recommended by the American Red Cross & other medical
experts
-Activated
Charcoal
*use
only when directed by a Poison Control Center
to induce vomiting
-Adhesive
Tape
*to
help secure gauze
*
also helps secure band aids
-Antiseptic
Ointment
*to
help prevent infections
-Band-Aids
(assorted sizes)
keep
small wounds clean and covered
-Cold
Pack
to
reduce swelling
eases
pain on a twist or sprain
-Gauze
Pads and Roller Gauze (assorted sizes)
help
control bleeding
cover
a bigger wound
-Scissors
(preferably blunt end)
-Tweezers
-Syrup
of Ipecac
use
only when directed by a Poison Control Center
to induce vomiting
-Triangular
Bandage or large square cloth
use
as a temporary sling for and injured arm
-Calibrated
measuring device
*used
to properly measure medications
-Saline
nose drops
*helps
to unclog stuffy noses
*cleansing
after a bloody nose
-Nasal
Bulb syringe
*this
is used after the Saline nose drops to clean out
the mucus
-Thermometer
*digital
thermometer
*rectal
thermometer(kids under 4)
Other
kinds of thermometers-
*underarm
or auxiliary thermometers
*oral
mercury
*tympanic
or ear thermometers(use in a child 3 and older)
-Rubbing
Alcohol
*cleans
oral and rectal thermometers
*disinfects
other first aid tools- tweezers, scissors
-Aloe
Vera-based gel
*for
minor burns
*soothes
minor sunburns
-A
stiff laminated card like an old credit card
*use
to scrape off stingers from bee or other insect
stings
-Have
a card handy with all the phone numbers you may
need in an emergency.
*doctor
*
dentist
*
the local poison control
*
also have your own number written down, just in
case.
