Lesson 2: Illness & Injury: Levels of Severity

Objectives

Students will:

• distinguish between illness and injury, sick and hurt
• identify four responses to illness or injury: taking care of oneself, seeing a doctor, going to the emergency room (ER), calling 911 or an ambulance
• recognize that there are different levels of severity of illness and injury
• recognize that different levels of severity of illness or injury should prompt different types of responses

Teacher Notes

This lesson sets the stage for future lessons. Exploring the relationship between the appropriate type of response and the relative severity of illness or injury supplies a context for discussion of symptoms and reactions. Each of the four responses will be discussed in detail in this lesson so that students develop a clear understanding of available options in their local community. The illness and Injury lessons which follow this one will present specific information about symptoms and treatment options for common illnesses and injuries, information which will lead to wise and healthy choices for students as they face illness or injury.

This information is important to your students for several reasons:

1. Students must understand the medical systems that exist in their own settings in order to be independent informed healthcare consumers.)
2. Students must be aware of range of responses to illness and injury - responses which match specific levies of severity of illness or injury. This is critical so that students do not "cry wolf," inappropriately using 911 or a call for an ambulance when a simple band-aid is reality indicated.
3. Finally preparing students with basic first aid, hygiene and wellness information presented in an understandable and useful form, will reduce the incidence of their illness and injuries and allow them to develop skills to better handle medical situations as they arise.

For students with more significant learning challenges consider the use of alternative methods of communication when presenting this information. You may want to use actual photographs of a community ambulance, the Emergency Room of the local hospital and photos of a student's personal physician and pharmacist to make the information more concrete. Field trips or a visit to each of these sites may be extremely helpful. Additionally, work to provide students with clearly defined systems for obtaining the level of support they need - regardless of their communication challenges.

LifeFacts To Be Taught

Illness is a word used to describe what happens when people get sick. People who are sick or I’ll feel (physically) like their body is not well.

Injury is a word used to describe what happens when people get hurt. People who are injured usually have something wrong with their bodies that has happened very suddenly. Injuries are often caused by accidents (something unexpected).

When someone feels ill or has an injury there are four responses, they can use to get help to feel better:

• Take Care of Yourself. Many illnesses and injuries are not severe and simply need time and rest or very simple first aid to help the person feel better.

A person who is taking care of him/herself may want to call a doctor to get medical advice or to ask questions about what to do/what not to do.

• See Your Doctor. Some illnesses and injuries make people feel quite bad. They may have questions about how to get better. A doctor is a person who can help us by answering our questions, examining us to see what is wrong with us, doing medical tests (taking blood, urine, etc.) to see what kind of germ has made us sick, or what type of injury we have, and prescribing treatment (something we should do or not do, some type of medicine we should take that will make us feel better). People usually go to see a doctor if they feel worried about their illness or injury Doctors are usually available in their offices during weekdays, and will be “on call the rest of the time. If you need to talk to a doctor about a question, or to make an appointment you should call their office.
• Go to the Emergency Room at the Hospital. Sometimes illnesses start very suddenly, or get worse (the person gets sicker) very suddenly (quickly). Injuries are almost always sudden. Some types of injuries have a lot of pain and bleeding. The person may feel like they are badly hurt. If they are feeling very badly and can’t reach their doctor or are very worried about their illness or injury, they should ask a friend to take them to the emergency room at the hospital.

A person can go to the emergency room at any time of the day or night.

When a person goes to the emergency room several things will probably happen.

• A receptionist or a nurse will ask the person (or the friend who helped the person get to the emergency room) what the problem is.
• The receptionist or nurse will help fill out information on forms (papers or sometimes on a
• The patient may have to wait in a waiting area if the Emergency Room is busy or if the doctor is not there yet.
• The patient (and often the friend) will go into an examining room and wait to be examined (checked) by the doctor.
• A nurse may come in and take the patient’s temperature, blood pressure and pulse to give the doctor information that will help with the examination.
• The doctor will examine the patient, decide what is wrong and what to do about it, and give the patient very specific instructions (directions) for what to do in order to get well. The doctor may also give patient a prescription for medicine to take that will help the patient get better.
• The doctor may suggest that the patient make an appointment to see the doctor in a few days to be sure the patient is getting better.
• If the illness or injury is very severe, the patient may be admitted to the hospital (asked to stay) for further medical care.
• Call 911 or an Ambulance. Some severe illnesses start extremely suddenly, or get much worse (the person gets much sicker) very suddenly (quickly). Some types of injuries are very serious and the injured person should not be moved. Severe (serious) illnesses and injuries can cause death. If a person is feeling badly (in extreme pain, unconscious), can't reach a doctor, is very worried about their illness or injury, and is too weak to travel with a friend to the emergency room, the person should call 911 or an ambulance to have medical help come (wherever they are).

A person can call 911 or an ambulance at any time of the day or night.

When a person calls 911 or an ambulance several things will probably happen.

• A switchboard operator (the person who answers the phone) will ask what is wrong and what kind of help is needed. They will also want to know the address where the sick or injured person is so the ambulance will know where to go
• The person should try to stay calm until the medical help arrives. Usually, it will not take very long (2-15 minutes) from the time the phone call is made until the medical help arrives.
• The medical help will want to know what has happened, what is wrong. They will examine the person quickly, may give them some type of treatment, and if it is needed (necessary), they will take the person to the hospital emergency room where the doctor can take care of them.

Calling For Help

When someone is very ill or seriously injured, it may be a scary situation. Sometimes it is difficult to stay calm, especially when calling for help. There are some important things to do when calling for help that will make sure that you are understood and that help can come quickly.

• take a deep breath
• think about what is happening
• choose easy words to explain what is happening
• speak slowly and clearly into the telephone
• listen carefully to what the other person on the phone is saying
• if you don't understand, ask questions until you do understand

There are many different kinds of illnesses and injuries. Some kinds of illnesses and injuries are serious and need quick (prompt) medical attention. Other types of illnesses and injuries are not as serious and can usually be taken care of at home.

Symptoms are signals the body gives to tell us we are ill (sick) or injured (hurt). Some examples of symptoms are sneezing, coughing. bleeding, fever, breathing problems or some type of pain on the inside or outside of the body. Symptoms can be severe or mild, depending on how severe (serious) the illness or injury is.

Mild symptoms usually are less painful and last for a shorter period of time. Usually, people who have mild symptoms of illness or injury can take care of themselves (and get better) at home. They may want to call their doctor or health care provider to get medical advice. They may want to use over-the-counter medications to help them feel better (make their symptoms go away). But they probably do not need to call an ambulance or 911 or go to an Emergency Room of a hospital.

Severe symptoms may cause more pain and last longer than mild symptoms. People with more severe symptoms of illness or injury, or symptoms that get worse instead of better, might need to call their doctor, go to an emergency room or call 911/ ambulance.

LifeFacts Teaching Steps

Present the “LifeFacts above using the following activities: