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Men help save basketball teammate’s life with first aid

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Get yourself into a first aid course Canberra in the near future so that you can learn CPR skills to save a friends life. We train all of our first aid course Canberra at th.

By Andy Matarrese, Columbian Breaking News Reporter

Published: May 11, 2017, 8:28 PM

BATTLE GROUND — As they walked off the court April 24, Jeremy Browning joked with George Tierney, who’s many years his senior, about how Browning’s getting too old for basketball.

“I say, ‘Crap, George, I’m not going to play, my knees are getting that bad,’” Browning said Monday between games at Chief Umtuch Middle School in Battle Ground.

They had just finished a game of basketball in their 35-and-older community league, which plays at the school.

“All I did was turn around,” Browning said, then thud. Tierney, 69, had fallen.

The members of the Over the Hill league sprang to action. They checked his vitals, started chest compressions, called 911 and grabbed one of the school’s automated external defibrillators. Their efforts helped save Tierney’s life.

Clark County Fire District 3 honored the group at a Wednesday evening gathering at Chief Umtuch Middle School.

Between jokes about how a league with a name like Over the Hill seemed a bit broad for a 35-and-older league, school and fire district officials lauded the team’s actions.

Fire District Chief Steve Wrightson said the team’s help meant paramedics arrived to the best situation they could hope for.

“We had CPR-trained people, we had people willing to jump in and help — that doesn’t always happen,” Wrightson said. “And a facility that is prepared with the right equipment.”

He encouraged those present Wednesday to seek out CPR training opportunities, saying District 3 can help.

Des Gomez, a firefighter-paramedic on the crew that responded to the call, said his group arrived to find league members flagging them down and holding open the door to the school, which saved the medics the time of fishing out their master key.

They then ran to the gym to find a group performing CPR on Tierney, and the voice commands coming from the AED.

“We’re thinking, there’s a lot of good things happening here,” Gomez said.

The medics were able to get a pulse, one that steadily grew in strength, and Tierney’s body was strong enough to be resistant to intubation, he said, which was another good sign. Soon after, Tierney was speaking.

“George, you don’t remember this, but we probably had a 15-minute conversation” in the ambulance, Gomez said.

In a cardiac-arrest situation, time counts for a lot, Gomez said. The team members called 911, started CPR and used the AED, all which made their work and that of the doctors in the hospital more likely to succeed.

“We would never get to that point if you guys didn’t do what you did at those first few steps, so by acting, and doing what you did, that’s why were here tonight,” he said. “You guys are really the heroes, you guys are the lifesavers.”

League members Reinhardt, Browning, Geoff Busch, Michael Dolan, Steve Bowers, Roland Dizon and Russ Grant received awards.

There’s an AED in each school in the district, according to Battle Ground Public Schools, and it was the first time one had been used.

Between games Monday, Reinhardt recalled rushing to see what was wrong when Tierney first fell down. He started doing chest compressions, something he’d done many times in his nearly 30 years as a firefighter in Portland.

“But never on a close friend. I’ve known George for 40 years, and I never thought I’d be doing CPR on him,” he said. “It was quite an experience.”

Browning works in construction and leads his company’s safety team. That job comes with regular first aid training, including AEDs and CPR.

It’s not something you ever want to need to know, he said, but he’s glad now.

“One of our old finance guys, a week after a (CPR) class, his neighbor had a heart attack,” Browning said. “He went over there and performed CPR on him and waited until the medics got there. Saved his neighbor’s life.”

Between 20 years in the Navy and 11 years working around high-voltage lines with the Bonneville Power Administration, Dizon had ample first aid experience, he said Monday.

Dizon was the one who grabbed the AED.

“Before we were, like, teammates,” he said. “Now we’re like family.”

Between handshakes and hugs at Wednesday’s event, a standing and moving Tierney didn’t appear obviously worse for the wear, despite the quadruple-bypass surgery he underwent at the hospital.

He’s supposed to rest for the next six weeks, he said, and then he can start physical therapy. He also referees high school basketball games, and he hopes to be able to go back next season — and get back to playing basketball himself.

“I just have to thank God they did what they did, because I wouldn’t be here otherwise,” he said. “I don’t know how I can thank them.”

After the speeches Wednesday, many of the league members went back to the school’s gym to play basketball.

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Understanding First Aid for Diabetes

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First aid course in Canberra with Canberra First Aid will give you the skills to manage a diabetic patient. Our first aid course is the best in Canberra with experienced instructors and hands on experiential learning. Book in today to receive our great discounted rate.

There are approximately 1.7 million Australians who have diabetes.  This is an alarming statistic especially considering that an estimated 500,000 of these sufferers have not been medically diagnosed.

Diabetes is the medical condition when the insulin hormone is not being produced at sufficient levels for the body to convert glucose into energy and function properly.  There are several types of diabetes and several causes of diabetes which is important to understand if you are treating someone for this medical condition.

Types of Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes: Type 1 Diabetes is not caused by lifestyle and there has been no official diagnosis of any other apparent causes, however there is speculation that it can be passed through genetics and is typically diagnosed before the age of 30. There is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes and requires consistent management of regular insulin injections or use of an insulin pump.

Type 2 Diabetes: Type 2 Diabetes is more common in adults over the age of 45, particularly those who are overweight or have a family history of the condition. 85%-90% of diagnosed diabetes is Type 2 Diabetes and can be instigated through lifestyle conditions such as poor diet, alcohol consumption and smoking. This diabetes is progressive and there is no known cure for the disease and is managed through regular insulin intake, oral medication and lifestyle changes.

Gestational Diabetes: Gestational Diabetes occurs during pregnancy and typically resolves after the baby is born. This is diagnosed in a standard 24-28-week Glucose Challenge Test (GCT) and can be managed throughout the pregnancy.  Particular risk factors of developing Gestational Diabetes includes family history, particular ethnic backgrounds, being overweight and prior medical conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome.

Diabetes can be dangerous when insulin levels become so low that the patient cannot function with some even slipping into an insulin coma. In most situations, someone who has been diagnosed with diabetes will often carry a supply of insulin with them, however, it can be beneficial if you have a basic understanding of the symptoms before they get to a stage where they need medical intervention.

Sometimes that intervention may simply be fetching them a sugary drink or water while other more serious situations may require medical professionals. If someone who is suffering from diabetes shows any of the following symptoms, intervention will be required:

  • Feeling faint and/or dizzy
  • Confusion
  • Sudden perspiration
  • Shaking
  • Sudden hunger

These symptoms are the body’s way of indicating that insulin levels are too low.  If left untreated, a diabetic could lose consciousness which is why it is important when treating someone for these above symptoms, that you firstly establish if the patient is diabetic as this will affect the way in which they need to be treated.

There are many credible websites and organisations  where information on treating, diagnosing and managing diabetes can be found such as Diabetes Australia and Diabetes Queensland.

Also check out our upcoming first aid course at Dickson www.canberrafirstaid.com

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Top Ten First Aid Tips

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First Aid Course Canberra. Book in to a first aid course in Canberra on our website at www.canberrafirstaid.com. We offer excellent training programs for all first aid courses including the HLTAID001 Provide CPR, HLTAID003 Provide first aid and HLTAID004 Provide an Emergency Response in and Education and Care Setting.

First aid is the life saving, critical help given to an injured or a sick person before medical aid arrives. This timely assistance, comprising of simple medical techniques, is most critical to the victims and is, often, life saving. Any layperson can be trained to administer first aid, which can be carried out using minimal equipments.

 First aid is the life saving, critical help given to an injured or a sick person before medical aid arrives. This timely assistance, comprising of simple medical techniques, is most critical to the victims and is, often, life saving. Any layperson can be trained to administer first aid, which can be carried out using minimal equipments. Bleeding nose A nosebleed occurs when blood vessels inside the nose break. Because they’re delicate, this can happen easily. When this happens, lean slightly forward and pinch your nose just below the bridge, where the cartilage and the bone come together. Maintain the pressure for 5 to 15 minutes. Pressing an ice pack against the bridge can also help. Do not tilt your head back if your nose bleeds as you may swallow blood which can potentially go in your lungs. If the bleeding doesn’t stop after 20 minutes or if it accompanies a headache, dizziness, ringing in the ears, or vision problems, please consult a health expert.
Sponsored Links by Taboola 5/15/2017 Top Ten First Aid Tips http://www.ndtv.com/health/top­ten­first­aid­tips­1670115 2/5
A Sprain Sprains occur when the ligaments surrounding a joint are pulled beyond their normal range. Sprains are often accompanied by bruising and swelling. Alternately apply and remove ice every 20 minutes throughout the first day. Wrapping the joint with an elastic compression bandage and elevating the limb may also help. Stay off the injury for at least 24 hours. After that, apply heat to promote blood flow to the area. If the injury doesn’t improve in a few days, you may have a fracture or a muscle or ligament tear so call a doctor.
A Burn If there’s a burn place it under cool (not cold) running water, submerge it in a bath and loosely bandage a first­ or second­ degree burn for protection. Do not put an ice pack on major burns. Ice can damage the skin and worsen the injury. Don’t pop blisters. Don’t apply an antibiotic or butter to burns as this can breed infection. First­degree burns produce redness while second­ degree burns cause blisters and third ­degree burns result in broken or blackened skin. Rush to doctor if the victim is coughing, has watery eyes, or is having trouble breathing.
Choking True choking is rare but when a person is really choking, he can’t cough strongly, speak, or breathe, and his face may turn red or blue. For a victim of age one or older have the person lean forward and, using the palm of your hand, strike his back between the shoulder blades five times. If that doesn’t work, stand behind the victim, place one fist above the belly button, cup the fist with your other hand, and push in and up toward the ribs five times. If you’re alone, press your abdomen against something firm or use your hands. Do not give water or anything else to someone who is coughing.
Poisoning Potential household hazards include cleaning supplies, carbon monoxide and pesticides. Bites and stings can also be poisonous to some people. If a person is unconscious or having trouble breathing, call the doctor. Do not wait until symptoms appear to call for help. And don’t try to induce vomiting. The poison could cause additional damage when it comes back up. The victim shouldn’t eat or drink anything in case of suspected poisoning.
Animal Bites In case of an animal bite, stop the bleeding by applying direct pressure until it stops. Gently clean with soap and warm water. Rinse for several minutes after cleaning. Apply antibiotic cream to reduce risk of infection, and cover with a sterile bandage. Get medical help if the animal bite is more than a superficial scratch or if the animal was a wild or stray one, regardless of the severity of the injury.
Bruises Ice the area on and off for the first 24 to ­48 hours. Apply ice for about 15 minutes at a time, and always put something like a towel or wash cloth between the ice and your skin. Take a painkiller if there is pain. Visit your doctor if the bruise is accompanied with extreme pain, swelling or redness; if the person is taking a blood­ thinning medication or if he /she cannot move a joint or may have a broken bone.
Diarrhea During diarrhea its essential to treat dehydration. Give an adult plenty of clear fluid, like fruit juices, soda, sports drinks and clear broth. Avoid milk or milk­ based products and caffeine while you have diarrhea and for 3 to 5 days after you get better. Milk can make diarrhea worse. Give a child or infant frequent sips of a rehydration solution. Make sure the person drinks more fluids than they are losing through diarrhea. Have the person rest as needed and avoid strenuous exercise. Keep a sick child home from school and give banana, rice, apple and toast. For an adult, add semisolid and low ­fiber foods gradually as diarrhea stops. Avoid spicy, greasy, or fatty foods.
Eye Injury If there is chemical exposure, don’t rub your eyes. Immediately wash out the eye with lots of water and get medical help while you are doing this. Do not bandage the eye. If there has been a blow to the eye apply a cold compress, but don’t put pressure on the eye. If there is any bruising, bleeding, change in vision, or if it hurts when the eye moves, see a doctor right away. For a foreign particle in the eye ­ don’t rub the eye, pull the upper lid down and blink repeatedly. If particle is still there, rinse with eyewash. If this too doesn’t help, see your doctor.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not cFRlaOiMmTrHeEsWpoEBnsibility for this information.

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Foldable helmet looks to the Future

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First aid training courses are looking at the future of helmets today and these look great. Book in to one of our first aid training courses at Parklands Hotel to have a great day and learn some excellent skills so that you can look after a friend in need. We have many courses running throughout winter and that is the best time to sit inside and learn so you are ready to help during summer.

AN INNOVATIVE foldable helmet design could solve the most annoying thing about cycling, but they don’t exactly come cheap.

Morpher folding helmet

A CYCLING helmet that offers a revolutionary folding design, allowing it to be easily placed away in your bag after riding has announced one of the world’s most famous athletes as an investor.

World number one tennis player Andy Murray is a financial backer of the so-called “world’s first folding helmet” produced by UK-based company Morpher.

The company’s “folding helmet technology” provides a compact protective headwear solution for cyclists that doesn’t compromise structural integrity or safety.

The design which has been patented in several countries has received widespread praise and was named one of Time magazine’s top 25 inventions of the year in 2016.

This week the Morpher revealed the tennis superstar was among 400 people who helped it raise nearly $1.2 million (£700,000) on crowd-funding platform Seedrs, dedicated to funding start-ups.

“Morpher is a product that the modern cyclist should own — one that has been dutifully perfected by an award-winning inventor,” the tennis champion, who received a knighthood in December, said in a press release put out by the company.

 

Morpher’s foldable helmet tech doesn’t come cheap.Source:Facebook

“Cycle rental schemes are proving to be hugely popular. But very few of us non-bike owners are wearing helmets,” the company’s website says. “According to research, the main reason is that they are simply too cumbersome to carry around all day, especially if you may only be taking a ten minute bike ride.”

A rival company called FEND has since come to market with a differently designed foldable cycling helmet, funded via Kickstarter.

Living in Sydney, I routinely use my bike to get around town. But I almost always leave my helmet clipped onto the bike when I lock it up in a public place (leaving it vulnerable to theft) simply because I can’t be bothered to carry it around.

These kind of innovative helmets could be the solution.

Morpher offers free express delivery of its helmets worldwide — but given the high price tag of the helmet, it’s no wonder why they’re offering free shipping.

If you want to pick yourself up a Morpher folding helmet it will cost you about $200 ($US149.00).

Or, to put it in perspective, just under two thirds of what you’d be fined for not wearing a helmet while riding your pushbike in NSW.

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Fidget spinner toy gets lodged in girls throat

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First aid course in Canberra with Canberra First Aid will teach you how to help when a child is choking. Our first aid course is the best present you can give for Christmas or even a birthday. Give the gift of saving a life with a first aid course voucher.

A 10-YEAR-OLD girl is lucky to be alive after a piece of her fidget spinner — the latest must-have toy for kids — got lodged in her throat.

Kelly Rose Joniec, from Texas, has described the terrifying moment her daughter Britton swallowed a piece of one of the wildly popular playthings and was rushed to hospital for surgery, reports The Sun.

She wrote on Facebook: “On the way home from a fun swim meet, I heard Britton make an odd retching noise in the back seat as I was driving.

“Looking back in the mirror, I saw her face turning red and drool pouring from her mouth.”

The mum pulled over and her daughter motioned to her throat. Britton had put part of the fidget spinner in her mouth to clean it and accidentally swallowed it.

The pair rushed to hospital, but doctors couldn’t tell whether the piece was in her airway or oesophagus so an ambulance rushed them to Texas Children’s Hospital near Houston.

An x-ray showed the piece of metal was in her oesophagus and it was removed through surgery.

Kelly Rose added: “Fortunately, we had a positive outcome, but it was pretty scary there for a while.”

Now she is warning other parents about the peril the toys can represent.

She said: “Not all spinners come with age-appropriate warnings. The bushings pop out easily, so …. keep in mind that these present a potential choking hazard.”

Fidget spinners were designed as stress-relieving tools to help kids deal with ADHD and anxiety.

The propeller-shaped gadgets, which come in a variety of colours, have ball bearings which allow them to spin.

You simply hold it in between your fingers, flick it and watch it spin. Some versions even light up, and they are completely silent.

Kids can compete against each other to come up with the best tricks, or to keep their gadget spinning the longest.

They are designed for those who “can’t quite keep still and need a fidget phenomenon to stop the strains and stresses whilst working”.

Promoted to beat boredom and increase concentration, some Amazon reviewers even claim the toys have helped them stop biting their nails.

But some parents claim they turn their kids into ‘morons’.

The gadgets are small enough to fit in a pocket.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission

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Anaphylactic death shows why we need to be more aware of undiagnosed allergies

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First aid training needs to emphasise the differences between asthma and anaphylaxis. At our first aid training premises in Dickson, Canberra. We make sure that students understand the importance of learning first aid. We wish the family of Marcus all the best and hope that giving this information will help save a life in the future.

IT HAS almost been four years since the life of eight-year-old Marcus Terranova was tragically cut short. The Sydney schoolboy was playing sport at after school care when he was thought to be having an asthma attack, and his ventolin wasn’t working.

Instead, it was an undiagnosed food-related anaphylactic reaction that claimed the life of the St Ives youngster.

A report to the coroner following the 2013 attack found that the most likely allergen to have triggered the deadly reaction was peanut, or possibly an undiagnosed allergy to cashews or kiwifruit.

Here, Marcus’s grieving aunt, Amanda Terranova, recalls that fateful August day, and shares feelings of the family’s loss. The Global Anaphylaxis Awareness and Inclusivity Ambassador for Change urges Australians to take allergies seriously. For Marcus’s sake.

“It was a balmy, windy and an unseasonably warm winters day in Sydney, Australia on Tuesday 6th August 2013.

I had decided not to attend the second day of an aged care conference. I was tired and managing a day of crippling anxiety. My body and heart were wrestling with my logical brain. I was experiencing a nervous anxiousness, akin to a feeling of dread and danger, which kept me on high alert the entire day.

Just after 5pm, my husband answered a call from his brother, John.

The colour drained from my husbands face as he explained that an ambulance had been called for Marcus, his eight-year old nephew.

“It doesn’t look good.”

My husband and I drove towards the Royal North Shore Hospital, in NSW.

“It doesn’t look good.”

We drove, mostly in silence with my husband repeating the words of his brother.

“It doesn’t look good”.

We both commented that we were feeling physically sick but we comforted each other with;

“He has experienced asthma attacks before, it will be OK.”

“Hospital is the best place for him to be, it will be OK.”

“Let’s just get there safely, it will be OK.”

Life around us was slowing down and simultaneously speeding up.

It was starting to feel like a movie. A movie we were watching, but not a movie we had a part in. We ran to the emergency department, with heavy limbs and hopeful hearts.

My husband couldn’t talk.

“Our nephew has been brought in by ambulance, we are his Aunty and Uncle. His name is Marcus and he is eight years old.”

A nurse met us at the emergency doors. She was warm and professional.

“Please come with me, something has happened and I want you to be strong.”

We turned a corner in the hospital hallway and then another.

And then another.

We saw John first. Then we saw Marcus.

My memory is dusty, confused and muddled. Trauma does that. However, I do remember my husband, John and I grabbing for each other, forming a tight huddle and my husband screaming “No”.

This thought is vivid. Still. Most likely forever.

Marcus was dead.

I have used writing and poetry throughout my life, especially in times of grief or sadness. Cathartic. Sometimes I share with others, but more often I do not.

Some things are too painful to think about, to have the courage or the strength to actually write it down is unthinkable.

Some things you have to question ‘is this even my story to tell’? I wrestle constantly with the blurred lines of observer and participant.

The universe is currently conspiring against me. As so often happens when you do find the courage to speak, you find others with the same or similar experiences.

On the 6th of August in 2013 I sat firmly on the outside. It was a solid and safe place to sit.

During the seconds, hours, days, weeks, months and years that have followed, I have sat, uncomfortably at times, but always on the outside.

There were so many others grieving the loss of this dear little boy; his father, mother, sister, grandparents, aunties, uncles, cousins, friends, teachers. My husband.

The whys, the viewing, the funeral, the gut wrenching sobs.

The loss, the gravesite, the Christmas, the Birthdays, the Easter, the holidays, the future.

The every things.

Marcus had a beautiful, loving and warm soul, a cheeky smile and a wonderful sense of humour. We still find it hard to believe he has gone.

I stayed on the outside. It was far too painful to process. As we approach Marcus’s 12th Birthday and the fourth anniversary without him, I have started to talk more openly, to think more openly. It still hurts.

Marcus didn’t have an asthma attack. He was being treated for eczema, asthma and allergies.

We didn’t know he was anaphylactic.

I can’t stay on the outside anymore.

Marcus you are in ALL of our hearts, forever. We promise.”

Because of Marcus’s story, Sydney teachers Courtney and Jarrad Dober founded CleverDux, creating a ‘see and save’ wristband system for students with medical conditions. For more information visit cleverdux.com.au

For more information on GLOBALAAI, visit www.globalaai.org

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First Aid tips for surviving a Heatwave

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First aid courses in Canberra are needed to instruct students on how to deal with everyday first aid incidents. In this article you will learn about the first aid courses instructions and tips for heat exhaustion or hyperthermia.

With temperatures set to soar and humidity levels getting higher across the next few days, emergency services are advising people in the affected areas of of New South Wales and Queensland to take the proper precautions to prevent any medical issues.

These precautions cover a range of areas in conditions so it’s important to take note and be vigilant in the hot conditions for yourself and your family. The following issues are the main conditions that paramedics are treating and are mostly preventable:

Dehydration

Even if you are working inside in air conditioning, when the temperatures outside get warmer, you still need to make an concerted effort to drink enough water. It is recommended to maintain a healthy level of hydration to drink 2 litres of water a day.  Obviously if you are working outdoors or the outside temperature is extreme, you need to drink more to replace the water your body is losing through heat.

Symptoms: The most common symptoms of dehydration include dizziness, dry mouth, headache and loss of concentration.

Prevention: Take regular water breaks.  If you are working outside, ensure you take regular breaks in the shade and drink lots of water.  If you start to feel light-headed, you will need to sit down and take a longer break ensuring that you are drinking lots of water and taking lots of deep breaths to help restore the the oxygen levels in your body.

Asthma

The combination of extreme heat and no wind causes air pollution levels to increase which can cause problems for asthma sufferers. Over the past few days Sydney has experienced these conditions resulting in authorities issuing an official warning to those suffering from respiratory conditions.

Symptoms: Asthma sufferers may or may not experience an asthma attack but will experience symptoms that will make them uncomfortable.  When the airways become aggravated, asthma sufferers will usually experience tightening of the muscles around the airways which then results in inflammation and extra mucus production.

Prevention: If you or a family member suffer from asthma it is advised in these hot conditions to keep  indoors and out of the hot air. Ensure medication is being used frequently to stabilize any symptoms before they become too unmanageable.

Drownings

It is has been a tragic start to 2017 with a record number of drownings happening around Australia over the summer holidays.  Drownings are often preventable but as people now have more access than ever to bodies of water (backyard swimming pools, beaches, public swimming areas, etc) people can often become complacent when it comes to taking the proper safety precautions around water.

Symptoms: Unlike what is depicted in the movies, drowning is a silent killer especially when it comes to children.  This is why supervision, being a confident swimmer and swimming in groups is the best safety precautions you can take.

Prevention: Become water wise! This includes swimming between the flags if swimming at the beach; always have adequate supervision when children are swimming in a backyard pool; do not consume alcohol while swimming; be aware of conditions; do not swim alone and most importantly, learn CPR!

If you are interested in any of our CPR courses or general first aid courses available either on-site or at our training facility, contact us today for more information.

First Aid tips for a heatwave

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Australian Government releases information on concussion

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One of the least treated first aid injuries that occur. Please make sure you check for concussion injuries when administering first aid. Book in to a first aid course with Canberra First Aid and you will learn the way to see concussion and also treat it.

Concussion is a dangerous and sometimes fatal injury so it’s important to be able to recognize and treat the symptoms as soon as they present themselves.  Concussion is a mild traumatic brain injury which is caused by a blow either directly to the head or another part of the body with the force being transmitted to the head.

Having access to accurate information to enable people to confidently diagnose and somewhat treat the signs of concussion has become a matter of urgency within both the professional sporting industry and the medical field.  Ongoing research is showing that un-diagnosed concussions, especially those caused through sporting injuries, could now be responsible for neurological issues in later life.

The Australian Government has recently recognized the void of reputable information and a lack of online resources available for those who find themselves in need of a legitimate medical diagnosis for concussion.  The targeted audience for this information includes athletes, coaches, medical practitioners, parents and teachers.

In order to provide accurate information that was particularly relevant to sporting concussions, two major governing bodies, the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and the Australian Medical Association (AMA) combined their research of concussions in sport and created a website which acts as a portal of information for diagnosing and managing concussion:  www.concussioninsport.gov.au.

“Bringing these two organisations together for this important initiative gives Australian’s confidence and clarity in seeking further information about the diagnosis and management of concussion.” Said Dr David Hughes AIS Chief Medical Officer.

It is important for people who are involved in a high-risk environment for receiving a concussion, such as sports players, to understand that even the subtlest of changes to a person’s behavior could be a sign of concussion. As noted in this video released by the Australian government, the main symptoms of concussion include:

  • Headache
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Dizziness
  • ‘pressure in the head’
  • Balance problems
  • Difficulty remembering
  • “not feeling right”
  • Feeling in a “fog”
  • Feeling slowed down
  • Confusion
  • Difficulty concentrating
  • Drowsiness

Dr Stephen Parnis, AMA Vice President & Emergency Physician offered a valuable piece of advice in the below video, if someone has received a hard blow while playing sport and showing possible signs of concussion, “If in doubt, sit it out.”   Reducing the damage to someone’s brain is more important than getting back out on the field and scoring a try.

First Aid Accident and Emergency has a range of first aid courses some of which discuss head trauma and possible concussion.  If you would like any information on our first aid classes, please contact our head office today.  

 

 

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Australians ignorant of food allergy risks

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First aid course Canberra. We are helping provide this information to our participants so that they  are aware of the suffering due to allergies and especially asthma and anaphylaxis. Book in to one of our first aid course in Canberra so that we can help train you.

Most people have no idea how to spot if someone is having a severe allergic reaction or how to help them despite Australia having one of the highest rates of food allergies in the developed world, research shows.

Four out of five adults do not know the signs of a severe allergic reaction to food and 70 per cent do not know how to help them or use a potentially life-saving adrenaline autoinjector or EpiPen.

Only four per cent of those surveyed by Galaxy Research knew you could be allergic to any food and half did not know you can develop an allergy to a food you have eaten before without a reaction.

The study showed most Australians are aware of common food allergies to peanuts, shellfish and seafood, but few people realise other triggers like bananas, kiwifruit and celery could also lead to potentially fatal allergic reactions.

The research revealed an extremely dangerous combination of lack of awareness and complacency, said Allergy & Anaphylaxis Australia CEO Maria Said.

“We all need to be allergy aware – how to use an adrenaline auto-injector must become common first aid knowledge, just like CPR,” she said.

It is estimated more than 650,000 Australians have a diagnosed food allergy and there are about 30,000 new cases every year, Allergy & Anaphylaxis said on Sunday to mark the start of food allergy week.

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Monique Jeffrey broke her neck sneezing, then did it again laughing

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This is so strange. From first aid training Canberra we wish Monique all the best in the future. Come and do one of our first aid training courses so that you can manage someone with broken vertebrae. Our first aid courses are excellent and we pride ourselves on our quality first aid training methods and also our experienced trainers.

MONIQUE Jeffrey was lying in bed checking emails on her phone early one morning in 2011, when she suddenly sneezed and her neck jolted forward.

As she sneezed, her C1 and C2 vertebrae collapsed and her chin fell onto her shoulder, leaving her hunched over in agonising pain.

With her husband at work and her newborn baby asleep in the next room, Monique soon realised she couldn’t move her neck, and began to panic.

“I texted Sam just saying ‘help!’ and he called me and I answered on speaker phone, because I couldn’t put the phone to my ear,” Monique told news.com.au.

“He came home and called an ambulance. It was pretty scary and it was such a strange sensation. I was in so much pain after just one little sneeze,” Monique said.

She was placed in a neck traction – a manual device that immoblises the neck muscles and allows them to heal – for 14 weeks and made a full recovery.

But just three weeks ago, she injured her neck again.

“I was at work and I had a bit of a stiff neck. Nothing awful, it was just a little bit sore,” she said.

“I was actually joking around with some colleagues because they were making some inappropriate jokes about how I may have hurt my neck, and I threw my head back and did it again.

“It wasn’t as bad as the last time. I shuffled back to my desk and I said to one of my colleagues ‘I’m in trouble here, ‘I think I’ve done my neck again’, because it felt the same and I was stuck.

“My chin was pulled across to the right, so they called an ambulance and now I’m in a neck halo.”

The metal device screws into the skull and stops the wearer moving their head.

“I’ve had two kids and getting the halo is worse than childbirth,” said Monique, who has to wear the device for six weeks.

“I can lie down but I sleep sitting up in a special bed. The halo completely supports my head and my neck.

“All the muscles in my neck are wasting away but I don’t have to hold my head up because it’s being held up by the bars and screws. You kind of just get used to it.

“But I’m tired all the time. I’m usually a very energetic person, but walking up a flight of stairs just completely wears me out and I have to have a big rest after that.”

After the halo is removed Monique will undergo months of rehab and physio to strengthen the muscles in her neck. If that isn’t successful, she may require surgery to “fuse” the C1 and C2 vertebrae together so they can no longer collapse.

Her sister set up an online fundraising page to help pay for the mounting medical bills and so far $8000 has been raised.

“The favourable option is intensive rehab to build the muscle and those muscles will work to try and keep my neck in place. But because this has already happened twice, the likelihood of it happening again is really high,” Monique said.

“We’re going to try physio and rehab first and we’re hoping that that does the trick for a couple of years.

“It’s not terminal, I’m going to be fine, but it does suck a bit. You just have to laugh about it.”

Visit Monique’s fundraising page here.

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