75
First Aid
CHAPTER
10
BASIC CLEANLINESS AND PROTECTION
When a person is hurt, the most important thing is to help. But you also must
protect yourself from HIV and other blood-borne diseases. When someone
is bleeding:
1. If possible, show the injured person how to stop the bleeding themselves, by
applying direct pressure on the wound.
2. If they cannot do this, keep the blood off yourself by
wearing gloves or a clean plastic bag on your hands,
and placing a clean, thick cloth directly over the
wound before applying pressure.
Avoid objects soiled with blood. Be careful not to prick
yourself with needles or other sharp objects around the
person you are helping. Cover cuts or other wounds with
dry, clean bandages to protect them.
Be especially careful when you have to provide first aid where there are many
people wounded from an accident or fighting.
If you do get blood or other body fluids on you, wash your hands with soap and
water as soon as possible. If other parts of your body were touched by body fluids
(especially your eyes), wash them thoroughly with lots of water.
FEVER
When a person’s body temperature is too
hot, he has a fever. Fever is not a sickness,
but a sign of many different sicknesses. A
high fever (over 39°C or over 102°F) can be
a sign of a dangerous problem, especially
in a small child.
When a person has a fever:
1. U ncover him completely. Small children
should be undressed completely and left
naked until the fever goes down.
F resh air or a breeze will not harm a
Never wrap the child in clothing or blankets.
To wrap up a child with fever is dangerous.
YES
This helps the fever go down.
NO
person with fever. On the contrary, a fresh
breeze helps lower the fever.
2. A lso take aspirin to lower fever (see p. 378).
This makes the fever go up.
For children, it is safer to give acetaminophen
(paracetamol, p. 380). Be careful not to give too much.