All posts by Ryan Davis Philip

 

CPR: Why Every Parent Should Know How to Do It

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CPR Course Training in Canberra with Canberra First Aid. Our first aid courses are fast, friendly and interactive. Book in now on our website at www.canberrafirstaid.com

CPR is an important tool that could be the difference between life and death when a victim suffers from cardiac arrest, nearly drowns, or becomes unconscious as a result of an accident or other medical condition. When CPR and first aid is applied in time, the damage done to the victim’s body can be minimised and their blood can keep flowing until professional medical help arrives to revive them and give them more extensive care.

As a parent, you know that your child can get into a variety of accidents and if your child suffers from a chronic condition that could cause them to collapse, you might be even more aware of the risk that something could go wrong someday. By getting your certification from a group like the National CPR Foundation, though, you can become more confident in your ability to remain in control and deliver life-saving first aid to your child whenever he or she might need it.

What Is CPR?

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It is a first aid technique used to keep a person alive until professional help arrives after an episode of cardiac arrest or another serious accident that leaves the person unconscious. For example, a cardiac arrest could be caused by poisoning, drugs, a heart attack, heart disease, blood loss, a traumatic injury, anaphylaxis, or any disturbance in the heart’s rhythm.

Every cell in the body needs oxygen, nutrients, and a means to remove waste to thrive. Because nutrients and oxygen are carried throughout the body and to your cells by your blood, if your heart stops pumping and the blood does not get delivered, the body will begin to die because it will be deprived of the oxygen that it needs. It takes just 4 to 5 minutes for the brain cells to begin dying when they are not receiving oxygen and this could lead to brain damage, as well as death.

When CPR is administered right away, efforts can be made to keep blood flowing all over the body, delivering much-needed oxygen to the cells to keep the organs alive. Although CPR will not be able to restart a victim’s heart, it will help to keep them alive until an ambulance arrives with medical professionals who can then use a defibrillator to try to jumpstart the heart again with the help of electrical shocks.

Even Infants Might Need CPR

If you have an infant, knowing how to perform CPR is really important. By understanding how to recognise a medical emergency, and how to properly and safely perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation and chest compressions on a little body, you could help your baby until you are able to hand him or her off to medical professionals who can take it from there. Failing to provide this immediate care could result in your baby’s body or brain being permanently damaged, and it also increases the risk that your baby will pass away.

A few of the scenarios in which CPR could be lifesaving for an infant include:

  • Choking
  • Suffocation
  • Poisoning
  • Nearly drowning
  • Asthma
  • Smoke inhalation
  • Electrical shock
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, also known as SIDS
  • Obstructive apnoea
  • Head trauma

Other Reasons Why Parents Should Learn How to Perform CPR

Children are active, and they can get themselves into a lot of trouble. Sometimes, they can even get themselves into situations that are dangerous for their health. For example, during an innocent summertime pool party, your child might dive into the deep end and risk nearly drowning. In that scenario, CPR could be lifesaving. Or, if your child loves running around on the playground with friends, a terrible fall could cause him or her to become unconscious and CPR might also be required to keep the child alive.

Even though you do not ever want to think about your child needing CPR, the truth is that anything can happen. Even having dinner with the family could result in your child choking and suffocating to the point that he or she loses consciousness. At that point, knowing how to clear the airway and perform CPR will make a big difference. Rather than standing there and feeling panicked and hopeless, you will be able to take charge of the situation, tell someone to call for an ambulance right away, and begin performing chest compressions that will help your son or daughter survive.

Research has proven that, in the event of cardiac arrest, a victim’s odds of surviving are much higher if CPR is used before a defibrillator becomes available. So, rather than just waiting for the ambulance to arrive, you can be taking active steps to help your child when a medical emergency occurs.

What Can You Expect to Learn During a CPR Class?

There are a lot of things that you can expect to learn during a CPR class, and if you also take a first aid course, you can learn even more techniques that you can use to help your child in the event of an emergency.

First off, in a typical CPR class, you will dive into how to assess a person’s state of health, such as their breathing and their heart rate. You will discover when CPR should be administered and you will grow confident in assessing an individual to determine if CPR would help and whether it is necessary until help arrives.

Then you will dive into how to perform CPR on children of all ages. This includes how to clear the airway safely to allow oxygen to flow into and out of the body, as well as how to perform rescue breaths in the most effective way to deliver even more oxygen into the lungs when the body needs it most. Plus, you will learn the most important component of CPR, which is chest compressions. You will learn where to apply the compressions, and at what depth you should go for the best results. On top of that, the instructor will let you know what rhythm to use when applying chest compressions in order to help the victim survive. And if you are going to apply rescue breaths along with chest compressions, you will also know the proper ratio for both so that you can give the victim air while still compressing the chest to keep the blood moving.

Be There for Your Child and Other Children

A lot of parents don’t take the time to enrol in a CPR course, so if you do, you can rest assured that at least you will know what to do during an emergency. You can step in and help by performing CPR, no matter where you are when a child becomes a victim. Whether you are out shopping, at a restaurant, or at your child’s school when an emergency occurs, you will know exactly what to do, and you will not have to rely on other parents knowing because you will be able to take action immediately.

Consider Taking a Class Today

As you can see, there are many great reasons why, as a parent, you should definitely sign up for a local CPR and first aid course. There are many courses available to choose from and you can even take them every few years in order to refresh your memory and learn about the latest techniques and recommendations from medical experts. Ultimately, knowing CPR could be the difference between saving your child, or someone else’s child, in an emergency, so it is an invaluable tool.

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Mysterious sea creatures attack boy’s leg

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Canberra First Aid Courses. We still are shocked by this. The poor boys legs were shredded. Make sure you book in to one of our excellent first aid courses as they are booking fast.

Still in shock: Sam Kanizay's wounds were seeping blood at Dandenong Hospital on Sunday, 18 hours after he emerged from ...

Tiny sea crustaceans are to blame for a teenager’s bloody Melbourne beach visit, a marine biologist says.

Shocking images of Sam Kanizay’s lower legs and feet have been beamed around the world after the 16-year-old went for an innocent dip at Brighton’s Dendy Street Beach on Saturday to cool his aching muscles following a tough game of footy.

It sparked widespread debate among experts about what could have turned the youth’s feet into what looked like a scene from a horror film.

Sam’s dad Jarrod Kanizay dunked some meat into the water, attracting a swarm of critters which have undergone testing.

Museums Victoria marine biologist Genefor Walker-Smith examined a sample and said they were a type of scavenging crustacean, technically know as lysianassidae amphipods.

‘It was just unlucky. It’s possible he disturbed a feeding group but they are generally not out there waiting to attack like piranhas,’ Dr Walker-Smith said in a statement on Monday.

It was possible the bugs contained an anti-coagulant similar to that produced by leeches, which explained the inability to stem the flow of blood, she said.

Sam is unable to walk and remains in Dandenong Hospital.

‘As soon as we wiped them (his legs) down, they kept bleeding,’ Mr Kanizay said.

‘There was a massive pool of blood on the floor.’

Hospital staff were initially at a loss to explain what had happened as some other community members came forward to report they had experienced similar symptoms in the past.

Jeff Weir, executive director of the Dolphin Research Institute, once suffered a similar experience while on a cold night dive.

‘I didn’t realise it at the time because the water was cold and my face was numb, but my forehead and cheeks were bleeding,’ Mr Weir told AAP.

The marine biologist agreed the culprit was likely crustaceans called amphipods, which scavenge on decomposing plant and animal scraps, like slaters do in the garden.

‘Most people won’t feel it because they move around quickly in the water… the lad must have been standing very still for quite a while (to be bitten),’ he said.

St Kilda Football Club players often use the beach for recovery but were warned to stay out of the water following the latest report.

Player Koby Stevens said he’s heard of a similar experience.

‘A couple of weeks ago, one of my mates was down at the water and he came out and had blood on his feet as well,’ Stevens told afl.com

‘You really need your feet for this game so we were advised not to go down there.’

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World’s first ‘smart first aid kit’

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First Aid Courses in Canberra. We like the look of this. A great kit but you will still need to learn the skills by attending first aid courses in Canberra.

A FAR north Queensland woman has created what she describes as the world’s first “smart first aid kit” including a mobile phone app giving instructions on how best to provide medical help in situations such as a snake bite or broken bone.

Tracey Beikoff, 39, has already sold about 4000 of her “rescue swags” online in Australia and is looking to expand into US and New Zealand.

Her Mareeba start-up has recently received $100,000 from the Palaszczuk Government’s Advance Queensland Ignite Ideas fund to film virtual reality scenarios to add to the app as an education tool. The first one on how to treat venomous snake bites was filmed last week.

“It’s about empowering people to be able to self rescue in those situations where you are a bit more remote,” Ms Beikoff said.

“It’s important that people not only have the gear that they need and are able to do first aid, but also that they know how to use it.”

Innovation Minister Leeanne Enoch said many Queensland businesses had developed world-class products and services but lacked the financial capacity to successfully commercialise them.

She said the Queensland Government’s Ignite Ideas fund was about helping businesses get products to market faster, boosting business growth and creating jobs.

Ms Beikoff started working on the idea for her Rescue Swag five years ago after a friend fell off her horse while they were riding on the Atherton Tableland.

She developed the Rescue Swag idea as a way to raise funds for her local RSPCA. The original swag included first aid gear such as compression bandages for snake bites, a sling, splint and dressings.

The concept has since expanded with the addition of the app which can provide people first aid information even in areas without mobile phone coverage. She’s created three different rescue swag modules – for major accidents, snake bites and burns, and minor incidents.

“I soon realised there was a broader demand for rescue swags and a much bigger market out there,” Ms Beikoff said.

The Ignite Ideas fund grant will allow her to progress towards commercialisation of the product overseas.

For more information: rescueswag.com.au

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Humble utility worker saves life of choking toddler

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First Aid Training in the workplace. You never know when first aid training will come in handy. But better to be prepared.

Ryan Scribner says he was working on a line in a back yard when a coworker alerted him to a little boy screaming.(Source: WKYT/CNN)Ryan Scribner says he was working on a line in a back yard when a coworker alerted him to a little boy screaming.(Source: WKYT/CNN)

LEXINGTON, KY (WKYT/CNN) –  A utility worker in Lexington is being hailed a hero after saving a choking baby.

It’s an occupation that takes a good eye. “Just changing polls, old polls with new polls, and replacing everything with new parts,” is how lineman Ryan Scribner describes his job. His job consists of making sure power lines are repaired or replaced safely.

But on Tuesday his job description quickly changed. “Yeah we were not expecting anything like that. You never do,” he said on Thursday. Scribner says he was working on a line in a back yard when a coworker alerted him to a little boy screaming.

“Little boy came out, saying his baby brother wasn’t breathing,” Scribner said.  Leonel Gamboa, 11, says when his baby brother, Santiago, started choking, he ran for help. He says he noticed the linemen working outside and thought they would know what to do.

“I was very worried about my baby brother,” the boy said. That’s when Scribner stepped in to help. He says because of the training he got through his company, he knew exactly what to do.

“Probably five, six, seven compressions in he was breathing pretty  normal. But we still had the police and ambulance come just to make sure everything was all right. And little guy seemed to be doing pretty good,” he said.

And now, thanks to Scribner’s quick response, the boy’s baby brother is doing great. An outcome everyone is thankful for. “Instincts kick in. You go out help them as best you can,” Scribner said.

 Copyright 2017 WKYT via CNN. All rights reserved. 

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Rural Areas Leave First Aid Gap

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First Aid in Canberra. Book in to one of our first aid sessions and use the code STUDENT to receive 10% discount on our already low prices.

By Katherine C. Gilyard 

Better hope that you aren’t in a rural area if you are seriously hurt and need an ambulance. The wait could be dangerous.

Response times for emergency medical services are more than twice as long in rural areas than urban locations, according to a recent research letter in JAMA Surgery.

Median response times were 13 minutes out in the country compared with six in both city and suburban locations, researchers found after reviewing records of nearly 1.8 million EMS runs across the U.S. in 2015.

That’s not the worst of it. In rural areas, one in 10 EMS units did not reach an emergency scene for nearly half an hour after the 911 call came in, the study reported.

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This KHN story can be republished for free (details).

“There are just some things that just can’t wait,” said Dr. Howard Mell, the study’s lead author. “When someone’s heart is not beating … when someone’s not breathing, any delay in care, even a minute — it’s proven to be detrimental.”

The researchers point out in their letter that they looked into the time differences to help inform the debate about improving first aid campaigns. They said their data suggest that bystanders can provide valuable assistance to the sick and injured persons before EMS arrives.

The JAMA letter put it this way: “Recognizing that ‘you are the help until help arrives’ may be lifesaving.”

Mell, whose 25 years in emergency medicine also includes stints as a firefighter and a paramedic, said he cannot recall an instance when a trained bystander at an emergency scene would not have helped before EMS’ arrival. He is the attending emergency physician for CEP-America at Presence Mercy Medical Center in Aurora, Ill., and a spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians.

Caring for the sick and injured is EMS’ workers’ job, but according to Mell’s study, family, friends and bystanders are the first link in the chain of survival. Beneficiaries are not always strangers.

People who get first aid and CPR training will likely use it to save friends and family members one day, Mell said. “It’s extremely rare that you get a patient who is truly alone.”

The researchers’ message is at the center of a public education campaign called “Until Help Arrives,” which is affiliated with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and other government agencies. The campaign provides web-based resources to teach basic life-saving skills.

An accompanying editorial endorsed the researchers’ viewpoint and said their study “reinforces the importance of bystanders as immediate responders.” It pointed to the need for more emphasis on teaching people how to control bleeding.

Thirty-two states have adopted legislation requiring high school students be trained in CPR and the use of  automatic electric defibrillators before graduation. Students should also learn how to control bleeding, the editorial said.

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‘widespread’ OHS problems

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First Aid Courses in Canberra. We have chefs in our courses all of the time who report incidents like this. Burn treatment is running under cold water for minimum of 20 minutes. Book now to learn more.

James Packer’s Crown Resorts is facing allegations from a former first aid manager that the casino told staff to ignore a domestic violence incident because it involved a visiting south east Asian politician, and did not let a chef attend the first aid office until the end of his shift even though he had serious burns.

​In a document filed in the Federal Circuit Court, Crown’s former first aid manager, Audrey Gatt, claims she witnessed and complained about more than 20 occupational health and safety incidents at Crown Resorts in the five months she was employed at the casino.

Ms Gatt says in March 2017, security told first aid officers to “ignore” a domestic violence incident involving a notable politician from south east Asia, and to leave the badly beaten woman alone to attend to her injuries.

She says the visiting politician threatened not to attend Crown in the future if he was exposed. She says she complained about the incident the following day.

Ms Gatt also claims that in February she complained about a chef who sustained extensive burns to his right arm but was made to work all day before being allowed to go to Crown’s first aid office for treatment.

Chef ‘frightened’

She alleges when the chef asked his supervisor for permission to go to the first aid office, he was told there was no one to replace him and he needed to continue working. As a result he needed a skin graft, she claims.

“The chef was not able to speak English and was frightened he may lose job if he tried to argue or attend the first aid office without authority to do so.”

Ms Gatt says on another occasion, a heavy box fell and severed a staff member’s finger and  security personnel was delayed in retrieving the finger, which meant the finger could not be reattached.

She says the accountants employed by Crown at the time “appeared more concerned with the staff’s blood having stained the money, and the resulting inability to then count and bank the money, rather than the welfare of the staff member who had just lost his finger”.

In a statement to The Australian Financial Review, Ms Gatt, who has worked in the medical industry for more than eight years and as a police officer prior to that, said work health and safety issues at Crown Resorts was “very widespread” and there was “absolutely 100 per cent without a doubt” a culture of ignoring serious OHS problems.

“Other employees would voice concerns with myself. Their concerns were completely ignored by senior managers and not taken seriously,” she said.

When contacted by The Financial Review for comment, a Crown Resorts spokeswoman said: “As this matter is before the court, Crown is unable to comment.”

Ms Gatt also claims a first aid officer who reported to her had to attend to a patron who had been stabbed in her hotel room without security guards because there were not enough  guards on duty at the time.

This meant the first aid officer had to face the offender in the hotel room still holding the knife.

‘Sooks’

Another OHS incident involved Ms Gatt complaining about a food poisoning outbreak at the staff buffet restaurant. She says when it was later discovered the outbreak was caused by fruit salad, senior security operations manager Sarina Persall told staff to  simply not eat there.

She says on another occasion when she complained about her and her colleagues’ shoulder pain from carrying heavy first aid equipment, Ms Persall said they should continue and were “sooks”.

Her employment at Crown was terminated in April, a week before a WorkSafe audit. She says she was told she was being dismissed for unsatisfactory performance.

Ms Gatt’s lawyer, Trent Hancock at employment law firm McDonald Murholme, argues she was unlawfully dismissed because she made more than 20 complaints about the occupational health and safety practices at Crown.

Ms Gatt wants compensation for losing her job and a maximum pecuniary penalty, which is currently set at $63,000.

The allegations come after three Crown Resorts’ Australian staff members were sentenced to jail in China for trying to attract Chinese visitors to its casinos outside of China.

Read more: http://www.afr.com/business/gambling/former-first-aid-manager-reveals-widespread-ohs-problems-at-james-packers-crown-resorts-20170728-gxkqv8#ixzz4ojYtfiCe
Follow us: @FinancialReview on Twitter | financialreview on Facebook

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Sneaking banned foods into your child’s lunch box can kill

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First Aid Training in Canberra. Scary to think people would do this. Please look after those with allergies. Anaphylaxis is becoming more prevalent.

AT the beginning of each school term, letters are sent home to parents stating what foods are “safe” to pack for school lunches.

These letters come with unneeded controversy about why certain children should be excluded from this rule and be allowed to eat what they wish. If only it were that easy.

Allergy parents know how you feel about the pesky letters. We are made out to feel as though we have “given” our child allergies (yes, we have heard it all).

We are told we should homeschool our children because food allergies limit other children who don’t suffer allergies.

We are made to feel guilty about other children not being able to enjoy their favourite treats at school. But honestly, at the end of the day, six hours isn’t really that long for your child to go without.

Sneaking banned foods into your child’s lunch box is wrong. To you, it may seem harmless and you may win your child over by providing them with a little “treat” without the teachers knowing.

Teachers rely on parents to abide by the school rules to provide a safe environment for ALL children. When food bans are ignored, teachers may not have time to respond if an allergic reaction was to occur. It’s every allergy parent’s worst nightmare receiving a call stating something that should be as simple as sitting down and eating lunch, has caused their child life threatening symptoms. I will repeat, LIFE threatening.

As an allergy parent, I am always questioned about why certain foods aren’t allowed at school when people can be allergic to anything. I get told the list of banned foods is pointless because parents are just going to pack them anyway. I also get told that I should just feed my children the allergens and they will, in some miracle way, grow out of it. I hate to inform you, but this in fact, does not work.

The new phenomenon of ‘allergy bullies’

Teaching yourself and your child about allergies is needed in today’s society. Let’s face it, they’re everywhere. A reaction can happen anytime, anywhere and knowing what to expect can save someone’s life.

Food safety should be taught to not only kids without allergies, but to kids with allergies, too. Teaching children not to share their lunches — yes I know, we teach them to share their whole lives and now we need to teach them not to share their food — and how to read ingredients lists can help allergy kids become aware and to learn what they can and can’t eat.

Packing banned foods into your child’s lunch box may seem harmless to you, but imagine how your child would feel if they accidentally caused their best friend to have a deadly allergic reaction. Imagine them having to deal with the pain of killing their friend over a simple sandwich. Sounds silly, doesn’t it? But it CAN happen… And that easily.

Allergies need to be taken seriously. Educate yourself and your children about food allergies and become allergy aware. Food allergies are life threatening, and for some people, it doesn’t take much for a deadly reaction to occur. Becoming allergy aware is as simple as watching a video clip or some online reading.

The Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy now offers free online training. This year’s Gluten Free Expo in Sydney this weekend will be another great place to immerse yourself in the world of living gluten free.

Learn the signs and symptoms and know what to look out for — allergic reactions can happen to anyone, even if they don’t run in your family.

Just remember, your child will still love you if they don’t get to have a cupcake for morning tea. There’s always after school.

Meg Ireland is exhibiting with her @siphappenscafe at this year’s Gluten Free Expo, at Rosehill Gardens on August 5-6.

Visit: www.glutenfreeexpo.com.au

Also book in to a First Aid Training Course with Canberra First Aid on the website www.canberrafirstaid.com

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How Do You Teach Your Child To Manage Food Allergies At School?

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Canberra Childcare First Aid. It must be very difficult for parents with kids who have allergies. Everyday worrying about if they will come in contact with the allergen.

You’ve heard it before: When you’re a parent, the worry never ends. Man, they weren’t kidding. Whether you’re searching for sleep solutions or tips to manage temper tantrums, mom-ing comes with a long to-do list. Everyone wants what’s best for their child, and that doesn’t change once they head off to school. In fact, new worries — like learning setbacks and bullying — keep you up at night. But if your kid has food allergies, then you’re dealing with a unique set of concerns. So how do you teach your child to manage food allergies at school?

“The most important aspect of having a food allergic child in the school is having an allergist-confirmed food allergy diagnosis and a food allergy action plan that is communicated with the teachers and school nurse,” Dr. Sujan Patel, a pediatric allergist at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU Langone, says in an email interview with Romper. “Additionally, having a food allergy bracelet, necklace, or other notification device assists in identification of potential food-related anaphylaxis should accidental exposure occur. Teaching your child early on about their allergy and recognition of the food they’re allergic to can be integral as well.”

Dr. Purvi Parikh, an allergist and immunologist with Allergy & Asthma Network, says prepping the school will make managing allergies easier for a child. That means parents should make sure all paperwork related to your child’s allergy is filled out with the school and updated every summer before school starts so they have the most accurate information. The school should also have its own supply of all rescue medication the child needs, such as EpiPens and asthma inhalers. Parikh recommends asking your doctor for extra prescriptions if necessary so medications are readily available at school, at home, with the babysitter, and in your child’s backpack. Do a double check that medication is not expired.

“Make sure the school has clear instructions on what they can eat and if anything is required before and during gym classes, class trips, and sports practices,” Parikh says.

 

Stacy Haynes, a chid psychologist and mother to a 10-year-old daughter with peanut allergies, says preparation is key for helping her daughter to feel safe at school. Haynes tells Romper in an email interview that she sends in a snack bag at the beginning of school so that her daughter can have a snack when unsafe treats are offered to other students. She has also taught her daughter to read all labels and learn about brands that are considered safe for her allergy. Haynes’ daughter also wears a necklace from Lauren’s Hope that identifies her allergy when she is in public.

“My biggest concern for her is other people not being mindful of allergies in the classroom,” Haynes says. “It is so hurtful for her to come home from a birthday and she could not have the cupcakes or other treats due to her allergy. Parents really have to remember that while we get it, children don’t.”

Haynes says her daughter is very much an advocate for her allergy and often reminds her mom to bring medications and special snacks to after-school activities. “It does make a difference when the children are aware of their allergies and that you always have an alternative plan just in case,” she says.

Sounds like the kids are doing alright — a bit of reassurance for worried parents everywhere.

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Snake decapitated after latching onto owner’s face

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Canberra First Aid and Training can help you with treatment of snake bites. We offer excellent training courses for a fraction of the cost of others. Book now and receive a free First Aid Manual and cpr face mask.

A WOMAN has placed a frantic 911 call after her pet boa constrictor latched onto her nose and wrapped itself around her neck.

Bailee Dean
news.com.au
JULY 31, 20178:11PM

A 2.6 metre red-tailed boa constrictor.

A PET boa constrictor has been decapitated by firefighters with a pocket knife after latching on to its owner’s nose.

A 45-year-old Ohio woman, who has not been identified, adopted the 1.7-metre reptile a day earlier along with another boa constrictor.

Panic stricken, she called 911 and told the dispatcher, “Please, I have a boa constrictor stuck to my face!”

In the recording, you can clearly hear the stunned dispatcher replying, “You have a what?”

Firefighters chop head off boa constrictor attacking woman’s face

After exchanging her location, the woman appears to sound increasingly distressed saying, “Please hurry, it’s stuck to my nose.”

When the police and firefighters arrived at her home, they found her lying in her driveway covered in blood with the snake wrapped around her neck, biting her face.

“The snake wouldn’t release,” Sheffield Lake Fire Lt. Wes Mariner told Fox 8 News. “Because of how close it was wrapped around her, there were no other options from what I understand.”

Raymond Hoser, Australia’s “Snakeman” and the world’s leading snake expert, firmly disagrees. “It’s rubbish. All they had to do was pry its mouth open,” Hoser told news.com.au.

Though the woman can be heard saying on the 911 call that she was unable to get the snake’s mouth open, Hoser said the emergency services could have done more.

“The boa constrictor is harmless. It’s not venomous. They could have easily wrenched the snake’s mouth open.”

Hoser has been working with reptiles for over 40 years, writing best-selling books and over 150 original scientific papers. He believes that it was unnecessary to decapitate the snake, “The people who killed it are the ones who should be hauled over the coals.”

The snake expert tells news.com.au that in incidences like this people simply, “sh*t themselves.”

“The boa constrictor is a pussy cat,” Hoser says, “the threat of snakes is totally blown out of proportion to reality because of shows like Deadly 60 and Crocodile Hunter.”

Twitter users were divided on the matter but many argued the snake should not have been killed.

According to Lt. Mariner, the woman — who is said to own 11 other snakes — sustained non life-threatening injuries.

The remains of the boa constrictor were thrown away in a rubbish bin.

With Australia containing over 140 species of land snake and around 32 species of sea snake, Hoser stressed the importance of educating ourselves and our children.

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Asthma Treatment

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First Aid Courses in Canberra. After reading this information make sure you book in to a first aid course with us at Canberra First Aid and learn the practical skills for first aid treatment. 

Breathing is something most of us take for granted. However, not everyone is as fortunate.

Take five-year-old Jesse for example that narrates, “When I have my asthma attack, I feel like a fish with no wa­ter.” Ask any general practitioner and they will agree that asthma is one of the most com­mon presentations in general practice.

In my experience, nu­merous patients refuse to accept the diagnosis and in many instances will say – “I only get wheezy when I have a cold” or state that “I’ve grown out of my asth­ma and am symptom free “, when in reality they are coughing fre­quently or getting short of breath and wheezy.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, 235 million people suffer from asthma world­wide.

To put this figure in perspective, it is the total combined pop­ulation of Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, France, Singapore and Malaysia!

Asthma is the most common chronic disease among chil­dren. Asthma is not just a public health problem for high-in­come countries: it occurs in all countries regardless of level of development. Sadly, over 80 per cent of asthma deaths oc­cur in low and lower-middle income countries including Fiji.

In 2014, Fiji ranked number eight out of 172 countries in the world with regards to mortality rate from asthma with 21.85 per 100,000 population.

There were about 128 deaths from asthma in Fiji in 2014. (WHO, 2014)

It is known that asthma is under-diagnosed and under-treated throughout the world creating a substantial bur­den to individuals and families and possibly restricting individuals’ activities for a lifetime.

Acute asthma attack

An acute asthma attack can be classified as mild/moder­ate, severe or life threatening. It is important to recognise the signs and symptoms early and to start first aid before it is too severe.

Mild/Moderate

  • Minor difficulty breathing
  • Able to talk in full sentences
  • Able to walk/move around
  • May have a wheeze or a cough

Start First aid if the above happens

Severe

  • Obvious difficulty in breathing
  • Unable to speak a full sentence in one breath
  • Tugging in of the skin between ribs or the base of the neck
  • May have wheeze or cough
  • Reliever medication not lasting as long as usual

If the above happens call the ambulance on 911 and com­mence asthma first aid

Life threatening

  • Gasping for breath
  • Unable to speak 1 -2 words per breath
  • Confused or exhausted
  • Turning blue
  • Collapsing
  • May no longer have wheeze or cough
  • May not respond to reliever medication

 

If the above happens, call 911 and commence asthma first aid

Asthma First Aid (Adapted from Asthma Australia website)

  1. Sit the person upright
  • Be calm and reassuring
  • Do not leave the person alone

 

  1. Give 4 puffs of blue/grey reliever puffer- ventolin or salbutamol
  • Shake puffer
  • Put 1 puff through spacer
  • Take 4 breaths from the spacer
  • Repeat until 4 puffs have been taken

 

So don’t forget – 1 puff 4 breaths

  1. Wait for 4 minutes
  • If there is no improvement then give 4 more puffs of reliever medication

 

  1. If there is still no improvement call the ambulance and continue give 4 puffs every 4 minutes

Managing Asthma

Although asthma cannot be cured, appropriate manage­ment can control the disease and enable people to enjoy good quality of life.

A common myth is that most children will outgrow asthma. Some children do outgrow their asthma, however many do not, especially those with severe symptoms.

Short-term medications are used to relieve symptoms. These are called reliever medications.

The above inhalers ventolin and asmol contain salbutamol and are called reliever medications. They provide quick re­lief from asthma symptoms. Reliever medications start to work within minutes and the effects last for up to 4 hours. They relax the muscle around the outside of the airway and help open it up.

All people with asthma must have a reliever medication so that they can use it whenever they have symptoms.

However, if you find that you need to use the reliever medi­cation more than twice a week (other than prior to exercise) then you need to consult with your doctor as your asthma may not be well controlled and there may be a need for pre­venter medication.

Possible side effects include increased heart rate and trem­or of the hands, which are short-lived and occur when in­creased doses are required during an acute asthma attack.

People with persistent symptoms must take preventer medi­cation daily to control the underlying inflammation, reduce swelling and prevent symptoms and exacerbations.

The above inhalers becotide and flixotide are inhaled ster­oid medications. Possible side effects include a sore throat, hoarse voice, or oral thrush.

These side effects may be reduced by using a spacer and rinsing your mouth after using the inhaler. There are other combination inhalers that are also used.

Other Acute Medications

These medications are used for treating a sudden or severe asthma flare-up.

It is a corticosteroid liquid or tablet that is taking for a short time 3-7 days to reduce inflammation. With short courses on­going side effects are unlikely. Longer term or frequent use can lead to side effects such as thinning of skin and growth issues in children.

A spacer is a plastic container with a mouthpiece at one end and a hole for the asthma inhaler at the other. The medica­tion is fired from the puffer into the spacer and is then in­haled. By using a spacer it is easier to take the medication and it also ensures that more of the medication is delivered into the lungs. It is recommended that all children use spac­ers with their reliever and preventer medication.

Adults are recommended to use their spacer with their pre­venter medication and with or without the spacer for their reliever medication.

Many studies have shown that using a spacer with your re­liever medication in an asthma flare-up is as effective as or even better than using a nebulizer and its faster and easier and there may be fewer side effects.

We can see that asthma is a chronic disease that cannot be cured but can be managed with commitment from the patient and family and regular visits with your doctor.

Wise words by 17-year- old patient named Sydney, “one step at a time, inhaler in hand I will fulfill my dreams and live life to the fullest”.

Till we meet next week, keep calm and breathe!

Check out our first aid courses at www.canberrafirstaid.com

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