Part 6

Emergency Skills 101

Emergency situations can be pretty intense, but the key is to remain calm instead of freaking out. If someone is really in trouble and is not breathing or is bleeding uncontrollably, call 911 ASAP. But if you or your friend has a minor cut or splinter, you can totally help out! Paging, Doctors McDreamy and McSteamy . . .

DEAL WITH MUSCLE CRAMPS

Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night with your calf muscles feeling like they're on fire? Cramps can come out of nowhere and can be very painful when they strike. Read on to find out all about cramps and how to stop them in their tracks.

WHAT IS A CRAMP?

A cramp is a muscle spasm. It can last just a few seconds or for several minutes. It often occurs when muscles get tired, so is most common during or after exercise. It does sometimes strike at other times, too, such as when you are sleeping . . . Talk about a rude awakening!

Leg Cramp

If the cramp is in your lower leg, take your shoes off and flex your foot up toward your shin, as shown here. This will stretch the muscles in your leg and stop them from cramping.

Arm Cramp

Lift the affected arm above your head and bend it, reaching behind you. Use the other hand to gently push your arm down behind you by pressing on your forearm just below the elbow.

Post-Cramp Care

Figure out what is causing the cramp—for example, a pain in your hand from writing for a long time, or an arm ache from playing tennis. Once you've figured out the cause, take a break!

Massage the area where the cramp occurred by applying pressure with your hand and moving your hand over the area in small circles.

Prevent Cramps

Stretching your muscles before exercise can stop cramps before they strike. Here's how to stretch your legs.

  Place the palms of your hands flat against a wall. Stand up and take a big step back with the right foot, then bend the left leg. Keep the right foot flat on the floor and straighten the leg until you can feel the stretch in your leg. Hold this position and count to ten.

  Next, bring your right foot up until the heel of your shoe touches the back of your leg. Hold your ankle in this position and count to ten. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with the other leg.

 

Cramps often occur due to dehydration, so drink plenty of water before and after exercising. Eating one banana a day can also help keep cramps at bay.

DRESS A CUT

Unless you wrap yourself in bubble wrap, cuts and scrapes are going to happen. Here's how to treat them so they heal quickly.

WARNING

If the cut is deep or is longer than half an inch, seek medical attention, rather than trying to dress it yourself. It may need stitches, which can only be done by a medical professional.

  Wash and dry your hands thoroughly to minimize the risk of infection (see Part 2 for hand-washing tips).

  Put the cut area under lukewarm running water to help clean the injury. If you see gravel, splinters, or pieces of glass caught in the wound, ask someone for help.

  Use a clean towel to gently pat the area dry. Don't use anything fluffy that might leave material in the cut. If the area is still bleeding, apply gentle pressure to the wound using a clean cloth—this will slow the blood flow to the wound.

  If the cut or graze continues to bleed, raise the wounded area up. This should stop the bleeding.

  Once the bleeding has stopped, apply a small blob of antiseptic cream to the area using a clean finger.

  Choose a bandage with an absorbent pad that's large enough to cover the cut.

  Put it over the cut and gently press the sticky areas down to fix it in place.

WARNING

If blood seeps through the bandage, apply another one over the top. If the bleeding continues, remove both dressings, apply fresh ones, and seek medical attention immediately.

If you don't have a bandage large enough to cover the wound, you can make your own by using a gauze bandage instead. Use bandage tape to fix the bandage in place.

EXTRACT A SPLINTER

Splinters are like paper cuts—tiny, minor annoyances that can actually be very painful! Here's how to get one out without making it hurt even more.

  Wash your hands, and then gently wash the area around the splinter.

  Stand under a light or by a window, and use a magnifying glass or a mirror to identify exactly where the splinter is. Once you have located it, use a clean pair of tweezers to gently pull the splinter out. To do this, press the tweezers on your skin just under where the splinter is poking out. Hold the end of the splinter firmly in the tips of the tweezers and pull in the opposite direction that it went in. Don't press down directly on the splinter—this could push it deeper into your skin.

  Once you have removed the splinter, wash and clean the whole area with mild antiseptic.

 

 

If the splinter isn't budging, take a hot bath or shower—the steam will open the skin's pores—then try again. If it still won't come out, you might need to have your doctor do it for you.

HELP A CHOKING VICTIM

If a friend starts choking on a piece of food, you need to act fast. Here's what to do.

  Tell him to cough—this may be enough to clear the blockage.

  If your friend can't clear his throat by coughing, stand behind him. Explain that you are going to try to clear the blockage by sharply tapping him on the back five times.

  Gently lean your friend forward and then give him five short, sharp whacks on the back with the heel of your hand. Check if the blockage has cleared after each whack. Repeat if necessary. If you have CPR training, you can also attempt the Heimlich maneuver.

  If you still can't clear the blockage, tell your friend to stay calm while you dial 911.

WARNING

If the person choking cannot speak or breathe, do not attempt to deal with it yourself. Call 911 immediately.

STOP A NOSEBLEED

If your nose is bleeding like you just got out of the ring with Rocky, follow these steps to stop it as soon as it starts.

To avoid nosebleeds, only blow your nose when you need to and never blow too hard.

  Position an empty bucket on the floor just in front of a chair.

  Sit down on the chair and lean forward slightly so that your nose is directly above the bucket. This way it will catch the dripping blood.

  Firmly pinch the softest part of your nose—just above the nostrils and below the bony ridge—with your thumb and index finger. Breathe through your mouth.

  Stay in this position for ten to fifteen minutes. The bleeding should stop during this period.

  Avoid blowing your nose or bending down for a few hours after the bleeding stops.

WARNING

Go see a doctor if . . .

• your nosebleed was caused by a fall or injury.

• you get nosebleeds very often.

• your nose continues to bleed heavily for more than thirty minutes.

TAKE A PULSE

Taking a pulse will tell you more than just if a person's heart is beating or not. If they're hurt, the speed of someone's pulse can tell you more about their injuries. Here's how to take your own pulse.

If you can't find a pulse at the wrist, put your index and middle fingers on the side of your neck below the jawline.

  Hold out one hand, with your palm facing up and your arm relaxed.

  Put your index and middle finger on the inside of your wrist, near the thumb and just below the crease where the hand meets the arm. You will feel your pulse in beats. These beats are actually the blood moving underneath your skin.

  When you've found your pulse, keep constant pressure on the spot with your fingers, and count the number of beats you feel in ten seconds. Multiply the number you get by six to work out how many beats your pulse makes in a minute.

Did you know...

A resting heart rate (your heart rate when you have just woken up in the morning) can be anywhere between sixty and a hundred beats per minute. If your pulse rate worries you, tell an adult or your doctor.

TREAT A BEE STING

Ah, summer—baseball, the beach, and . . . bees! A bee sting can be painful, but here's how to treat it.

  First you need to remove the stinger that the bee has left behind inside your skin. Bee stings have tiny hooks called barbs on them that can get stuck in your skin if you just pull them out. To avoid this, scrape the edge of a ruler or a credit card in a scooping motion across the sting to gradually ease it out.

  Wash the area with soap and water, and dry it gently. The area around the sting may be swollen and throbbing—don't worry, this is normal.

  Wrap some ice cubes or an ice pack in a towel and place it on the stung area.

  Rest the area that has been stung and elevate it if you can to reduce any swelling.

WARNING

If your eyes, lips, or tongue swell, or you feel dizzy or it's hard to breathe, you may be allergic to the sting. Get help from an adult immediately.

TREAT A BURN

If you burn or scald your skin, you need to act fast to stop more damage from occurring. Here's how.

WARNING

If the burn is bigger than three inches, or if the skin is broken, do not attempt to treat it yourself. Seek medical attention immediately.

  Get away from the cause of the burn.

  Run some cool, but not freezing, tap water. Be careful not to have the tap turned on fully—the pressure of the water might damage the skin further.

  Place the burned area under the cool water. If the burned area is on your leg, use the bath tap or shower instead of the sink.

  Hold the burned area under the running water for ten to fifteen minutes.

WARNING

Never use carbonated drinks, ice cubes, or ointments on the burned area.

  Loosely rest a gauze bandage or a dampened dressing over the burn. If you don't have gauze, use a clean plastic bag for an injured hand or use a clean piece of plastic wrap for scalded arms and legs. Don't wrap it too tightly, in case the burn swells up.