Chapter 9Management of Injuries and Acute Illness©2015 Cengage Learning.Responding to An Emergency An emergency involves an unexpected event or condition that requires a prompt response.Program Planning• Every program should have policies and response procedures in place to follow in the event of an illness or serious emergency. – Plans should be reviewed and updated frequently. – Staff should be familiar with these plans and know how they are to be implemented.Program Planning• Staff members should be trained in basic first aid and CPR. • First-aid supplies should be available and accessible. • Families should be informed of program emergency response policies and procedures.Basic Principles• Remain with the child at all times. • Do not move unless there is danger of further injury. • Do not give fluids or medications unless prescribed. • Call for medical assistance. • Notify the child’s family. • Record all information about the event.Evaluating a Victim• Assess the child and environment • Alert another adult • Attend to the victim • Record all observations and treatments • And, never attempt to diagnose or give medical adviceAbsence of Breathing• Check victim for response and injuries – Establish that the victim is not breathing. • Begin CAB (chest compressions, airway, breathing): – Position and give 30 quick chest compressions – Open airway (head tilt-chin lift) and give two small breaths. • Continue (using a compression-to-ventilation rate of 30:2 for persons of all ages except newborns) until the victim begins breathing or emergency medical assistance arrives.Airway Obstruction• Children under five years are at highest risk for choking on objects. – Why? – What other groups of children are at increased risk? – What items do children choke on most often?Airway Obstruction• Use the Heimlich maneuver to dislodge an item in the child’s airway. Know how this technique is applied differently for: – Infants – Toddlers – Older children and adults • Stop back blows/chest thrusts and begin CPR at once if the child stops breathingShock• Shock is life-threatening and can occur with many different types of injuries. • The victim may appear pale, weak, and confused. • Help the victim to lie down; elevate feet 8 to 10 inches and observe closely for breathing. • Call for emergency medical assistance.Asthma Attacks• Asthma attacks are caused by swelling and narrowing of the air passages. • Severity of attacks varies from mild coughing and wheezing to life-threatening. • Asthma rates for children under 5 years have increased almost 160 percent. • Boys are diagnosed more often than girls, especially those living in low-income families. • Children 5 to 17 years of age missed 11 million school days due to asthma.Asthma Attacks• Encourage the child to relax. • Administer prescribed medications (inhaler). • Monitor the child’s breathing. • Call for emergency medical assistance if !the attack is prolonged or the child becomes fatigued and is struggling to breathe. • Notify the child’s family.Bleeding• Call for emergency medical assistance if bleeding comes in spurts or cannot be controlled. • Follow Universal Infection Control Precautions. • Apply direct pressure; elevate if possible. • Notify the child’s family.Diabetes• Approximately 14-15,000 children are diagnosed with type 1 diabetes every year. • Type 2 diabetes is linked to obesity and is being diagnosed at an alarming rate among young children. • Diabetes is a major trigger for heart disease and stroke and is the seventh leading cause of death.Diabetes• The risk of developing type 2 diabetes is highest among African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, Native Americans, some Asian Americans, and Native Hawaiians or other Pacific Islanders.Diabetes• Teachers must work closely with the families of children who have been diagnosed with diabetes. • Emergency management requires: – Recognizing symptoms of hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia (Teacher Checklist 9-5) – Administering treatment and calling for emergency medical assistance if neededDrowning• Drowning is the leading cause of death among young children under 14 years. • Prevention is essential! – What precautions must be taken to protect children from accidental drowning? • Administer CPR if the child is not breathing. • Call for emergency medical assistance and contact the child’s family.Head Injury• Every head injury should be considered potentially serious. • Observe the child carefully for 48 hours. – What potential signs might a child who has sustained any head injury exhibit? • Become familiar with the signs of serious complications.Poisoning • Why are young children at high risk for unintentional poisoning? • What signs might indicate a potential poisoning? • Know how to distinguish different categories of ingested substances (Table 9-2).Non-Life-Threatening Conditions• Teachers should know how to care for children who experience a variety of injuries and acute illnesses. • How would you respond to each of the following conditions? – Scrapes and cuts – Bites – Blisters – Burns – Eye injuriesNon-Life-Threatening Conditions– How would you respond to each of the following conditions? • Fractures • Frostbite • Heat stroke • Nosebleeds • Seizures • Splinters • Tooth