How to cope if firework night sparks an injury

HALLOWEEN is here, and many children will be excitedly looking forward to staying up to watch the fireworks.

But the combination of smouldering red-hot wood, darkness and wet grass underfoot raises the risk of accidents.

This time of year stretches hospital casualty departments to the limit each year due to people getting hurt.

So here is our guide to dealing with common injuries quickly and effectively, should the worst happen. First, get the child inside and put the burn under cold running water for 10 minutes. This should reduce the pain and help calm them down.

Remove any loose clothing near the injury, and jewellery such as a watch.

Next, wrap the burn loosely in cling film to minimise the risk of infection and allow the area to continue cooling.

Covering a wound in this way also reduces the discomfort of it being in contact with air.

You will need to assess the severity of the injury. A large or deep burn needs immediate hospital treatment.

“As a general rule we advise anyone with a deep burn, or a burn that is larger than a 50p piece, to go to casualty,” says St John Ambulance trainer Clive James. “If in doubt and it isn’t an emergency, don’t call 999.”

There are also things you must never do to a burn. Don’t treat it with ice because it could cause a cold burn. Don’t touch it, burst blisters, apply ointments or fats, apply adhesive dressings, or pull away clothes that have stuck to the burn. This is a clear emergency situation and you need to act fast.

If the choking is mild, a child will be able to cough or cry. But if the obstruction is severe they will rapidly slip into unconsciousness.

First, lean the child forward. Then give five sharp blows between their shoulder blades using the heel of your hand. Your aim is to clear the airways with each blow, rather than focusing on giving five blows.

“If back slaps fail, move abdominal thrusts,” says Clive.

“Stand or kneel behind the child, put both arms around them, and place one fist between the belly button and the end of the breast bone.

“Pull sharply inwards and upwards up to five times. If the child is still choking, call an ambulance and alternate between back blows and thrusts until the blockage is removed.”

If the child is becoming unconscious, on to you will need to give them CPR until emergency help arrives.

The CPR sequence for a child over the age of one is very similar to the CPR given to an adult.

Lie the child down flat on their back. Clear their airway by gently tilting the head back, then pinch the nose and seal your mouth around the child’s mouth.

Give five rescue breaths – blow in just enough air to make the chest rise.

Then move onto chest compressions. Use one or two hands to depress the chest by one third, and give 30 quick compressions at a rate of about 100 to 120 per minute.

If the child fails to wake up, give two more rescue breaths and 30 compressions. Continue this two-30 sequence until an ambulance arrives. Sit your child down, reassure them, then tip their head forward and pinch the soft part of their nose for 10 minutes, says Clive. Use a cloth or tissue to mop up any blood because the sight of blood can cause shock. A minor nosebleed will stop within 10 minutes. But if the bleeding is severe, or goes on for over 30mins, take them to hospital while keeping them sat up. If your child has an object embedded in a wound, such as a piece of glass, don’t be tempted to remove it.

Clive says: “The glass could be blocking further blood loss, so if you pull it out you could be dealing with a major haemorrhage.”

Instead, apply padding either side of the embedded object, then bandage it without pressing the object further into the wound.

“Your aim is to try to build a ‘bridge’ over the object while keeping pressure on the wound,” says Clive.

Call for an ambulance straight away. The first few minutes in such a situation are critical, so get someone to call 999 immediately, says Clive.

Check for signs of breathing, but for no longer than 10 seconds. Then move onto CPR. The adult sequence is 30 chest compressions at a rate of 100 to 120 a minute, then two rescue breaths, then repeat the sequence.

“CPR helps to keep the key organs alive until the ambulance arrives, so don’t give up,” says Clive. Encourage them to sit and calm down in a quiet place and ask them to copy your own breathing, or count slowly for them. Reassure and make them feel more comfortable.

If they feel faint, put them on the floor with their legs raised so the circulation to their brain is increased.

“If they don’t come round quickly, put them in the recovery position and call an ambulance,” says Clive.

Giving CPR to someone helps to keep the key organs alive until the ambulance arrives, so don’t give up