Environmental Illness

Question 1

What’s the normal body temperature?

Answer 1

Between 36 - 37.5 degrees Celsius

Question 2

what’s heat illness

Answer 2

When the temperature is too high for the body’s cooling mechanism to sufficiently cope the body becomes stressed and injury occurs. Heat cramps, heat exhaustion and heat stroke are stages that the body undergoes.

Question 3

What are heat cramps and what causes them?

Answer 3

→ Heat cramps can be extremely painful and can occur anywhere in the body such as arms, legs, back and abdomen
→ Dehydration or excessive exercise can exacerbate the problem
→ Generally a casualty will show signs of heat exhaustion and cramps

Question 4

What are the signs of heat exaustien?

Answer 4

→ Fatigue 
	→ Profuse sweating 
	→ Rapid weak heartbeat 
	→ Feeling faint 
	→ Headache 
	→ Nausea vomiting 
Heat cramps

Question 5

Treatment for heat exhaustion?

Answer 5

→ Move to a cool, shaded area and recommend to lie down
→ Loosen and remove excessive clothing such as jackets or heavy tops
→ Moisten the skin with an atomizer spray with a damp cloth
→ Cool by fanning
→ Encourage clear fluid intake such as water if fully conscious
Call 000 if there’s no improvement

Question 6

What is heat stroke?

Answer 6

This is a medical emergency as it may lead to unconsciousness and death. All body organs can be effected. It generally occurs when body temperature has reached 40 degrees or above

Question 7

Signs and symptoms of heat stroke?

Answer 7

→ Headache
→ Skin may become dry and hot but sometimes profuse swearing
→ Altered mental state grogginess, confusion, in coherent speech, dizziness
→ Abnormal walking, coma or seizures
→ collapse or acutely unwell
→ As temp increases their mental state will be increasingly affected and unconsciousness can occur
Does not recover promptly on lying flat with the legs elevated

Question 8

What to do for heat stroke?

Answer 8

→ STRIP = the athlete of as much clothing as possible
→ SOAK = with any available water
→ FAN = vigorously by whatever means possible improvise

Cool or ice water immersion if possible
→ IMMERSE = up to the neck in cool or ice bath or 
→ COVER = all of the body with ice water soaked towels that are changed frequently as an alternative 
→ CALL 000 = do so once first aid cooling is being implemented

Question 9

signs of Mild Hypothermia

Answer 9

→ Uncontrollable shivering 
	→ Numbness of fingers and hands 
	→ Loss of function of extremities 
	→ Skin may become bluish/ grey and cool
	→ Impaired coordination, fatigue, lethargic 
Slurred speech

Question 10

Management Mild Hypothermia

Answer 10

→ Move casualty to warmer location
→ Give them a warm drink
→ Remove any wet clothing and encourage physical activity to increase body temperature
→ Heat packs or hot water bottles can also be used to assist this process

Question 11

Signs and symptoms of Moderate to severe Hypothermia

Answer 11

→ Decrease in shivering or loss of it
→ Increase of muscle stiffness
→ Altered mental status disorientation, grogginess, confusion
→ Decreased pulse and respiration rate
→ May lead to unconsciousness
Low blood pressure

Question 12

Management of Moderate to severe Hypothermia

Answer 12

→ Requires urgent medical aid 
	→ Remove casualty from cold environment
	→ Follow DRS ABCD principles 
	→ Try to warm them up 
	→ Place them in dry sleeping bag or blanket 
	→ Give them warm liquids to drink 

If casualty isn't shivering and in remote location 
→ Carefully apply external heat source 
→ To avoid burns ensure that external heat sours is warm but not hot 
→ If frostbite occurred don't attempt to rub warmth into affected are as it can casue sever injury   Don’t place them in warm bath

Question 13

Cause of seizers other then epilepsy

Answer 13

→ Head injury 
	→ Drug and alcohol intoxication 
	→ Fever
	→ Tumour 
	→ Certain prescribed drugs 
	→ Infection 
	→ Photo-sensitive 
During or shortly after pregnancy can be a symptom of eclampsia

Question 14

managment of seizers

Answer 14

Stay calm

Stay with casualty

Look at the time for duration of seizure

Move bystanders and objects

Follow DRS ABCD once seizure has stopped

Roll casualty onto side if breathing

Maintain their privacy and dignity

Let them rest and stay with the for reassurance

If casualty injured themselves attend to it once it’s finished

Question 15

You need to call 000 during a seziour if:

Answer 15

→ They injured themselves badly
→ They have difficulty breathing after seizure
→ If a second seizure follows the first
→ If the seizure lasts longer then 5 min (they may have a bracelet or card saying the usual time the seizers go for)
If they’re not know for having epilepsy

Question 16

What can trigger it febrile convulsions Seizures

Answer 16

A high fever in a child may trigger a convulsion this occurs in child aged form 6 m to 5 years. It can last a few seconds to 15 min often followed by drowsiness

Question 17

Signs and symptoms of febrile convulsions Seizures

Answer 17

→ Loss of consciousness 
	→ Muscles may stiffen, jerk or twitch 
	→ Face may go pale or blue 
	→ Difficulty in breathing 
	→ Moaning, crying 
	→ Vomiting 
Foaming at the mouth

Question 18

what to do during febrile convulsions Seizures

Answer 18

Stay calm remain with them

Look at the time to see how long it lasts

Lay them onto a soft surface or floor with blanket underneath

Remover any object

Move them only if they’re in danger

Loosen tight clothing and if possible remove or open clothes from the waist up

Question 19

what to do after febrile convulsions Seizures

Answer 19

→ Roll the child into recover
→ Place cool washcloths to the neck and forehead
→ Using tepid water sponge the rest of the body
→ Contact 000 if
○ Lasted more then 5 min
○ They don’t wake up
○ Has more then one convulsion in a short period of time
○ They have been injured or appear ill
→ Contact local family doctor if:
○ Convulsion lasted less then 5 min
Child had previous illness before the convulsion