Health and First Aid | Sudden Illness, Anaphylaxis, Poisoning and Cold Injury, Set 2

An unresponsive person who is breathing normally should be placed on the side in the recovery position. This position helps prevent the airway from narrowing or becoming blocked by vomit. Keep monitoring rather than leaving the person alone, and switch to CPR if normal breathing stops. Giving water creates an aspiration risk.

Wheezing with distress severe enough to limit speech can mean that an asthma attack has dangerously narrowed the airways. Calling 119 immediately takes priority over waiting for spontaneous improvement. Paper-bag breathing is not asthma care, and making the person walk or leaving the person alone delays needed emergency assistance.

There is no need to place an object in the mouth or insert a finger to prevent tongue biting during a seizure. Doing so can instead damage the teeth or allow the inserted item to obstruct the airway and cause choking. A spoon, a finger and folded cloth are therefore not safe alternatives; do not force the mouth open.

Even when hypoglycemia is suspected, juice or sugar can enter the airway if the person is not fully alert and cannot swallow safely. In this situation, put nothing in the mouth and call 119. A fully alert person who can swallow may be given glucose, sugar cubes or a sweet drink, but giving more insulin would move blood glucose in the wrong direction.

When a person feels about to faint, sitting or lying down helps prevent a fall or collision if consciousness is lost. Fainting can occur when blood flow to the brain temporarily decreases, so continuing to stand or move is not safe. Stairs, marching in place and walking all preserve the fall risk; taking a low position comes first.

Even after an epinephrine auto-injector improves the symptoms, anaphylaxis can recur several hours later. Do not cancel the emergency response; tell emergency services that the person's prescribed device was used, and obtain medical evaluation. Using someone else's prescription or sending the person home alone merely because the symptoms improved is inappropriate.

If bleach, medicine or a similar substance has been swallowed, do not give water or milk and do not induce vomiting; call 119. Induced vomiting and an improvised attempt to “neutralize” the substance with a drink are not safe universal treatments. A current response to speech does not rule out danger, so connecting with emergency services takes priority.

With hypothermia, preventing any further loss of body heat is important. This situation combines three routes of heat loss—wetness, wind and contact with cold ground—so the best option reduces all three. Exposing the person to wind or leaving wet clothing and ground contact in place can allow cooling to continue despite a partial covering.

Do not rub or massage an area when frostbite is suspected in an attempt to warm it. Avoid improvised friction or force on skin with reduced sensation, protect the area and obtain professional assessment. Rubbing with snow, forceful massage and striking all rely on the mistaken idea that stronger stimulation will safely restore circulation.

A knocked-out tooth should be kept from drying by immersing it in tooth-preservation solution or milk and taking it to a dentist. If neither is available, FDMA guidance recommends wrapping the tooth in plastic wrap to prevent drying. The key is to preserve rather than discard the tooth and keep it appropriately moist instead of drying or freezing it.