HOW TO GIVE FIRST AID TO HOUSEHOLD POISONING VICTIMS

If you see someone poisoned with household items like bleach, fuel, kerosene, acid, drugs or fumes, you can give them this first aid to prevent death before arrival of medical help.

A thread

RT to save a life

Household poisoning is a common reason kids are taken to a hospital's accident and emergency.

As an adult, it's extremely crucial that you to know what to do from the time when you suspect someone is poisoned to the time medical care arrives.

So let's get started.

Once a person is poisoned by any substance, the first aid to give them depends on two major things;

• The type of poison, and
• Whether the poison is on their skin, eyes, inhaled or swallowed

For poisons on the skin or clothes

1. Quickly & carefully remove victim's clothes

2. Pour large amounts of water over the skin for 15 minutes

3. Wash the skin thoroughly many times with soap & water

4. Move to nearest hospital!

For poison in the eyes

1. Remove any contact lenses

2. Pour CLEAN water on the eyes for 15 minutes (DON'T USE SOAP!)

3. Encourage victim to blink eyes

4. Move to hospital instantly

Every second matters & a slight delay could lead to permanent loss of sight!

For swallowed poison

1.Follow instructions on poison container

2.Give some water or milk for irritating poisons "IF" victim is;
-awake
-not convulsing &
-can swallow

3.Rush to hospital

DON'T GIVE PALM OIL, KERNEL OIL, ETC, COZ IT COULD BLOCK THE AIRWAY & WORSEN THE CONDITION.

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For inhaled/sniffed poison

1. Instantly move victim to a place with fresh air devoid of toxic fumes

2. If they vomit, turn their head to the side to avoid choking

3. If no signs of life (not moving or breathing) start CPR*

4. Move to hospital

*Here https://twitter.com/FirstDoctorMD/status/1288370649577197568?s=19

After attempting first aid measures for about 15 minutes, you must rush the person immediately to a health care centre.

If possible, come along with some of the poison or medicine & the container.

And do everything to keep the victim from crying.

NEVER TRY TO MAKE A POISON VICTIM VOMIT

For e.g. don't stick a finger or spoon in the victim's mouth to make them "vomit out the poison"!

If you do that, you may cause aspiration which means the poison enters the victim's airway leading to serious injury that can kill faster!

• Pain relieve drugs
• Smoke & generator fumes
• Pesticides & insecticides
• Cosmetic products
• Bleach & caustic soda, and
• Household fuels like kerosene, petrol & diesel

... all these are poisons hiding everywhere in the house & anyone can be a victim, especially kids.

As adults, parents or caregivers, we should beware of the risks of accidental poisoning esp. kids

This thread aims to help us become capable of giving initial care to a poison victim to keep them alive, before medical help arrives.

These simple steps can save lives.
Kindly RT.

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