Imagine enduring and surviving the devastation of an earthquake, wildfire, hurricane or other natural disaster. Although your family has made it through what you believed to be the worst of the impacts, your mother, brother or grandparent has been hurt.

In such a scenario, would you know the basic first aid skills needed to help your family member while awaiting the likely delayed arrival of emergency personnel?

“A medical emergency can happen at any time, anywhere, and we know that the first seconds are the most important,” said Grace Meinhofer, regional communications and marketing director for the American Red Cross South Florida Region and U.S. Virgin Islands.

“People need to know at least first aid skills, perhaps how to perform CPR and how to use an automatic external defibrillator (AED),” Meinhofer told AccuWeather. “All of these are essential skills that could save a life.”

During a natural disaster, the quick response time of paramedics, emergency medical technicians and law enforcement can be hindered by a rise in the number of calls received or obstacles like floodwaters and debris blocking off roads.

In non-disaster situations, the average emergency response time for ambulances can be between six to nine minutes, according to California-based emergency medicine physician Dr. Petrina Craine.

“This can be prolonged in disaster situations, such as the flooding that we saw during Hurricane Katrina that physically prevented emergency medical service vehicles getting to the people [that needed help],” Craine told AccuWeather.

She recommended that the average person receive first aid training, even if they have no medical background.

“If you’re able to help support someone’s breathing, you can help maybe prevent irreversible brain death from the lack of oxygen that can happen even in minutes before emergency medical vehicles arrive,” said Craine, who added that some of her patients might have died had it not been for first aid.

“For many different reasons, their hearts stopped working, so they did not have a pulse and they were actually dead,” Craine said.

“Having bystanders that were able to do CPR or had access to an AED, which is a device that can shock the heart to help restart it, people who knew how to do that really made a big difference in the outcomes of some of my patients,” she said.

Essential first aid skills to learn

Useful first aid skills that could help save someone’s life during or after a natural disaster include the following:

“I think [people should learn] things such as what to have in a first aid kit; how to call 911, even in a stressful situation like a natural disaster; how to control potential life-threatening bleeding; how to help avoid potentially deadly changes in body temperature, especially for someone needing first aid in a very cold situation; how to support one’s breathing with life-saving positions; how to help treat burns; how to help someone that has drowned; and definitely CPR,” said Craine, who considers CPR one of the most important first aid skills a person can learn.

“I think having basic first aid skills is just as critical as having necessities like food and water,” she added.

How to receive first aid training

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This year’s World Mental Health Day was given the theme of youth mental health in a changing world, but is appointing a Minister for suicide prevention the best way to support teachers to help young people?

Wednesday 10 October 2018 08:15

When Carrie saw her colleague Robert running down a corridor towards her one lunchtime she knew it must be something serious. As teachers, they spend a lot of their time telling pupils not to run, all too aware of the health and safety implications of an accident.

Minutes later, Carrie had followed her breathless colleague to the male toilets where a 16-year-old boy called Daniel had locked himself in a cubicle, threatening to take his own life. Another teacher, Kevin, was crouched down outside Daniel’s door, and a wave of relief flooded his face when he saw Carrie. Two months earlier Carrie was one of eight members of staff who had done a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) training course, organised by the secondary school.

“I remember the adrenaline,” says Carrie, 32. “Just like anyone who is trained in physical first aid feels when they get called to someone who is injured, I felt a huge surge of responsibility to put what I’d learned into practice as best I could.”

After making sure the situation was safe for herself and asking Robert to stop anyone else from entering the toilet, Carrie began speaking to Daniel. “I honestly couldn’t really tell you how I started or exactly what I said, but I knew I wanted to reassure him I wouldn’t leave him, that he could tell me absolutely anything without judgement and that it would be in confidence.”

Daniel had already been in the cubicle for 20 minutes when Carrie arrived. He said he had a knife and made repeated threats about hurting himself. But after an hour of talking to Carrie, Daniel voluntarily opened the door and was then able to be taken to waiting professional help.

There were 177 suicides among 15- to 19-year-olds in 2017, compared with 110 in 2010, and according to charity Young Minds, nearly 25% of young people report feeling suicidal at least once. Today to mark World mental Health Day, Prime Minister Theresa May has appointed the first minister for suicide prevention. Health Minister Jackie Doyle-Price was appointed to the new role to help tackle the stigma surrounding suicide.

Amid this deepening crisis in young people’s mental health, teachers are very often the frontline in both detection and protection. To better equip them with the skills they need to talk to young people about mental health issues, schools are increasingly funding staff to attend MHFA training courses.

New research published this week has revealed the impact of MHFA training on secondary school staff in England. The study, conducted by a team of researchers from University College London involved over 1,000 school staff who had undergone a Youth MHFA training course and found they had a three-fold (190%) increase in confidence in knowledge, skills and awareness to support a young person struggling with their mental health.

Read more

Child mental health referrals in England rise by more than quarter

Prior to undertaking Youth MHFA training, 30% of staff reported feeling knowledgeable, skilled and aware to support a young person experiencing mental ill health, which rose to 59% after completing the course. This further increased to 87% up to three terms later, highlighting a sustained improvement as staff put their skills into practice and had time to reflect on their training.

Caroline Hounsell, Director of Communities and Content Development, Mental Health First Aid England, said: “Schools routinely provide physical first aid and reassurance – there’s no reason why this shouldn’t be the case when they are struggling with their mental health. Skilling schools staff in Mental Health First Aid is having a really positive impact on their confidence around interacting with students.

“Whilst this programme is the first step in addressing the mental health training gap in schools, we hope to build on its success by continuing to give access to these skills to school staff across England.”

This year’s World Mental Health Day on 10 October was given the theme of youth mental health in a changing world. Upskilling teachers to both educate young people about mental illness and spot early signs is powerful piece of frontline armoury in the battle to tackle mental illness.

However the education profession is overstretched and under increasingly intense pressure. More than half of Britain’s teachers have a diagnosed mental health problem, according to a study by Leeds Beckett University. Pressures at work – coupled with mounting needs to care for students’ mental health – led three quarters of those surveyed earlier this year to say they believed their poor psychological and emotional conditions could have a detrimental effect on pupils’ progress, and the National Education Union (NEU) said the job was changing in ways which make it “impossible” for education staff to do well.

Further research by The Teacher’s Union (NASUWT) last year revealed that although 98% of teachers have contact with pupils who they believe are experiencing mental health issues, 46% report never having received any training on pupil mental health.

There is a clear need to address this lack of training. This week a petition with over 194,000 signatures has been taken to Downing Street to ask for the Health and Safety at Work Act to be amended so that workplaces and colleges make provision for mental health first aid, in the same way they do for physical first aid. It’s part of the Where’s Your Head At campaign which advocates MHFA training to aid early intervention – before the point of crisis – in a bid to help people get on a path to recovery as early as possible.

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LIFE-saving resuscitation courses could soon become part of the primary school curriculum with a Tamworth man fighting to have CPR taught in classrooms across the state.

Former pool supervisor Cameron McFarlane has given CPR lessons to more than 20,000 students in NSW and is preparing to take his classes abroad into Vietnam to help combat child drowning figures.

Some agencies estimate up to 11,000 children drown each year in Vietnam and while Mr McFarlane hopes his skills can help overseas, he has a mission to embark on when he gets home.

Mr McFarlane met with NSW education minister Rob Stokes recently to discuss embedding his resuscitation course into the primary school curriculum.

The Tamworth man said it was a long way off becoming a reality, but the wheels have been put in motion.

In recent years, schools have taken on broader responsibilities in the lives of students engaging in safer driving and drug and alcohol awareness courses, among other intiatives.

But Mr McFarlane didn’t believe it would be a burden for schools to run CPR courses too.

“This is the feedback I’m getting from the principals,” he said.

“They’re asking why this isn’t a part of the education system.

“[CPR] is an important skill and I think kids should have an understanding of it before going to high school.”

Mr Stokes said basic first aid was part of the mandatory content in PDHPE, but he stopped short of endorsing compulsory primary school lessons without “broad consultation”.

“It was great to meet Cameron and learn about the great work he is doing in primary schools across regional NSW equipping young people with lifesaving resuscitation skills,” Mr Stokes said.

“I understand Cameron and St John Ambulance are considering a submission to the NSW school curriculum review, and I encourage them to do so.”

Under our Local School Local Decisions policy, school principals are empowered to make decisions about which teaching and learning programs meet their students’ needs.

“Some schools choose to use external agencies to complement their existing PDHPE programs, such as the Royal Lifesaving Awards, St John’s Ambulance Certificates and Surf Lifesaving Awards.”

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THREE Victorians are recovering from snake bites after being bitten within four hours of each other on Sunday.

Cuts and wounds are injuries involving an external or internal break in body tissue, which can be caused by an external action and include bruising, cuts and hematomas. Wounds are extremely common, and most individuals will experience having one over their lifetime. Some of the wounds can be minor, requiring home treatment, while others, may be life-threatening and need further medical attention.

What are Wounds?

Cuts or wounds are described as an injury that harms the body and can be caused by falls, accidents, and contact with weapons. Wounds are injuries that break the skin or other body tissues, including scrapes, punctures, cuts, and scratches.

Usually, minor wounds are treated at home. However, serious and infected wounds may need first aid followed by further medical attention from a doctor. It’s important to seek medical treatment for deep wounds since these may lead to hemorrhage or bleeding. Wounds should also be cleaned thoroughly to prevent infection.

Types of Cuts and Wounds

Wounds can be classified as open or closed. Closed wounds do not expose any underlying tissue to the environment. The converse is seen with open wounds which take several forms.

Types of Open Wounds

Abrasion

An abrasion involves the scraping of the outer layer of the skin against a rough or hard surface. In this type of wound, there is not much bleeding, but the wound still needs to be cleaned thoroughly to prevent infection.

Laceration

A laceration refers to an injury caused by the tearing of tissue. It’s a deep cut usually caused by accidents with tools, machinery, and knives. In this type of wound, deep cuts are present and bleeding can be extensive. Due to the high force involved in the tearing of the tissue, damage to muscles, tendons, bones and blood vessels in the surrounding area can be caused.

Incision

An incision is a clean cut in the skin caused by a sharp tool or object. If an individual accidentally cuts themselves with a kitchen knife or a pair of scissors, it can result in an incision cut. Another type of incision is a surgical incision wherein the doctor cuts through the skin to gain access to the internal parts of the body for a surgical procedure.

Puncture

A puncture is a small hole caused by a long and pointy tool or object, such as a nail. In some instances, a bullet can also cause a puncture wound. Though puncture wounds do not bleed heavily, they can be dangerous and life-threatening since they can damage internal organs.

Avulsion

An avulsion is the partial or complete tearing away of the skin. This type of wound usually happens during violent accidents, including car accidents and injuries inflicted by gunshots and exposure to explosions. These wounds may bleed heavily  leading to the development of life-threatening complications..

Treating Cuts and Wounds

Minor wounds can be treated at home. But, more serious and deep wounds may require medical attention.

First Aid Treatment

For cuts and wounds, it’s important to always make sure you clean the wound thoroughly to prevent infection. Here’s the first aid treatment for cuts and wounds.

• Wash hands – Before treating or applying any first aid treatments to an open wound, it’s important to wash your hands first. This helps keep the wound clean and prevent infection.
• Stop the bleeding – The next important step in wound care is to stop the bleeding. For deep wounds like lacerations and avulsions, it’s the utmost priority to stop the hemorrhage to prevent hypovolemic shock, which is potentially fatal. Apply gentle pressure with a clean cloth or bandage. Elevate the wound until the bleeding stops.
• Clean the cut or wound – After making sure the wound has stopped bleeding, rinse the wound with clean water for about five minutes. Make sure dirt and debris are removed. You can clean the wound with soap and water.
• Disinfect – To prevent infection, apply a topical antiseptic.
• Dress the wound – Cover the wound with a sterile gauze pad with dressing and secure with adhesive tapes. However, for minor scrapes or abrasions, you can leave the wound uncovered.
• Refer to a physician or hospital – If the wound is deep and there’s heavy bleeding, refer the patient to a physician or bring them to hospital. Deep wounds that bleed heavily may require more intensive treatment such as suturing or other surgical procedures.
• Watch out for signs of hypovolemic shock – For patients with heavy bleeding, always look for the signs of hypovolemic shock, including palor, cyanosis or clammy skin, weak and rapid pulse, irregular breathing, and weakness.

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Posted on October 10, 2018 by Olivia Esveld

While the current rainy situation across Australia might be good news for the farmers, it’s not the case for those who are terrified of spiders!

AUSSIES ARE BEING WARNED TO BE CAUTIOUS OF VENOMOUS SPIDERS WHO MAY BE HIDING IN OUR HOMES, TAKING SHELTER FROM THE TORRENTIAL RAIN.

This comes after one woman in NSW made the shocking discovery of a MASSIVE spider hiding inside her sock.

Rebekah Wilson took to Facebook to share an image of the humongous arachnid found inside her sister’s sock. Her sister, who lives in Moss Vale in the Southern Highlands, made the terrifying discovery after pulling the socks out of a drawer.

The Facebook post was quickly inundated with comments from people terrified of the creepy crawlies.

“I’d be burning all my socks,” wrote one woman. Another person joked, “Just burn the house down!”

Some people suggested that the large creature may be a mouse or trapdoor spider due to the large size.

Following the large amount of rain that has fallen in NSW, the state’s Poisons Information Centre has issued a warning to people to be careful of funnel-web spiders.

Since the rainfall began last week, the centre has already responded to numerous funnel-web spider bites.

If someone is bitten by one of the venomous spiders, the centre said that the person should call 000 immediately before bandaging the area and remaining still.

“Call 000 for an ambulance,” the centre said. “Apply a pressure bandage to the bite site with a wide elasticised bandage then continue to bandage the entire limb from toes to hip or fingers to shoulder.

“Bandage should be as tight as for a sprained ankle and not cut off the circulation. Immobilise the limb with a stick or splint and secure with another bandage. Keep the patient still, seated or lying down, until ambulance arrives.”

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Derbyshire’s emergency services will be in schools and colleges across the region tomorrow to deliver life saving CPR training as part of the British Heart Foundation’s (BHF) ‘Restart a Heart’ campaign.

World Restart a Heart Day is an annual initiative which aims to train as many people as possible in CPR in one day, so that more people know these life saving skills.

Restart a Heart Day 2018 East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS), which is coordinating the county-wide initiative on behalf of the BHF, approached Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service asking for support for the campaign.

Bob Curry, Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Service’s area response manager, said: “Anyone who suffers a heart attack in Derbyshire will require the immediate assistance of people trained in CPR. “It’s therefore not hard to understand why we wanted to be involved in the campaign and are now working with our fellow emergency service colleagues to support CPR training and help increase the chances of survival from a heart attack.

“Firefighters will be working in 18 schools, supporting children and young people as they learn an essential life skill – CPR. “After initial introductions, a DVD will be shown, then each pupil will have ten minutes to practice CPR on manikins. “Our firefighters will be assisting with this practice, providing help and encouragement all the way.” Mick Barnett-Connolly, head of community response and collaboration at EMAS, said: “If someone suffers a cardiac arrest their chances of survival increases considerably if it happens in front of someone who starts CPR immediately.

“This year is a real partnership effort across the East Midlands and together, we are growing the network of lifesavers by equipping these students with skills they will remember for life.” Wholetime and On-Call Firefighters, from the following stations, are taking part in the campaign: Alfreton, Ashbourne, Bakewell, Bolsover, Buxton, Chesterfield, Clay-Cross, Clowne, Dronfield, Duffield, Kingsway, Matlock, Nottingham Road, Ripley and Staveley. Firefighters will remain on-standby to attend emergency incidents during the sessions.

Read more at: https://www.derbyshiretimes.co.uk/news/emergency-services-teaming-up-for-restart-a-heart-campaign-1-9397413

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THIS snake catcher said she was one minute away from dying when a python strangled her, leaving her with these horrific injuries.

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma is thought to be triggered by a combination of high pollen levels and a certain type of storm.

In a bid to identify patients who may be at risk of thunderstorm asthma attack, GPs are being urged to ask ‘their wheezers if they sneeze, and sneezers if they wheeze’.

Ten people died in the epidemic thunderstorm asthma event in Melbourne in 2016.

Research published in The Lancet Planetary Health shows more than 70% of the patients in the Melbourne epidemic had untreated airway hyper-responsiveness, previous asthma with no symptoms in the past year, asthma-like symptoms not diagnosed, or seasonal allergic rhinitis with no asthma symptoms.

Professor Amanda Barnard, GP and the Chair of National Asthma Council Australia’s Guidelines Committee, told newsGP there are people with asthma whose symptoms are triggered in the spring through seasonal allergies.

‘We know that the people whose asthma attacks are triggered by thunderstorm, in particular, have ryegrass pollen allergies,’ she said.

Professor Barnard suggests GPs discuss these triggers with their patients.

‘Ask all your patients who wheeze – so everybody who has got asthma – if they also sneeze, [because] if they had allergic rhinitis as well they are particularly at risk,’ she said.

‘But also, people who have allergic rhinitis are at risk, so people who sneeze coming into this season. It’s really important that we [ask if] those people also wheeze or have any history of asthma.

‘So ask your wheezers if they sneeze, and ask your sneezers if they wheeze, which sounds a bit simplistic, but it’s getting across the notion that these people are particularly at risk of asthma that’s triggered by the release of pollens during thunderstorm.’

Epidemic thunderstorm asthma is thought to be triggered by a unique combination of high pollen levels and a certain type of thunderstorm, causing a large number of people to develop asthma symptoms over a short period of time.

Grass pollen grains are swept up in the wind and carried for long distances; some can burst open and release tiny particles that are concentrated in the wind gusts that come just before a thunderstorm. These particles are small enough to be breathed deep into the lungs and can trigger asthma symptoms, making it difficult to breathe.

This can become very severe, very quickly, and many people may require medical help at the same time.

The research in The Lancet Planetary Health shows those affected in 2016 were not the very young or very old, but rather those aged 20–59. Reasons behind this could include that individuals of this age are perhaps more likely to be outdoors, and potentially more active. Both of these factors would increase allergen load.

There was also a high prevalence of Asian or Indian ethnicity among the patients, including six of the 10 deaths.

Professor Barnard said it is especially important that the multicultural communities identified in the research, including any recently arrived immigrants, are ready for future thunderstorm asthma events.

‘People with asthma and/or allergic rhinitis need to ensure that they proactively manage their symptoms,’ she said.  ‘This includes having an up-to-date asthma action plan in place, prepared by their GPs. Those with poorly controlled asthma have the worst outcomes.

‘There is also a need for patients to better understand their risks and how to protect themselves and others, including how to apply asthma first aid.’

Professor Barnard said that, in primary care, prevention of asthma triggered by thunderstorms is based on:

• year-round asthma control
• regular low-dose inhaled corticosteroid treatment for most adults with asthma
• management of seasonal allergic rhinitis, including preventive intranasal corticosteroid treatment during the pollen season
• avoiding exposure to thunderstorms
• ensuring appropriate access to relievers during grass pollen season.

She said GPs can work with patients to maximise adherence with their medications, as well as ensuring they are using inhalers correctly.

‘We also know a whole lot of people don’t use their medication correctly so, therefore, the medications aren’t getting down into the lungs and doing the work that it should be doing,’ Professor Barnard said.

National Asthma Council Australia is holding six educational workshops on thunderstorm asthma for health professionals throughout September.

The workshops, which are running until 20 September, will include information on how to identify and manage at-risk patients, prevention and treatment of thunderstorm asthma, and managing allergic rhinitis in people with asthma.

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It began as just another day at the library for Caitlin Louey and her friends.

It was about lunchtime and the 19-year-old was getting hungry. Luckily, she had brought a package of soy crisps from home.

But things went wrong from the moment she took the first bite.

‘I immediately felt my tongue swelling, my lips tingling, I couldn’t breathe, I had a racing heart and soon after I couldn’t talk,’ Ms Louey told newsGP.

‘It was scary … I was just focusing on staying alive.

‘I was lucky enough to have friends who looked after me and gave me the EpiPen before the paramedics arrived.’

The first-year medical student was diagnosed at the age of four with anaphylactic allergy to pecans, walnuts and peanuts, but is careful to avoid all nuts. Her soy crisps featured the precautionary label, ‘may contain traces of nuts’.

Researchers now want food labelling regulations tightened after a study found some people with allergies have anaphylactic reactions to packaged foods. Also first aid course focussed on Anaphylaxis available.

Published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice, the study involved the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute, the University of Melbourne, Victoria University, the Royal Children’s Hospital, and the University of Sydney.

The nine-month survey of 864 Allergy and Anaphylaxis Australia members found that 58 respondents (6.7%) reported anaphylactic reactions to a packaged food where the suspected allergen was not a listed ingredient.

Of those 58, five (8.6%) said there was no Precautionary Allergen Label (PAL), 31 (53.5%) said there was a PAL, but it didn’t specify the suspected trigger food, and 22 (38%) said there was a PAL that did list it.

Suspected triggers included peanuts, other tree nuts, cashews, milk, eggs, walnuts, sesame seeds, and prawns.

Potential allergens must be declared on Australian food labels when they are present as ingredients or as components of food additives or processing aids. PAL is a voluntary system and uses statements such as ‘may contain traces’ or ‘may be present’.

Lead researcher and Melbourne School of Population and Global Health Allergy and Lung Health Unit postdoctoral research fellow, Dr Giovanni Zurzolo, told newsGP that PAL should be regulated and standardised, rather than voluntary.

‘We need regulation in place for precautionary allergen labelling,’ he said. ‘That system is voluntary, so the manufacturers can choose to do it or not. There is no regulation behind it.

‘Previous research shows that in a supermarket setting, over 60% of products contain a precautionary statement. So it is awfully confusing for a consumer to actually choose whether the food is safe or not.’

Dr Giovanni Zurzolo says the Precautionary Allergen Label system should be regulated and standardised, rather than voluntary.

Dr Zurzolo said VITAL, Voluntary Incidental Allergen Labelling, is a better risk-assessment tool already being used by some in the industry.

‘It is backed by scientific experts, which works on action levels, where if a product contains certain amounts of allergens, if it is above a threshold, it gets labelled with a statement,’ he said.

‘If it is below a threshold, then it gets labelled with no statement … but the problem is that it is not regulated by government, it is voluntary.

‘From a consumer perspective … the statement that they provide on the actual product when they deem that the product is unsafe is very similar to a normal precautionary statement.’

In addition, the VITAL system does not label safe products.

Dr Zurzolo believes Australia could also follow Japan’s lead and completely abolish precautionary labelling.

‘If manufacturers think there is a hint of a trace contamination, or the product could have come in contact with other allergens, then it gets labelled on the ingredients list,’ he said.

The study’s senior author, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute and University of Melbourne Professor Katie Allen, describes anaphylaxis as a serious health issue.

‘This research shows how important accurate food labelling is,’ she said. ‘These reactions can be life-threatening.’

Ms Louey said her anaphylactic reaction, which is the worst she has ever experienced, has had lasting effects.

‘This reaction has had an immense effect on my anxiety,’ she said.

‘I have lost a lot of trust in packaged food and even just eating out. I can’t avoid everything that says “may contain traces”, because that’s impossible. Everything has that [warning] now.

‘So it does limit my freedom of choice and my own ability to know what is safe when I am eating.’

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