WHAT TO DO BEFORE 108 ARRIVES

HELPLINES

112 - National Emergency
108 – Ambulance
100 – Police

Fainting

Fainting is a loss of consciousness caused by a temporary lack of blood, oxygen and glucose to the brain. Fainting may be preceded by dizziness, nausea or a feeling of extreme weakness.

Prevention

1. Lying down can help prevent fainting episodes as it allows blood to circulate to the brain.
2. Drink enough fluids, especially when your body is losing water due to sweating.
3. Sit down with your head lowered forward between your knees.
4. Try to avoid overheated environment.
5. Don’t skip breakfast.

Epistaxis

Epistaxis also called acute haemorrhage or nosebleed. It is a medical condition in which bleeding occurs from the nasal cavity of the nostril. Nosebleed can happen due to trauma to the nose, due to accident, due to dry climate or injury to the interior of the nose from picking. Epistaxis is common in children and older people.

Prevention

1. Never lie down during nose bleeding. This common practice will cause blood to run into person’s throat. This can create cough or choking.
2. Sit up or stand.
3. Tilt person’s head forward and pinch person's nose together just below the bony central part of nose. Applying pressure helps stop the blood flow and the bleeding will usually stop within 10 minutes of steady pressure.
4. Ask the person, not to blow his nose. Doing so can cause additional nosebleed.
5. Apply lubricating ointment, such as petroleum jelly (Vaseline), inside the nose especially to children during in dry climate.

CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation)

If the heart stops pumping, it is known as a cardiac arrest. CPR is a combination of techniques, including chest compressions, designed to pump the heart to get blood circulating and deliver oxygen to the brain until definitive treatment can stimulate the heart to start working again.

CPR procedure for an adult and infant.

1. Tilt head.
2. Give 2 full breaths.
3. (a) For adults start compressions with both the hands - only 30 times.

(b) For child (1 - 8 years) start compressions with one hand - only 30 times.

4. Repeat breaths, 30 compressions.
5. Continue until the ambulance arrives, patient recovers or it is impossible to continue.

Harpeet Kaur, Medical Room
Cambridge International School for Girls
2019-2020