Accidental poisoning causes hundreds of deaths annually, with many of the cases being caused by house hold products. There are numerous household products which have been formulated using a blend of ingredients which are toxic and can be if ingested or inhaled.
In addition to that, drinking too much alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning. Such instances call for immediate first aid treatment to prevent serious injuries or even death.
Here are a few steps on how to perform first aid treatment for poisoning. Read on.
First Aid Treatments for Poisoning
The first thing you should do is call an ambulance or any other medical help. If you have a personal safety alarm application on your mobile device, send an alert to your friends and family so they can bring help to you.
Meanwhile, follow the steps stipulated below to reduce the effect of the poison or to at least keep the patient alive.
Step #1:
First and foremost, make sure that you are composed and remain calm. Before attending to the victim, make sure that you check out for anything that can put you in danger; especially in case the toxin is in form of gas or vapor.
After making contact with the patient, move him or her away from the affected area to prevent him from more exposure. Make sure that the patient is getting fresh air.
Step #2:
Once the patient is away from the contaminated area, check for any poisoning signs and symptoms. Certain signs and symptoms will help you in determining what poisoned your patient.
Check for mouth burns or burns on the skin. Other than that, check for symptoms depicted by the poisoning including diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, shortness of breath or any unusual behaviors like confusion, aggression or sudden exhaustion.
Step #3:
Ascertain if the patient is conscious or unconscious. This will help you determine how to approach the whole situation. If the patient is unconscious but still breathing normally, turn him on his side.
This will ensure that his airway is clear, and that he can breathe easily. If the patient is unconscious but not breathing, begin CPR immediately.
Step #4:
For a conscious victim, call Poison Control Center and follow the instructions you'll be given by the poison emergency assistance.
While calling the center, it's important that you know the patient's age and approximate weight, when the patient was poisoned, as well as the bottle or container of the poison.
Additional Tips
Here are a few additional basic first aid tips that you may perform as you wait for help to arrive.
Tip #1:
If the poisoning is caused by a solid substance such as pills, cover your finger using a clean cloth, then try to remove the pills or residue for the patient's mouth.
Tip #2:
For skin corrosive poison, remove any clothing from the affected area and flush the area using clean water for approximately 30 minutes.
Again, make sure you discard the victim's clothing to avoid harming anybody else. You might also want to flush her eyes using water and ask her to avoid rubbing her eyes.
Tip #3:
Don't induce vomiting using Ipecac syrup or any other method. This should only be done if advised by a medical practitioner.
Furthermore, vomiting alone can't remove the poison for the patient's stomach and instead of doing any good, the syrup of Ipecac might cause harm.
Always be ready to act quickly and remember to stay composed.
In addition to that, drinking too much alcohol can lead to alcohol poisoning. Such instances call for immediate first aid treatment to prevent serious injuries or even death.
Here are a few steps on how to perform first aid treatment for poisoning. Read on.
First Aid Treatments for Poisoning
The first thing you should do is call an ambulance or any other medical help. If you have a personal safety alarm application on your mobile device, send an alert to your friends and family so they can bring help to you.
Meanwhile, follow the steps stipulated below to reduce the effect of the poison or to at least keep the patient alive.
Step #1:
First and foremost, make sure that you are composed and remain calm. Before attending to the victim, make sure that you check out for anything that can put you in danger; especially in case the toxin is in form of gas or vapor.
After making contact with the patient, move him or her away from the affected area to prevent him from more exposure. Make sure that the patient is getting fresh air.
Step #2:
Once the patient is away from the contaminated area, check for any poisoning signs and symptoms. Certain signs and symptoms will help you in determining what poisoned your patient.
Check for mouth burns or burns on the skin. Other than that, check for symptoms depicted by the poisoning including diarrhea, vomiting, seizures, shortness of breath or any unusual behaviors like confusion, aggression or sudden exhaustion.
Step #3:
Ascertain if the patient is conscious or unconscious. This will help you determine how to approach the whole situation. If the patient is unconscious but still breathing normally, turn him on his side.
This will ensure that his airway is clear, and that he can breathe easily. If the patient is unconscious but not breathing, begin CPR immediately.
Step #4:
For a conscious victim, call Poison Control Center and follow the instructions you'll be given by the poison emergency assistance.
While calling the center, it's important that you know the patient's age and approximate weight, when the patient was poisoned, as well as the bottle or container of the poison.
Additional Tips
Here are a few additional basic first aid tips that you may perform as you wait for help to arrive.
Tip #1:
If the poisoning is caused by a solid substance such as pills, cover your finger using a clean cloth, then try to remove the pills or residue for the patient's mouth.
Tip #2:
For skin corrosive poison, remove any clothing from the affected area and flush the area using clean water for approximately 30 minutes.
Again, make sure you discard the victim's clothing to avoid harming anybody else. You might also want to flush her eyes using water and ask her to avoid rubbing her eyes.
Tip #3:
Don't induce vomiting using Ipecac syrup or any other method. This should only be done if advised by a medical practitioner.
Furthermore, vomiting alone can't remove the poison for the patient's stomach and instead of doing any good, the syrup of Ipecac might cause harm.
Always be ready to act quickly and remember to stay composed.
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