First Aid for poisoning that everyone should know!
Poisoning is injury or death due to swallowing, inhaling, touching or injecting various drugs, chemicals, venoms or gases. Many substances — such as drugs and carbon monoxide — are poisonous only in higher concentrations or dosages. Certain types of cleaners are only harmful if ingested, while others also emit toxic gases/fumes. Children are particularly sensitive to even small amounts of certain drugs and chemicals.
First Aid for poisoning that everyone should know!
- The person's symptoms
- The person's age
- Whether you know the type and amount of the substance that caused poisoningv
When to suspect poisoning
Poisoning signs and symptoms can mimic other conditions, such as seizure, alcohol intoxication, stroke and insulin reaction. Signs and symptoms of poisoning may include:
- Burns or redness around the mouth and lips
- Breath that smells like chemicals, such as gasoline or paint thinner
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
- Drowsiness
- Confusion or other altered mental status
If you suspect poisoning, be alert for clues such as empty pill bottles or packages, scattered pills, and burns, stains and odors on the person or nearby objects. With a child, consider the possibility that he or she may have applied medicated patches, taken prescription medications or swallowed a button battery.
When to call for help
Call your local emergency number immediately if the person is:
- Drowsy or unconscious
- Having difficulty breathing or has stopped breathing
- Uncontrollably restless or agitated
- Having seizures
Be ready to describe the person’s symptoms, age, weight, other medications he or she is taking, and any information you have about the poison. Try to determine the amount ingested and how long since the person was exposed to it. If possible, have on hand the pill bottle, medication package or other suspect container so that you can refer to its label when speaking with the poison control center.
Emergency department is a 10 – bed Emergency Center that is dedicated to caring for the sick in their most vulnerable state of health. A high degree of patient privacy and comfort provides patients and families with a caring environment.
What to do while waiting for help
Take the following actions until help arrives:
At the time of the accident, one person should determine the safe area (where there is no pollution) and immediately clean the exposed parts of the skin with plenty of water and wash the eyes for at least five minutes. As much as possible, take off the contaminated clothes and put them in a plastic bag and close the lid.
First of all, you should identify the polluted and clean place, students and teachers should know that most of the gases are heavier than air, so they should not lie down or sit on the ground in the polluted place. Rather, they should stand and leave the area by holding an obstacle such as a mask or any other obstacle in front of the mouth.
People who are unconscious, the first step is to open the person’s airway, and after opening the airway, you should be aware of the breathing condition of the injured person and check the person’s pulse and finally, if the person has no pulse, pale and bruised, you should start CPR.
People who have asthma must have their spray with them because the complications in these people are much more severe than those who do not have lung disease. Also, people who have severe allergies must bring their anti-allergy ampoule.
Swallowed poison. Remove anything remaining in the person’s mouth. If the suspected poison is a household cleaner or other chemical, read the container’s label and follow instructions for accidental poisoning.
Poison on the skin. Remove any contaminated clothing using gloves. Rinse the skin for 15 to 20 minutes in a shower or with a hose.
Poison in the eye. Gently flush the eye with cool or lukewarm water for 20 minutes or until help arrives.
If the person vomits, turn his or her head to the side to prevent choking.
Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as moving, breathing or coughing.
Have somebody gather pill bottles, packages or containers with labels, and any other information about the poison to send along with the ambulance team.
