First aid chapter 12

Scalp wounds

-Bleeds profusely due to many blood vessels -Control bleeding with direct pressure -If you suspect a skull fracture, apply pressure around the edges -Keep head and shoulders slightly elevated if no spinal injury -Seek medical care

Brain injuries

-Brain will swell from bleeding when injured, like other body tissues -BUT swelling compresses against confined skull; interfering with brain function -"Seeing stars" occurs whenoccipital lobe hits back of skull -Nerve cells of brain unable to regenerate. When cells die, no substitute, even by transplant

First aid for cuts of eye/lid

-Do NOT apply pressure to eyeball -Apply sterile or clean dressing with gentle pressure (if cut eyelid) -Bandage both eyes lightly -Seek medical care immediately

Caution tips for eye injuries

-Do NOT assume eye injury minor. When in doubt, seek medical care immediately -Do NOT try to remove object stuck in eye -Do NOT exert pressure on injured eyeball or object -Do NOT allow victim to rub eye -Do NOT bandage eye tightly -Do NOT use dry cotton (balls or swabs) or instruments(tweezers) to remove object

Caution tips for skull fracture

-Do NOT stop flow of blood or CSF from ear or nose (blocking flow may increase pressure inside skull) -Do NOT remove impaled object from head. Stabilize object -Do NOT clean open skull fracture, because cleaning may cause infection of brain) -Do NOT press on fractured area

types of eye injuries

-Penetrating Eye Injury -Blows to Eye -Cuts to Eye or Eyelid -Chemical in Eye -Eye Avulsion -Objects in Eye

first aid for objects in eye

-lift upper lid over lower lid, so lower lashes brush off object -Have victim blink few times (let eye move object out) -Flush out object gently with warm water (hold eyelid open and tell victim to move eye) -Pull lower lid down and remove it with sterile gauze or clean cloth

Head injuries

-normally due to motor vehicle crashes and falls -treat ANY head injury as potentially serious -if not properly treated, head injuries that seem minor could become life threatening -Many are minor (shallow wound, swelling, bruising) -But about 50,000 die each year due to head trauma (plus 100,000 people suffer permanent brain damage) -Children especially vulnerable (due to large head for body and fragile brain tissues)

Types of head injuries

-scalp wounds -skull fracture -brain injuries

Penetrating eye injury

-seek immediate medical care -stabilize object (busy dressings, clean cloths if long object , rolled gauze bandage or cloths around eye without touching short object)

Recognizing a skull fracture

1.Pain at point of injury 2.Deformity of skull 3.Bleeding from ears or nose 4. Heavy scalp bleeding 5. Penetrating wound (bullet, impaled object, or etc...) 6. Clear, pink, watery cerebrospinal fluid leaking from ear or nose 7.Discoloration around eyes ("raccoon eyes") 8.Discoloration around ear ("Battle's sign")

eye injuries

1. Arguably most important of human sense organs (causes most anxiety and concern in victim) 2. Easily damaged by trauma (even slight penetration means hospitalization) 3. Blindness or loss of eye remains possibility if eye injury occurs

Testing for Brain injury

1. Ask victim for name and current location 2. Ask for time, day of week, or date 3. Ask to say months backward 4. Create series of 3 words or objects to identify. Then ask for victim to repeat list 5 minutes later 5. Use AVPU scale for testing neurological function (especially small children)

Aftercare for head injury

1. Headache lasts over 1-2 days or increase severity 2. Nausea lasts over 2 hours, or vomiting again later 3. "Sees double," eyes don't move together, or 1 pupil looks bigger than other 4. Can't use arms or legs as well as before 5. Slurred speech or unable to talk 6. Violent spasm or series of muscle contractions 7. Wake victim at least every 2 hours to check status: don't wake them up, check on them to see if they're breathing

First aid for skull fracture

1. Monitor victim's breathing and provide care 2. Stabilize neck to prevent movement 3. Slightly elevate head and shoulders (to help control bleeding) (do not do this) 4. Cover wounds with sterile dressing 5. Apply pressure around edges of wound (to control bleeding)

Types of brain injuries

1. concussion 2. contusion 3. hematoma

First aid for blows to the eye

1.Apply ice or cold pack for about 15 minutes (to reduce swelling) 2.Do NOT apply pressure to eye 3.Seek medical care if double vision, pain, or reduced vision

Recognition of brain injury

1.Coma, unresponsiveness 2.Confused facial expression 3.Slow to answer questions or follow instructions 4.Easily distracted and unable to do normal activities 5.Walking in wrong direction; unaware of time, date and place 6) Conversation disjointed or incomprehensible 7) Stumbling, inability to walk straight line 8) Distraught, crying for no apparent reason 9) Asking question already answered 10) Inability to memorize series of 3 words  or objects 5 minutes later

First aid of eye avulsion

1.Cover eye loosely with sterile or clean dressing moistened with clean water 2.Do NOT try to push eyeball back into socket 3.Protect injured eye with paper cup or etc. 4.Cover undamaged eye with patch (to stop moving of damaged eye) 5.Seek medical care

First aid for brain injury

1.Seek immediate medical care 2.Monitor victim's breathing and provide care 3.Stabilize victim's neck to prevent movement (if spinal injury) 4.Slightly elevate head and shoulders (if no spinal injury) DO NOT 5) Cover wounds with sterile dressing 6) Apply pressure around edges of wound (to control bleeding) 7) Brain-injury victims tend to vomit. Roll victim onto side 8) Do not remove helmet (unless airway obstruction or too loose/can't stabilize spine)

first aid for chemical in eye

1.Use fingers to keep eye open as wide as possible 2.Flush eye with water for at least 20 minutes; irrigate from nose side of eye to outside 3.Tell victim to roll eyeball as much as possible to help wash out chemical 4.Loosely bandage both eyes with cold, wet dressings 5.Remove contacts ASAP if used 6. Seek immediate medical care

Skull fracture

Break or crack in cranium (bony case around brain) -May be open (with accompanying scalp wound) -Or closed (without scalp wound) -Difficult to determine skull fracture except by X-ray unless deformity severe

contusion

bruising of brain tissue

hematoma

collection of blood localized due to broken blood vessel (serious brain injury)

concussion

temporary loss of brain function (unconscious or amnesia), usually not permanent