SUDDEN ILLNESS NOTES
Some illnesses develop over time, whereas others can strike
without a moment’s notice.
Sudden illnesses often show the following signals:
Change in a person’s level of consciousness
Feeling lightheaded, dizzy or weak
Nausea or vomiting
Changes in breathing, circulation, skin temperature,
color or moisture
General guidelines of care for sudden illnesses include—
Do no further harm.
Monitor breathing and consciousness.
Help the victim rest in the most comfortable position.
Keep the victim from getting chilled or overheated.
Reassure the victim.
Give any specific care needed.
FAINTING
Fainting is a common sudden illness characterized by a
partial or complete loss of consciousness.
Fainting is caused by a temporary reduction of blood flow to
the brain.
Fainting signals could be—
Cool, pale or moist skin.
Nausea.
Numbness or tingling in the fingers and toes.
Sweating.
Vomiting.
Distortion or dimming of vision.
Head or abdominal pain.
SUDDEN ILLNESS NOTES
Care for Fainting
1. Position the victim on his or her back on a flat surface.
Elevate the legs about 12 inches.
2. Loosen any restrictive clothing.
3. Check for any other life-threatening and non-life-threatening
conditions.
4. Do not give the victim anything to eat or drink.
5. Do not splash the victim with water or slap his or her face.
6. As long as the fainting victim recovers quickly and has no
lasting signals, you may or may not need to call 9-1-1.
DIABETIC EMERGENCIES
The condition in which the body does not produce enough
insulin or does not use insulin effectively is called diabetes
mellitus.
Insulin is a hormone that helps sugar (glucose) pass from the
bloodstream into the cells.
Without a proper balance of sugar and insulin, cells will
starve and the body will not function properly.
There are two major types of diabetes:
Type I diabetes the body produces little or no insulin.
Most people who have Type I diabetes have to inject
insulin into their bodies daily.
Type II diabetes the body produces insulin, but either the
cells do not use the insulin effectively or not enough insulin
is produced.
A situation in which a victim becomes ill because of an imbalance
of insulin and sugar in the bloodstream is called a diabetic
emergency.
SUDDEN ILLNESS NOTES
There are two types of diabetic emergencies:
1. Hyperglycemia: a condition where the insulin level in the
body is too low
2. Hypoglycemia: a condition where the insulin level in the
body is too high.
Diabetic Emergency signals are;
Changes in the level of consciousness, including
dizziness, drowsiness and confusion.
Irregular breathing.
Abnormal pulse (rapid or weak).
Feeling or looking ill.
Care for a Diabetic Emergency
If the victim is conscious• Check for non-life-threatening conditions.
• Ask the victim if he or she has diabetes.
• If the victim is able to swallow, give him or her sugar in the
form of fruit juice, candy or a non-diet soft drink.
If the victim is unconscious—
• Call 9-1-1
• Look for a medical alert tag.
• Do not give the victim anything by mouth.
• Monitor signs of life.
• Keep him or her from getting overheated or chilled.
SEIZURES
An irregularity in the brain’s electrical activity.
The chronic form of seizure is known as epilepsy.
SUDDEN ILLNESS NOTES
General signals of seizures
Before a seizure occurs, the victim may experience an aura.
Mild blackouts
Uncontrolled muscular contractions that can last several
minutes. (convulsions)
May drool.
Eyes roll upward
Irregular breathing or breathing stops.
Body becomes rigid.
Urinate or defecate themselves.
Day dream (non-convulsive seizures)
Febrile seizures are most common in children under the age of 5
and can be triggered by infections of the ear, throat or digestive
system or when an infant or child runs a fever of over 102°F
(38.9°C).
A febrile seizure may have some or all of the following signals:
A sudden rise in body temperature
A change in the level of consciousness
Rhythmic jerking of the head and limbs
Urinating or defecating
Confusion
Drowsiness
Crying out
Becoming rigid
Holding the breath
Upward rolling of the eyes
SUDDEN ILLNESS NOTES
Care for a Seizure
Do not try to hold or restrain the victim.
Protect the victim from injury and maintain an open airway.
Remove nearby objects that could cause injury.
Cushion victim’s head.
Loosen any tight clothing if possible.
• Do not place anything in the victim’s mouth.
After the seizure, position him or her on one side so that fluid
can drain from the mouth.
Check for life-threatening conditions and non-lifethreatening conditions
Stay with the victim until he or she is fully conscious and
aware of his or her surroundings.
Call 9-1-1 if necessary.
Care for a Febrile Seizure
1. Cool the body with lukewarm water.
2. Call 911 if it’s the first febrile seizure.
3. Take child to doctor or hospital to be checked.
When to call 911
• Seizure lasts more than 5 minutes.
• Victim has repeated seizures.
• Victim appears to be injured.
• Victim is not know to have epilepsy
• Victim is pregnant.
• Victim is a child or infant that is having their first febrile
seizure.
• Victim has diabetes.
• Seizure takes place in water.
• The victim fails to regain consciousness after the seizure.
SUDDEN ILLNESS NOTES
STROKE
A stroke, also called a cerebrovascular accident (CVA) or
brain attack, is a disruption of blood flow to a part of the
brain, causing permanent damage to brain tissue.
Stroke is commonly caused by a blood clot, called a
thrombus or embolus, an aneurysm or atherosclerosis.
A transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a temporary episode that
is similar to a stroke and is sometimes called a “mini-stroke.”
Like a stroke, TIA results from reduced blood flow to the
brain.
Ways to reduce the risk of a stroke or TIA include the following:
Controlling blood pressure
Not smoking
Eating a healthy diet
Exercising regularly
Controlling diabetes
For a stroke, think F.A.S.T. —
Face — Weakness on one side of the face. (Ask the person to
smile and note any weakness or drooping of the mouth.)
Arm — Weakness or numbness in one arm. (Ask the person
to raise both arms and note any non-symmetry of the arms.)
Speech — Slurred speech or trouble speaking. (Ask the
person to repeat a simple sentence such as, “I have the lunch
orders ready” and note any slurring or difficulty speaking.)
Time — Time to call 9-1-1 if you see any of these signals.
(Note the time that the signals began.)
SUDDEN ILLNESS NOTES
A victim of stroke may exhibit or experience some or all of the
following signals:
Appearing or feeling ill, or displaying abnormal
behavior
Sudden weakness or numbness of the face, arm or leg,
often on only one side of the body
Difficulty speaking or being understood
Blurred or dimmed vision
Pupils of unequal size
Sudden severe headache
Dizziness
Confusion
Change in mood
Ringing in the ears
Loss of consciousness
Loss of bowel or bladder control
Care for a Stroke
If the victim is unconscious—
Care for life-threatening conditions.
Call 9-1-1 or the local emergency number immediately.
Position him or her on one side (affected or paralyzed side
down) to allow fluids to drain.
Stay with the victim and check his or her breathing and signs
of life until EMS personnel arrive and take over.
If the victim is conscious—
Check for non-life-threatening conditions.
Offer comfort and reassurance.
Have the victim rest in a comfortable position.
Seek medical attention.