Asthma Warning Signs in Children

My daughter suffered from asthma when she was one- thankfully she outgrew it.  Asthma is a very scary disease-especially if it is a new diagnosis for your child…..

 

Every child with asthma has a built-in early warning system that signals when symptoms are on the way. Those signals can be seen, heard, and felt. Every child has his or own pattern of signals. But parents and children can make keen observation a habit and learn how to recognize those patterns — the body’s messages to get going and head off those symptoms before they get bad.

WHAT TO LOOK FOR:

• Anxious or scared look
• Cough, especially at night
• Unusual paleness or sweating
• Flared nostrils when the child tries to get some air
• Pursed lips breathing
• Fast breathing
• Vomiting
• Hunched-over body posture; the child can’t stand or sit straight and can’t relax
• Restlessness during sleep
• Fatigue and breathlessness
• The notch just above the child’s Adam’s apple; when some children are having an asthma episode, this notch sinks in as they breathe in
• Spaces between the ribs; these areas may sink in when the child breathes in

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR:

• Coughing when the child has no cold
• Clearing of the throat a lot
• Irregular Breathing
• Wheezing, however light
• Noisy, difficult breathing

HOW TO LISTEN:

• Put your ear to the child’s back and your hand on his or her chest. You’ll feel the chest go up as the child inhales, drawing in air, and you’ll feel the chest go down as the child exhales, releasing air.
• Listen for squeaking or any unusual noises. They may mean asthma, bronchitis, or a chest infection. Only a doctor can tell for sure. So regard any noisy breathing as a signal that help may be necessary.
• Note: If the child is having symptoms and there are no chest sounds, it’s a sign of a bad, fixed chest that requires medical attention. Call your doctor immediately.

WHAT TO DO IMMEDIATELY:

• Reassure the child by your tone of voice, your attitude of being able to manage and your confidence. All these qualities are catching. Your child will take cues from you and relax.
• If the doctor has recommended a medicine when signals appear, use it. (Don’t give the child a special dose unless the doctor said to.)
• Encourage normal fluid intake. Excessive fluid intake may be counter productive.

ADDITIONAL STEPS TO TAKE:

• Help your child relax.
• If you can find out what triggered the symptoms, remove it – or the child from the area.
• Your experience and judgment can help you decide what further measures to take in addition to calling the doctor.

FIVE EMERGENCY SIGNS

Having any one of these signs means medical care is needed. Call your doctor or get emergency medical care if your child exhibits any of these signs.

Wheeze, cough, or shortness of breath gets worse, even after the medicine has been given time to work. Most inhaled bronchodilator medications produce an effect within 5 to 10 minutes. Discuss the time your medicines take to work with your child’s doctor.

Child has a hard time breathing. Signs of this are:

• Chest and neck are pulled or sucked in with each breath.
• Struggling to breathe.
• Child has trouble walking or talking, stops playing and cannot start again.
• Peak flow rate gets lower, or does not improve after treatment with bronchodilators, or drops to 50 percent or less of your child’s personal best. Discuss this peak flow level with your child’s doctor.
• Lips or fingernails are gray or blue. If this happens, GO TO A HEALTHCARE PROVIDER OR EMERGENCY ROOM RIGHT AWAY!

 

 

Stroke Warning Signs

Ok another public service announcement from your neighborhood RN….

Stroke Warning Signs
The American Stroke Association says these are the warning signs of stroke:

• Sudden numbness or weakness of the face, arm or leg, especially on one side of the body   
• Sudden confusion, trouble speaking or understanding   
• Sudden trouble seeing in one or both eyes   
• Sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination   
• Sudden, severe headache with no known cause

If you or someone with you has one or more of these signs, don’t delay! Immediately call 9-1-1 or the emergency medical services (EMS) number so an ambulance (ideally with advanced life support) can be sent for you. Also, check the time so you’ll know when the first symptoms appeared. It’s very important to take immediate action. If given within three hours of the start of symptoms, a clot-busting drug called tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can reduce long-term disability for the most common type of stroke. tPA is the only FDA-approved medication for the treatment of stroke within three hours of stroke symptom onset.

 

 

Heart Attack Warning Signs

Ok so I am a nurse.  more specifically a cardiac ICU nurse.

 

What better topics to write about than medical ones.  Especially ones I am familiar with..So hopefully this gives some of you some really good information that you can  use……….

Heart Attack Warning Signs
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense — the “movie heart attack,” where no one doubts what’s happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren’t sure what’s wrong and wait too long before getting help. Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:

• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.   
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.   
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.  
• Other signs may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness       

As with men, women’s most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

Learn the signs, but remember this: Even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack, have it checked out (tell a doctor about your symptoms). Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own. Don’t wait more than five minutes to call 9-1-1.

Calling 9-1-1 is almost always the fastest way to get lifesaving treatment. Emergency medical services (EMS) staff can begin treatment when they arrive — up to an hour sooner than if someone gets to the hospital by car. EMS staff are also trained to revive someone whose heart has stopped. Patients with chest pain who arrive by ambulance usually receive faster treatment at the hospital, too. It is best to call EMS for rapid transport to the emergency room.

If you can’t access the emergency medical services (EMS), have someone drive you to the hospital right away. If you’re the one having symptoms, don’t drive yourself, unless you have absolutely no other option.