Lesson 11: Emergencies: Seizures, Chest Pain, Poisoning & Choking

Objectives

Students will:

• Identify common symptoms of seizures, chest pain, poisoning & choking*
• identify strategies for dealing with seizures, chest pain, poisoning & choking*
• understand when to seek medical help for seizures, chest pain, poisoning & choking
• Identify preventive strategies for handling seizures, chest pain, poisoning & choking

Teacher Notes

Be sure that students understand clearly in this lesson and all other lessons in this section, that the information taught in this class is NOT a substitute for professional medical advice. F students have questions about personal health issues, they should call their healthcare provider. The intent of LifeFacts: Managing Illness & Injury is to provide students with underlying background information so that they will be able to make healthy choices and informed decisions about their healthcare needs.

The decision to include seizures, acute chest pain, poisoning & choking in this curriculum was due to the often serious consequences of these types of ailments. The occurrence of any of these health problems usually constitutes an emergency situation and should be responded to by immediately getting help (going to the Emergency Room or calling 911 or an ambulance). This differs from the previously discussed illnesses and injuries, many of which may be self-managed by the patient or with a call to the doctor.

Emphasize the emergency status of these health problems. Encourage students to learn to recognize signs and symptoms of serious seizures, acute chest pain, poisoning & choking and respond by getting help immediately. Quick action may save a life

People with previously diagnosed seizure disorders or asthma may wear a “medic-Alert” type bracelet or necklace to point out their disorder to emergency health care providers. Students with medication allergies which could result in accidental poisoning should also be encouraged to carry or wear information about their specific condition at all times.

A person having a seizure who has a previously diagnosed seizure disorder may not present an emergency situation. F, however, the seizure is unusual in any way (duration, intensity, first occurrence, first grand mal, or resulting in injury), then an emergency exists and the person needs prompt medical help. All seizures should be documented and reported. Minor heartburn or indigestion is usually not serious and can be readily managed with seif Care and antacid over-the-counter medications. Other types of chest pain may indicate heart or lung stress and should be checked by a doctor. All types of poisoning should be checked by a doctor.

Choking may be an emergency, depending on the situation. If a person successfully sips choking, they should still be encouraged to visit the Emergency Room to be checked. Small objects can enter the Iungs and may present complications even after the initial choking episode is resolved.

CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation are not covered in this curriculum. 1f you wish to teach these helpful subjects in your classroom, call your local Red Cross or the education department of your local hospital. They should be able to provide you with basic information and may even visit or class to work with students. For some students, it may be appropriate to recommend and support enrollment in a community-based Red Cross or Hospital sponsored CPR training course.

• For students with severe learning challenges, prevention of poisoning is the most important single element of this lesson. You may want to devote a full class to accidental! Poisoning and poison prevention, bringing in a guest speaker or pharmacist.

LifeFacts To Be Taught

Seizures

A seizure is a convulsion or sudden loss of body control usually lasting 1-5 minutes There are different kinds of seizures

• petit mal-a brief convulsion period (5-30 seconds), the person will not faint, may stop and stare into space, may have rhythmic motions of facial muscles and other body parts
• grand mal-sudden loss of consciousness, the total body becomes rigid and stiff, then the body jerks rhythmically, breathing is not normal, the person may drool, may wet their pants or have a bowel movement, then the body relaxes and the person is exhausted. It may take several minutes or a few hours before the person is wide awake again.

Seizures involving body movement may also cause injury (hurting) as parts of the body hit objects around the person. Many types of seizure disorders can be controlled by medication. Some people know they have a seizure disorder (are likely to have seizures). Their seizures may not be as much of an emergency unless they are unusual (different) FOR THAT PERSON. For other people, a seizure is an emergency situation.

A person should get medical help (go to the ER or call 911/ambulance) immediately for seizures if:

• they have any questions or concerns about the seizure
• the seizure is unusually long (over 3-5 minutes for a grand mal)
• this is the first seizure the person has ever had
• the person is injured during the seizure

A person should always call a doctor the same day to tell them that a seizure has happened. The doctor will want to keep track of what is happening.

Some ways for a person who has seizures to take care of him/herself are to:

• wear a bracelet or necklace telling others they have a seizure disorder
• tell co-workers, teachers or other people the person is around a lot, that they have a seizure disorder. Tell them what to do in case a seizure happens
• properly take prescription medications to control seizures

A person can help another person who is having a seizure by:

• protecting them from injury during the seizure
• do not try to hold the person down (restrain them)
• remove (take away) objects that the person might hit while jerking their arms and legs. Clear the area around them. Cover any sharp corners with clothing
• ease them gradually down to the floor
• do NOT put anything in their mouth
• time the seizure (keep track of how long it lasts) and notice what is happening (is the whole body involved, just one side, etc.)
• turn the person onto their side (if possible) so that breathing will be easier.

Chest Pain

Chest pain is when you hurt or have pain in your chest.

• This pain may be due to heartburn or indigestion (often caused by eating spicy foods). Some people have heartburn often. They will know what it feels like and be able to tell the difference between heartburn and more serious chest pain.
• Heartburn (indigestion) is usually minor and can be treated using antacids.
• Other chest pain is more serious and requires medical help immediately.

Chest pain may involve:

• Pain or hurting in the chest area (especially on the left side)
• pain can travel up into the neck or down the arm (especially the left arm)
• pain starts or becomes worse with exertion (exercise)
• shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing
• profuse (lots of) perspiration (sweating)
• possible vomiting (throwing up
• a deep rattling cough
• Sputum (mucous spit up when a person coughs) is thick
• possible fever (temperature above 102 degrees)
• pain becomes worse when taking a deep breath

A person should always get medical help immediately for chest pain if: they have any kind of chest pain other than heartburn or indigestion

Poisoning

Poison is something that will make you sick or die if you eat or drink it. Some kinds of medicines should not be taken together (or with certain types of food or k) as they will interact (mix together inside the body) and have a poisonous effect. Most poisoning is accidental – people don’t know they could be hurting themselves by drinking or eating the poison. Sometimes food spoils when it has been stored improperly (wrong) or cooked inadequately (not enough). A person who eats spoiled food may get “food poisoning”

A person who has taken poison may have the following symptoms

• they may be very sleepy (lethargic)
• They may have nausea and vomiting
• Pain
• headache

A person who thinks they may have taken poison should:

• Call 911 or Poison Control immediately
• Find out what kind of poison has been taken, how much, and how long ago
• immediately follow poison antidote instructions on the label (if they are there)
• force fluids, use syrup of ipecac (makes a person throw up the poison) only if Directed to do so by the doctor or poison control

A person can help prevent poisoning by:

• Carefully reading all labels on medicines before taking to be sure they are taking the right kind of medicine and the right dose
• don’t eat or drink anything from an unlabeled bottle
• Food-properly store and cook foods to kill germs that cause food poisoning
• Keep foods and cleaning products separated
• keep anything poisonous stored out of reach of children
• Clean out the medicine cabinet regularly, throwing out old medicines

Choking

Choking is when something - often food -is stuck in a person’s throat and he/she can’t breathe around it.

Signs and symptoms of choking

• shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• a person may “gasp” for breath
• a person may not be able to talk (something- perhaps a piece of food - may be stuck in their windpipe)
• Person may put their hands to their neck

If you are choking

• Motion for help; point to your neck
• The universal sign (most people will be able to understand) for choking is to clasp hands around neck
• To do the Heimlich Maneuver on yourself, stand over a chair and fall across the back of the chair at the level of your abdomen.

If someone else is choking

• Often the person will be able to cough out the object that is choking them
• if the person can speak, cough, or breathe, do not interfere with them
• if their coughing continues, call for emergency help right away (911 or Ambulance)
• If the person cannot speak or cough, ask someone else to call for emergency help while you help the choking person
• If the choking person is conscious (awake), move behind them and put your arms around their middle, just below the ribcage. Clasp your hands together and press in and up quickly. Do not press against their ribs. Repeat this until the victim is no longer choking or becomes unconscious (not awake)
• If the choking person is unconscious (not awake), lay them on the floor and give rescue breathing.

Prevention

• When eating, take small bites of food and chew them thoroughly to prevent choking
• Do not “fool around” while eating
• Put only food in your mouth – no other small objects
• If a person has asthma, they should always carry their medicine in case they have an “attack.” A person with asthma can also wear a “medic alert” type of bracelet or necklace to tell others who might help them what is wrong with them.
• Learn how to help another person who is having problems breathing.

LifeFacts Teaching Steps

Present the “LifeFacts above using the following activities: