|
Drug use Alcohol withdrawal
Illness/Condition
Description
Signs and symptoms
First Aid
Drug use
Alcohol withdrawal
Very high fever
Illness in Pregnancy
Complex = loss of consciousness
Victim suddenly becomes stiff and falls
to the ground.
Twitching or shaking of body (convulsions)
Recovers quickly, may be confused
Most seizures happen without warning,
last only a short time and stop without any special treatment.
Persons known to have frequent seizures do not usually need
to go to the hospital, but even mild seizures should be reported
to their doctor.
Move objects away that victim may
strike.
Do not restrain the victim.
Allow the seizure to take it’s course
Do not put anything in the victim’s mouth, including
your finger. There is no danger of swallowing the tongue.
When the seizure is over, place the victim in the recovery
position.
Provide privacy to minimize embarrassment.
Stroke
(brain attack)
Interruption of the blood supply to
any part of the brain, resulting in damaged brain tissue.
Sudden numbness or weakness of face, arm or leg, especially
on one side of the body.
Sudden confusion, trouble speaking, or understanding.
Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance, or coordination
Sudden sever headache
Mini-stroke (transient ischemic attack-TIA). Same symptoms
as a stroke, but only last for a few minutes. May lead to
stroke.
Victims of stroke are sometimes mistaken for being drunk.
Responsive
If you suspect a stroke, ask the victim to:
1. smile
2. raise both arms
3. speak a simple sentence.
If the victim has any trouble with
these tasks, they may be having a stroke.
Assess, alert and attend to the
ABC’s
If the victim is breathing and unconscious, put them in recovery
position.
Caution:
Stroke treatment is time sensitive!
Stroke victims who get to the emergency room as son as possible
are less likely to have long-term impairments.
Illness/condition
Description
Signs and Symptoms
First Aid
Poison
Swallowed
Skin contact
Inhaled
Workplace safety regulations in the
U.S. and other countries require appropriate training and
equipment (respirators) for employees who must enter an environment
that is immediately dangerous to life or health.
Any substance that causes injury,
illness or death when swalloed, contacted by the skin or inhaled.
Swallowed
Drugs (prescription, illegal, over-the-counter)
Alcohol
Household cleaning products, make-up.
Pesticides, paints solvents
Contaminated foods
Poisonous plants (plants and plant parts can cause harm)
Skin contact
Corrosives (alkalis, acids, hydrocarbons)
Poisonous plants (poison ivy, oak, sumac)
Inhaled
Natural gas
Carbon monoxide
Environments contaminated with harmful dust, fogs, fumes,
mists, gases, smokes, sprays or chemical vapors.
Wide ranging and variable. Signs and symptoms of poisoning
can copy those of common illnesses.
Swallowed poisons
Call the poison center 1-800-222-1222 to talk to a poison
expert.
Have all medicine bottles, containers or samples of poisoning
substance available. If you go to a hospital’s emergency
department, take them with you.
Giving anything by mouth may be harmful.
Do not give
water or milk unless advised by poison control
Do not induce
vomiting
Do not
administer syrup of ipecac or activated charcoal unless advised
by poison control
Skin contact
Quickly remove clothing, rinse the
skin with large amounts of tap water.
Inhaled poison
Assess, Alert, Attend to the ABCs
Get the victim to fresh air right away.
Poisoning facts:
Of the 2,395,582 human exposures
to poison reported in the U.S. in 2003, the majority occurred
at home (92.6%). The rest occurred in the workplace, including
schools, health care facilities, restaurants, and other types
of food service operations. Although most poisoning exposures
are accidental, the vast majority of poisoning deaths (79%)
were the result of intentional actions, primarily suicide
and drug abuse (or misuse).
|
