All posts by Ryan Davis Philip

 

13-Year-Old Certified to Perform First Aid and CPR Saves Little Boy Choking On Piece of Candy

Janeth Santos is just 13 years old, but she already knows how to save lives, courtesy of medical classes she took at her middle school.

The eighth-grader was honored for bravery and courage Monday night for saving a 4-year-old boy during her summer vacation.

“She’s an amazing kid,” her principal, Marlene Bicandoba, told InsideEdition.com Wednesday.

Janeth was at home with her mother one day this summer when a neighbor began hysterically screaming. Her son was choking on a piece of candy.

“Do you know what to do? Do you know how to help,” the mother shouted. Yes, I do, Janeth replied, and calmly took the boy in her arms, Bicandoba recounted.

She asked if the mother had done chest compressions. She had, but they had no effect. Then Janeth did a finger sweep of the child’s mouth, checking for anything blocking his air way.

And there was the offending item – a hard Jolly Rancher candy.

“For a 13-year-old to do that was just phenomenal,” her principal said.

When Janeth returned to school, she told her first aid and CPR instructor about her adventure in life saving. School officials checked with Janeth’s family, and then decided to give her a citation.

Janeth Santos with her certificate of courage, seen here with her CPR instructor, Jerrid Patton. (Courtesy Marlene Bicondoba)

Janeth downplayed her actions. “I just did what my teacher told me and I stayed calm,” she said.

Bicandoba says teaching students how to perform first aid and CPR is an asset to a community in need.

“This is highly impoverished area. The median income is $14,000. Having these kids out there, CPR-certified and first-aid-certified is a big help.”

The medical training classes are designed to give kids a taste of various professions including doctor, nurse, paramedic and medical equipment operator.

“We have these kids out there who can save lives,” Bicandoba said. “These kids are really proud.”

Great work guys. Getting yourself into a first aid course can really help save a life. Just make sure you book in to a registered RTO first aid course so that you get trained the right skills. If you choose to do a first aid course with Canberra First Aid you will get trained right and for the right price. We are now offering all of our first aid courses for $100 whether it be a refresher or a new first aid course so book in now and get trained.

 

Montana hiker brutally attacked twice by grizzly mum protecting cubs

WARNING: Graphic.
A HIKER has shared his terrifying ordeal after he was viciously attacked twice by a mother bear protecting her cubs in rural Montana.
Todd Orr, 50, described the mauling in graphic detail in a Facebook post, sharing gruesome photos of his bloodied head and body.
He said the force of each bite “was like a sledge hammer with teeth”.
Orr was hiking in an open meadow near Ennis, Montana, when he came across the animal.
Knowing that grizzlies were common on the trail Orr said he had been shouting out to signal his presence.

Orr, who runs a knife-making business, said the grizzly mum initially ran away but after a short distance she turned and charged.
Despite discharging a full canister of bear spray Orr said the bear’s “momentum carried her right through the orange mist and on me.”
He wrote: “I went to my face in the dirt and wrapped my arms around the back of my neck for protection. She was on top of me biting my arms, shoulders and backpack.

“The force of each bite was like a sledge hammer with teeth. She would stop for a few seconds and then bite again. Over and over. After a couple minutes, but what seemed an eternity, she disappeared.”
Bloodied but strong enough to walk Orr picked himself up and set off down the trail towards his truck, which was parked three miles away. But after five or ten minutes he saw the bear again. “She either followed me back down the trail or cut through the trees and randomly came out on the trail right behind me,” he said. The bear attacked once more, with even more ferocity than the first time. “Again I protected the back of my neck with my arms, and kept tight against the ground to protect my face and eyes,” he wrote.
“She slammed down on top of me and bit my shoulder and arms again. One bite on my forearm went through to the bone and I heard a crunch. My hand instantly went numb and wrist and fingers were limp and unusable.”
Orr gasped in pain and the noise provoked more bites to his shoulder and upper back.
A bite to his head caused a gash to open above his ear “nearly scalping me,” said Orr.
Orr said he was convinced it was only a matter of time before the bear hit an artery and he bled out. But suddenly the animal stopped the attack and stayed motionless on top of the stricken hiker for half a minute before she left.
Orr got back up and rushed down the trial to his truck. He drove himself to hospital where he was stitched for eight hours and treated for a five-inch gash to the head. An X-ray revealed a chip to the ulna bone in his forearm.
“Not my best day, but I’m alive,” he wrote: “In a couple weeks I will have to clean out the truck a little better. My girlfriend says it looks like I had gutted an elk in the drivers (sic) seat.”

Wow, not your everyday first aid situation but still something to be aware of especially if travelling to North America. Some serious wounds that needed to be stopped from bleeding out. Luckily the bear didn’t hit an artery as it could have been a different story. Make sure you book yourself in to a first aid course in Canberra as soon as you can. You never know when there will be a serious injury in your household. First aid courses will give you all of the skills to handle bleeding situations. Canberra First Aid Courses. Call now 0449746357.

 

Boy clings to life after snake bite

A LITTLE boy is fighting for his life in hospital after he was bitten three times by one of the world’s most venomous snakes at his home in central Queensland.
Two-year-old Eli Campbell remained in a serious condition overnight after he was bitten by a Coastal Taipan while collecting chicken eggs at his family’s Agnes Water property last week.
He suffered a cardiac arrest and was declared dead for almost six minutes but paramedics were able to revive him.
Eli has been in an induced coma for most of the past week, and his parents Brittany and Giles have remained by his side at the Lady Cilento Hospital in Brisbane.
Family friend Paul Boulton said had been “living in shock” since the incident and said Eli was a “beautiful boy” as he shared his prayers.

“Sending Eli all the love, prayers and light possible and for Giles and Britt the strength to carrying on, during this traumatising experience,” he said.
Another friend, Blake Hyland, started a Gofundme page which has raised more than $13,000 so far.
“All positive thoughts go out to his family at this time and we are praying (Eli) makes a full recovery,” he said.
Mr Hyland said the tragedy had “hit really close to home” as he also had two young sons.

 

“It is a situation that could (have) easily happened to my family or any other young families that live in rural Australia,” he said.
Moreton Bay snake catcher Peter Brabrook said the Coastal Taipan is considered the third most venomous in the world, though it usually has a shy temperament.
“It is more likely to ‘flight’ than ‘fight’ unless it feels threatened, possibly the snake had nowhere to escape and that’s when it attacked,” he said.
Mr Brabrook said Eli’s mother likely saved her son’s life by applying pressure bandages to the wound before paramedics arrived.

Oh my god. Hopefully the young lad pulls through. Its great to hear his mother knew what to do by applying the pressure bandage. She has obviously done a first aid course in the recent past. Please if you live on property go and get trained in first aid by booking in to a first aid course. So many emergencies happen on farms/property and you always need to be prepared because an ambulance can sometimes be delayed.

 

First aid skills by first responders vital in reducing road accident deaths

By MAGDALENE WANJA

Lack of proper first aid skills among people who respond first to road accidents contributes to more than 57 per cent of the deaths of victims.

According to a report by St John Ambulance, the responders, with good intentions, arrive at the scene on time but end up compounding the victims’ conditions through mishandling or administering of wrong first aid procedures.

A report by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) indicates that in the first half of 2016, 1,574 deaths were reported on Kenyan roads.

St John Ambulance Communications Manager Fred Majiwa said some of the deaths could be prevented if a big percentage of the public had basic first aid skills.

Mr Majiwa was speaking during a first aid and safe driving training involving 318 matatu drivers from Nakuru County.

CURB DEATHS

“To curb these road deaths, it is important that the first person on the scene of a road accident, who will most likely be another driver, has the skills to keep someone alive before an ambulances arrives,” he said.

The training, held at Hotel Kunste, was organised by St John Ambulance and the Automobile Association of Kenya in a bid to cut down the rising cases of fatal road accidents.

The campaign provided an opportunity for St John Ambulance to pilot the new first aid programme targeting motorists as envisaged in the new drivers’ training curriculum released by the NTSA.

“The training programme covers the entire syllabus that St John Ambulance expects every driver to go through in a bid to turn all motorists into lifesavers,” Mr Majiwa said.

He noted that Nakuru had recorded the highest number of drivers trained in first aid skills.

“So far Nakuru has recorded the highest number of motorists [trained]. The exercise started in Nairobi in June, where 166 drivers were trained and subsequently in Mombasa where 167 drivers benefited from the course,” he said.

New drivers will have to undergo a seven-hour first aid course before getting their driving licenses, according to the NTSA’s new driver-training curriculum.

This article taken from Kenya depicts the facts from around the globe. First aid training is vital in society and help save thousands of lives a day. ts great that these drivers are being put through first aid training so that they are ready for any first aid scenario. Please sign up now to our first aid courses in Canberra.

 

Cooper Allen, 17, bitten by shark at Lighthouse Beach in Ballina

  • Megan Levy
  • A great white shark was seen off Lighthouse Beach in Ballina, on the NSW North Coast, a short time after a teenage boy was bitten on the leg while surfing, police say.

    Cooper Allen, 17, is recovering in Lismore Base Hospital after he was attacked while surfing with a friend at the beach about 9am on Monday, the first day of the school holidays.
    A 17-year-old surfer has been rushed to hospital after suffering a shark bite at Lighthouse Beach in the Northern NSW suburb of Ballina. Vision courtesy ABC News 24
    Cooper’s friend helped him to shore, where an off-duty nurse gave him first aid for deep wounds to his right upper thigh.

    NSW Ambulance paramedics then took Cooper to hospital, where he was in a stable condition, police said.
    Chief Inspector Nicole Bruce, from the Richmond Local Area Command, said a four-metre great white shark had been sighted further off Lighthouse Beach just after the attack, but it was not clear whether the same shark had bitten the teenager.

    “They were surfing, so we’ve got the surfboard and the bite marks will be analysed by the Department of Primary Industries and we can make an assumption about the shark, but that’s all it will be,” she said.

    Two months ago, Cooper spoke to The Australian about plans to install an eco-friendly shark barrier at Lighthouse Beach. Those plans were scrapped last month due to ongoing rough sea conditions at the beach.

    Cooper said at the time that he thought the shark barrier was a waste of money.
    “We still go out there without the net, at our own choice. I don’t think there is any need for it,” he said.

    Images shared by the Department of Primary Industries on its SharkSmart Twitter account show lifesavers pushing a great white shark, described as being 3.5-metres long, out to sea not long after the attack.

    The shark, sighted off the beach where a teenager was attacked on Monday.
    The shark, sighted off the beach where a teenager was attacked on Monday. Photo: Twitter/SharkSmart
    A Surf Life Saving NSW spokesman said all beaches in the Ballina Shire – Lennox Head, Sharpes Beach, Shelly Beach (Ballina) and Lighthouse Beach – had been closed and would remain so for at least 24 hours following the attack.

    The attack occurred on the first day the beach was patrolled by lifeguards for the 2016/17 season, the spokesman said.
    He said other surfers helped the injured teenager, who suffered “severe lacerations to his leg”, to the beach after the attack, and lifeguards evacuated the water.

    “A NSW Department of Primary Industries helicopter has been diverted to the area for aerial surveillance, while the Ballina Lifeguard jet-ski is conducting roving patrols on the water as are other surf lifesaving assets,” the spokesman said.

    “The species of shark involved in the incident is not yet known and DPI scientists will investigate further.”

    The NSW government last year mounted a series of shark attack prevention measures, including a tagging and tracking program, in northern NSW waters after a number of shark attacks, including at Lighthouse Beach.

    Champion surfer Sam Morgan sustained a serious bite wound to his left thigh when he was attacked by a suspected bull shark at Lighthouse Beach in November last year.

    In February last year, 41-year-old Japanese surfer Tadashi Nakahara died from severe blood loss after a great white shark bit him on the leg at Shelly Beach, just north of Lighthouse Beach.

    There have been 19 shark attacks between Byron Bay and Evans Head between 2000 and 2015. Four of those were at Lighthouse Beach and two at Lennox Head.

Great news that there was a nurse there to do first aid for this young lad. It seems as though every week we are hearing of another shark attack. Hopefully this summer is quiet. Please make sure you book in to a first aid course in Canberra so that you are prepared for the summer.

 

First-aid know-how empowers people to help

I thank Madam Tamilselvi Muniyandy (“Doctor went beyond call of duty“; last Friday) and Ms Yeo Pei Shi (“Bystander effect: Training in skills makes people more willing to help“; Sunday) for highlighting the importance of knowing and administering first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Basic first response can increase chances of survival, mitigate serious injuries and help to calm and stabilise affected people in an emergency.

However, about 60 per cent of casualties do not receive any form of bystander assistance before the arrival of the ambulance.

If all of us can identify the signs of cardiac arrest and know how to perform CPR, we can save many more lives.

The Singapore Red Cross (SRC) believes that first-aid training is key in empowering bystanders to respond to emergencies, and strongly advocates the national goal of “one first aider in every home”.

To this end, the SRC Academy has been training the public in first aid since the 1960s, and continues to innovate first-aid training and enable first-aid learning for everyone, everywhere.

Besides Standard First Aid, we have introduced a suite of courses tailored for specific needs over the years. These include Occupational First Aid for people at workplaces, Infant/Child First Aid for parents and teachers, Eldercare First Aid for caregivers, and the Citizen First Responder, which Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean launched earlier this year, to increase bystander first response in our community.

The ageing population and threat of a civil emergency, including terrorist activities, underscore the importance of first-aid learning.

Psychological first aid is an important second line of defence. In any crisis, besides handling physical wounds, a major challenge is managing fears and psychological wounds.

Psychosocial skills empower people to care for and better understand one another. This helps people to forge stronger and closer bonds, in both critical emergency situations and ongoing day-to-day situations within families and our community.

Equipped with both physical and psychological first-aid skills, we can be a resilient community to overcome adversities that may come our way.

First aid and psychological first aid are key components of the SG Secure movement. They will help build a truly united, alert and, most importantly, empowered people who can keep Singapore strong.

Benjamin William
Secretary-General/Chief Executive
Singapore Red Cross

Completing a first aid course will give you the know how and experience to be able to handle a first aid incident. Canberra first aid courses does training in Canberra every week. We are locally owned and operated. We offer a great price and we can guarantee you will not be disappointed with the first aid course you complete.

 

First Aid: Where there is no doctor at child birth

There are instances where some women have given birth suddenly in an expected places like near the roads, in vehicles or even in compounds. When such an incident happens, Dr. Charles Kasozi, a family physician working at Butabika hospital said hygiene is very crucial and the first thing people helping the woman should do is separate the baby from its mother by cutting the umbilical cord and proper care must be given both to the baby and mother. He explained that such environments are risky and a baby is susceptible to getting infections like tetanus, meningitis, pneumonia and should be well covered, birth injuries for instance can get injuries of the head, limbs and gets fractures especially if the baby falls down. He further notices that during antenatal care, expectant mothers are taught how to handle such emergencies and most of them move with maama kits which contain things like surgical blade cotton, polythene bag and these should be crucial in such instances when a woman gives birth in such surroundings. On the side of the mother, he explains that in the process of a baby coming out, the head may injure the birth canal of the mother and sometimes she may bleed mildly or severely, the placenta should be delivered and the mother rushed to the hospital very fast. It is important to remove the entire placenta from the uterus so the uterus can contract and control the amount of vaginal bleeding. Failure for a placenta to come out causes postpartum haemorrhage which is one of the leading causes of maternal death among women. “This is a medical emergency, the baby and the mother must be rushed to the hospital for detailed care to ensure nothing went wrong during the process of child birth,” he said

Preggie 703x422

There are instances where some women have given birth suddenly in an expected places like near the roads, in vehicles or even in compounds.

When such an incident happens, Dr. Charles Kasozi, a family physician working at Butabika hospital said hygiene is very crucial and  the first thing people helping the woman should do is separate the baby from its mother by cutting the umbilical cord and proper care must be given both to the baby and mother.

He explained that such environments are risky and a baby is susceptible to getting infections like tetanus, meningitis, pneumonia and should be well covered, birth injuries for instance can get injuries of the head, limbs and gets fractures especially if the baby falls down.

He further notices that during antenatal care, expectant mothers are taught how to handle such emergencies and most of them move with maama kits which contain things like surgical blade cotton, polythene bag and these should be crucial in such instances when a woman gives birth in such surroundings.

On the side of the mother, he explains that in the process of a baby coming out, the head may injure the birth canal of the mother and sometimes she may bleed mildly or severely, the placenta should be delivered and the mother rushed to the hospital very fast.

It is important to remove the entire placenta from the uterus so the uterus can contract and control the amount of vaginal bleeding.

Failure for a placenta to come out causes postpartum haemorrhage which is one of the leading causes of maternal death among women.

“This is a medical emergency, the baby and the mother must be rushed to the hospital for detailed care to ensure nothing went wrong during the process of child birth,” he said – See more at: http://www.newvision.co.ug/new_vision/news/1435671/aid-expectant-mothers#sthash.50cLRTla.dpuf

Just a little advice for if the baby comes at the wrong time. If you would like more fun first aid facts and information on first aid situations that may occur out of the blue come along to one of our first aid courses in Dickson. We at Canberra First Aid are open to all questions from the group and offer lots of feedback and help with the practical first aid tasks performed.

 

Afghanistan: First aid training for taxi drivers saves lives

The ICRC runs first-aid courses for taxi drivers in Afghanistan who transport casualties of the fighting to hospital. Their action is saving lives, according to local doctors.

Zamaryalai is a 35-year-old taxi driver from Uruzgan Province in southern Afghanistan. Tragic events eight years ago led him to get involved with the ICRC’s War Wounded Assistance programme, which trains taxi drivers in first aid. “I was shocked when one of our villagers bled to death right in front of me,” recalled Zamaryalai “That’s when I decided to do something to help the wounded, and learning first aid seemed the best place to start.”

Zamaryalai shared these thoughts during a recent first-aid refresher course for 14 taxi drivers involved in the ICRC programme. Their work includes evacuating combatants and civilians injured during the fighting to the nearest medical facility. Although not employed by the ICRC, the drivers carry an ICRC “facilitation letter” to help them negotiate checkpoints and other obstacles. The letter also explains the need for the sick and wounded to have safe and timely access to medical care.

“Since I began this work, I’ve administered first aid to around 800 wounded people before taking them to hospital,” explained Zamaryalai during one of the discussion sessions. “Sometimes I’ve transported as many as eight people per day from Uruzgan to Mirwais Regional Hospital in Kandahar, which is four hours away.”

Kandahar, Afghanistan, 29 August 2016. Sakhi Dad, (left) practices the use of basic materials to stop bleeding before transporting a patient to hospital.

Kandahar, Afghanistan, 29 August 2016. Zamaryalai, (right) practices splinting a fractured foot using locally available materials before transporting a patient to hospital. CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Shamshad Omar

“If it’s someone involved in the fighting, I never ask who they are or which side they belong to,” Zamaryalai continued. “What matter to me is saving their life, not their background.”

Both civilians and weapon bearers have benefited from Zamaryalai’s taxi service. “I remember helping a young women who had been badly injured in a landmine explosion,” he recalled. “I stopped the bleeding and aligned the broken leg, after stabilizing her, then drove her to Mirwais. She would have died on the way if I hadn’t given her first aid before we left.”

Kandahar, Afghanistan, 29 August 2016. Abdul Wali (right) practices giving first aid to a man with a chest wound.

Kandahar, Afghanistan, 29 August 2016. Abdul Wali (right) practices giving first aid to a man with a chest wound. CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Shamshad Omar

Staff at Mirwais Hospital have commented on the difference they see in a patient’s condition if they arrive at the hospital having already been stabilized. “In many cases the first-aiders really save patients’ lives, as most of them are coming from a long way away,” commented Dr Aziz Ahmad, who heads the surgery ward. “Without first aid, I’m sure many of them wouldn’t make it.”

But the transfers do not always go smoothly. “Once I was driving a civilian to hospital who had been injured by a rocket,” recalled Zamaryalai. “I was stopped by armed men on the way and beaten up. They accused me of transporting ‘the enemy’, and they threatened to kill the injured man. The ICRC intervened to explain the neutrality of our work and the obligations of weapon bearers to facilitate the transfer of sick and wounded people to medical facilities, and they let me go.”

Each of the other 13 drivers taking part in the workshop had similar stories to tell. Thirty-seven year-old Abdul Wali and 60-year-old Sakhi Dad were two of them. “We regularly risk our lives to provide first aid to the wounded, and transport them from the battlefield,” they commented during a discussion on the challenges and pressures of their work.

Kandahar, Afghanistan, 29 August 2016. The drivers watch a video of their role play to help them identify best practices and receive feedback from the course facilitators.

Kandahar, Afghanistan, 29 August 2016. The drivers watch a video of their role play to help them identify best practices and receive feedback from the course facilitators. CC BY-NC-ND / ICRC / Shamshad Omar

Saving a life means the world to me

Some 60 taxi drivers are taking part in the ICRC’s War Wounded Assistance programme, which we are running throughout southern Afghanistan. They are all trained in first aid and share a common sense of pride in a job well done. “Saving a life means the world to me,” said Zamaryalai, speaking for all his colleagues on the course.

Great to see the red cross support in Afghanistan is working. First aid training for all should be mandatory in school. Come and get your first aid training in Canberra with us at Canberra First Aid and Training. We provide first aid training to schools, businesses and individuals at a great rate and we will make sure you get the training you need.

 

Tough Break: Fracture First-Aid and Beyond

Getting bone fractures diagnosed and treated in a timely manner is important to help with proper healing.

By Courtesy Lake Regional Health System
Rick Walker, D.O. — photo provided
About 6 million Americans will suffer a broken bone this year. In every case, it will be important to get the fracture diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. Failing to do so could lead to improper healing and long-term problems.

“The signs of fracture include tenderness directly over the area of bone affected, any deformity, pain with movement, swelling, bruising and, if in the lower limb, an inability to bear weight on the area,” said Rick Walker, D.O., a board-certified orthopedic surgeon at Lake Regional. “Bruising doesn’t usually show up until 24 to 48 hours after the injury.”
Children don’t always exhibit fracture symptoms beyond pain, so if a broken bone is suspected in a child, get it checked.

“Children’s ligaments are stronger than the growth plate around joints,” Dr. Walker said. “Therefore, the ligament will remain intact, but the growth plate and the bone around the growth plate can be injured. Do not assume a joint injury in a child is a sprain. It may actually be a fracture at the growth plate area or in the area of the bone around the growth plate. A physician should evaluate the injury and determine if X-rays are needed.”
All About Immobilization

If you think you are dealing with a bone fracture, immediately immobilize the area. Call 911 if the break is open (punctures the skin) or if it is sustained during a crush injury. Get to an emergency department if pain or swelling is severe or if there is any deformity. If the pain is minor and swelling can be kept to a minimum, call your doctor or go to urgent care.

If the skin is punctured, that area should be covered with a clean bandaging material. Do not attempt to put the bone back under the skin. EMS should be contacted for proper care.
“The first step usually is to elevate the part that’s injured just above the heart, and apply an icepack,” Dr. Walker said. “Use a piece of cardboard or thick towel to make a splint. If it’s a large bone fracture, such as the hip or leg, you may need to call 911 for transport to keep the fracture site immobilized en route to the hospital.”

Your doctor will physically examine the area of injury and order an X-ray to confirm a fracture has occurred.
Most fractures are treated simply through immobilization with a splint or cast. Major fractures are treated with surgery and, in severe cases, pins or rods may be placed to keep the bone together while it heals.

Healing times vary depending on fracture site and severity of the break. Most bone heals within six to 10 weeks, Dr. Walker said. In addition to following doctor’s orders and keeping the affected area clean, dry, elevated and free from overuse, Dr. Walker has one piece of advice: “Stop smoking. Smoking is detrimental to healing fractures and just smoking less won’t help. You need to quit in order to heal.”

-Courtesy Lake Regional Health System

Please note this article has been taken from the USA, our emergency services number in Australia is 000.

Imobolising fractures is very important and in a one day first aid course with Canberra First Aid we will not only teach you why but we will give you the opportunity to learn the skills on completing splints and slings. Come and join one of our first aid courses now so you are prepared for the worst.

 

Insect bites and stings: First aid

By Mayo Clinic News Network

Most reactions to insect bites and stings are mild, causing little more than redness, itching, stinging or minor swelling. Rarely, insect bites and stings, such as from a bee, a wasp, a hornet, a fire ant or a scorpion, can result in severe reactions. Some insects also carry disease, such as West Nile virus.

For mild reactions

To take care of an insect bite or sting that causes a mild reaction:

  • Move to a safe area to avoid more bites or stings.
  • If needed, remove the stinger.
  • Wash the area with soap and water.
  • Apply a cool compress. Use a cloth dampened with cold water or filled with ice. This helps reduce pain and swelling. If the injury is on an arm or leg, elevate it.
  • Apply a cream, gel or lotion to the injured area. Use products containing ingredients such as hydrocortisone, pramoxine or lidocaine to help control pain. Use creams such as calamine lotion or those containing colloidal oatmeal or baking soda to help soothe itchy skin.
  • Use over-the-counter medications. Try a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others), or an antihistamine (Benadryl, Chlor-Trimeton, others).

Usually, the signs and symptoms of a bite or sting disappear in a day or two. If you’re concerned — even if your reaction is minor — call your doctor.

When to seek emergency care

Call 911 or your local emergency number if the injured person experiences:

  • Difficulty breathing
  • Swelling of the lips, eyelids or throat
  • Dizziness, faintness or confusion
  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Hives
  • Nausea, cramps or vomiting
  • A scorpion sting and is a child

Take these actions immediately while waiting for medical help:

  • Ask the person if he or she is carrying an epinephrine autoinjector (EpiPen, Auvi-Q, others) to treat an allergic attack.
  • If the person says he or she needs to use an autoinjector, ask whether you should help inject the medication. This is usually done by pressing the autoinjector against the person’s thigh and holding it in place for several seconds.
  • Loosen tight clothing and cover the person with a blanket. Don’t give him or her anything to drink.
  • Turn the person on a side to prevent choking if he or she is vomiting or bleeding from the mouth.
  • Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of circulation, such as breathing, coughing or movement.

Source: http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-insect-bites/basics/art-20056593/

Please note this article was taken from the UK were the emergency services number is 911. In Australia the phone number to call in a first aid emergency is 000.

Make sure you learn how to treat all bites and stings in one of our 1 day first aid training courses in Canberra. We hold these first aid courses at the Dickson Tradies weekly. We will give you all of the up to date information on how to treat bites from all creatures. Contact us today and book the best first aid course you have ever done.