First aid for burns and scalds | First aid for Extreme cold and Extreme heat | First Aid basics | Learn Hutt

First aid for burns and scalds | First aid for Extreme cold and Extreme heat | First Aid basics | Lesson - 7 | Learn Hutt

Sprain and soft tissue injuries:
First Aid:

• Treat as fracture and follow the RICE procedure.
• R- Rest the injured part.
• I- Apply ice or cold compress.
• C- Compress the injury.
• E- Elevate the injured part. 

Cold compression reduces swelling, bruising and pain and elevation reduces the blood flow to the injured part.

Burns and Scalds ( Including chemical burns ): There are 3 types of burn injuries, they are:-

Superficial burn: This involves only the outer most layer of the skin and is characterised by redness, swelling and tenderness. 

Partial - Thickness burn: Any one percent burn affecting layers of the epidermis, giving raise to rawness and blisters. 

Full - Thickness burn: With this type of burn, all the layers of the skin are burned and there may be some damage to nerves, fat tissue and muscles. 

First Aid:

• Flood the injured part with cold water for atleast 10 minutes to stop the burning and relieve pain.
• Gently remove any jewellery, watches, belts or constricting clothing from the injured area before it begins to swell.
• Cover the area with a sterile dressing, or any clean, non-fluffy material, and bandage loosely in place. A plastic bag or some kitchen film makes a good temporary covering.

Do not break blisters or other wise interfere with the injured area.
Do not apply adhesive dressings or adhesive tape to the skin: the bum may be more extensive than it first appears.
Do not apply lotions, ointments, or fats to the injury, they can further damage the tissues and increasing the risk if infection.
Do not remove any thing sticking to the burn. You may cause further damage and introduce infection into the wound.

Inhalation of fumes:
First Aid:

• Remove the casualty from danger and into fresh air.
• Flood oxygen if available and trained.
  
  

Hypothermia ( Extreme cold ): 

The body reacts to cold by shutting down blood vessels in the skin to stop ‘core heat’ escaping. When deprived of warm blood, extremities such as fingers or toes may freeze in severe conditions causing frostbite. If the body’s core temperature becomes dangerously low, bodily functions slow down and may cease altogether.

First Aid:

• Very gently remove gloves, rings, and any other constrictions such as boots. Warm the affected part with your hands, in your lap, or in the casualty’s armpit. Avoid rubbing because it can damage skin and tissues.
• Move the casualty into warmth before you thaw the affected part; carry the victim if possible when the feet are affected.
• Place the affected part in warm water. Dry carefully, and apply a light dressing of fluffed-up, dry gauge bandage.
• Raise and support the limb to reduce swelling. A casualty may take 2 paracetamol tablets for intense pain.

Extreme heat: 

When the atmospheric temperature is the same as jour body temperature, the body cannot loose heat by radiation or by evaporation. If there is also a humid atmosphere, sweat will not evaporate from the body. In these circumstances, particularly during strenuous exercise when the body generates more heat, heat exhaustion or heat stroke can occur.

 First Aid: For heat exhaustion.

• Help the casualty to a cool place. Lay him down and raise his legs.
• Give the casualty plenty of water, follow, if possible, with weak salt solution ( One tea spoon of salt per litre of water).