Lecture 15

Illness often strikes with little to no warning, at work, at school, at home or while we are out having fun. When a person becomes suddenly ill, you can help by providing appropriate first aid care; summoning help, if needed; and keeping the person comfortable until help arrives.

General Approach to Sudden Illness

An acute illness is an illness that strikes suddenly and usually only lasts for a short period of time. A chronic illness is an illness that a person lives with on an ongoing basis and that often requires continuous treatment to manage. When a person becomes suddenly ill, it may be the result of an acute illness, or it may be an acute flare-up of a chronic condition.

Signs and Symptoms of Sudden Illness
The signs and symptoms of sudden illness vary widely, depending on the cause of the illness. The person may have:

• Trouble breathing.
• Pain, such as chest pain, abdominal pain or a headache.
• Changes in level of consciousness, such as being confused or unaware of one’s surroundings, or becoming unresponsive.
• Light-headedness or dizziness.
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea or stomach cramps.
• A fever.
• Pale or very flushed skin, which may be excessively sweaty or dry, or excessively hot or cold.
• Problems seeing or speaking (e.g., blurred vision or slurred speech).
• Numbness, weakness or paralysis.
• Seizures.

To gain a better understanding of the situation, interview the person (or bystanders, if necessary), and then check the person from head-to-toe (see Lecture 2). Signs and symptoms like trouble breathing, pain that is persistent or severe, problems seeing or speaking, problems feeling or moving, seizures or unresponsiveness require a call to 1-0-3 or the designated emergency number. If you are unsure about the severity of the illness, it is better to call for help early than to wait for the illness to progress.

Be sure to look for a medical identification tag or digital medical identification on the person’s phone when you are checking the person. It may offer a valuable clue as to the cause of the person’s sudden illness.

First Aid Care for Sudden Illness
Fortunately, you do not need to know exactly what is wrong to provide appropriate first aid care. If your initial check of the person reveals any life-threatening conditions, make sure that someone calls 1-0-3 or the designated emergency number right away, and then provide care according to the signs and symptoms that you find and your level of training. Follow the same general guidelines as you would for any emergency:

• Do no further harm.
• Monitor the person’s breathing and level of consciousness.
• Help the person rest in the most comfortable position.
• Keep the person from getting chilled or overheated.
• Reassure the person that you will help and that EMS personnel have been called (if appropriate).
• Give care consistent with your knowledge and training as needed, and continue to watch for changes in the person’s condition.