Remember these first aid — to help the victim suffering from Choking, Drowning, Fainting and Epilepsy.
Choking
- Remove the food or loose teeth struck at throat using finger. Encourage coughing.
- If this fails, the victim has to bend over with head lower than the chest. Slap him between the shoulder blades using heel of the hand.
- If this fails, stand behind him clench your fist and put the thumb inward between the navel and bottom of the breast bone.
- Hold your fist with other hand, pull towards you with a quick upward and inward thrust from the elbows.
- Repeat up to 5 times.
Drowning
Drowning is the result of complete immersion of the nose and mouth in water. Water enters the windpipe and lungs, clogging the lungs completely.
Treatment:
- Act quickly. Remove sea weeds and mud from the nose and throat Start artificial respiration.
- Turn the victim face down with head to one side and arms stretched beyond his head, raise the middle part of the body with your hands round the belly. This to cause water to drain out of lungs.
- Remove wet clothes, keep the body warm
- Shift the casaulty to the Hospital as quickly as possible.
Fainting
Unconsciousness which may be sudden or the casualty may feel giddy and limp before fall. This common incident is due to an insufficient supply of blood to the brain – due to fall in blood pressure (unpleasant sight, a fright or bad news can also causes fainting)
The warning signs are
- A person may become pale
- He may yawn frequently
- Skin is cold and damp
- Beads of sweat appear on the face, neck and hands.
Treatment
- Get the head quickly to the ground, legs up so that circulation of blood to the brain increases. See that there is plenty of fresh air.
- Loosen the clothing around the neck, waist and chest. 1901 Give tea/coffee to drink
Epilepsy
- Remove any objects against which he might injure himself.
- Place the handle of a spoon or other hard object wrapped in a hand kerchief between his back teeth to prevent the casualty from tongue biting
- Wipe away the froth from the mouth
Read more on World health organisation’s tips on Medical kit and toilet items
To know more about first aid click here
K K Pradeep
Tejus crisis and Trauma Foundation
