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Injuries to the spine can cause paralysis, so first aides must treat suspected
back injuries very carefully.
What are they?
The spine, or backbone, protects the spinal cord, which controls many body
functions. Back injuries can be caused by pinching or displacement of nerves, or
by spinal fracture.
Symptoms
Suspect a spinal injury after an awkward fall or awkward injury. Look for:
Localized tenderness around the back or neck
Shooting pains in casualty's limbs
Limbs feeling heavy or tingling
Loss of sensation in limbs below level of injury
Breathing difficulties
First aid aims
Prevent further injury
Get casualty to hospital
Actions if casualty is conscious
Do not attempt to move casualty
Call 999
Offer reassurance
Steady and support casualty's head in your hands
Actions if casualty is unconscious
Check airway and breathing
Place casualty in modified recovery position if you have help
Actions if casualty stops breathing
Call 999
Open airway
Check for breathing again
Give resuscitation until help arrives
Broken bones - child
Broken bones always need professional attention, but there's action you can take
immediately to help the casualty.
Because children tend to put their arms out as they fall, arms, elbows and
wrists are where breaks tend to occur.
Symptoms
Intense pain
Inability to use the limb
Bruising or deformity at site of the break
Actions - broken arm
Sit child down
Ask them to support injured arm with other hand
Put a pad between arm and chest
Put injured arm in a sling
Place a broad-fold bandage over sling and around arm and chest
Take child to hospital
Actions - broken leg
Lay child down and support leg at ankle and knee joints - by hand if an
ambulance is expected soon, or on a chair if not Steady injured leg with padding
Put rolled-up blankets outside injured limb and between legs
Keep child warm
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