Year 5 students at Rochedale State School had their fourth and last visit from Wayne Larsen, our friendly Red Cross First Aid Instructor, on Tuesday, 19 October, 1999. This time, Wayne taught the children all about Bites and Stings which was really interesting. 

We would like to thank Wayne sincerely for the time he has put into these talks for us, it's been great!! If any other school would like a visit from Wayne, please email him, we highly recommend his lessons for the children and hope to see him back for the new Year 5's next year!!

The children were sitting up nicely waiting for Wayne to start his talk. Wayne then began by telling the children the different ways poison can enter the body:
- swallowing (ingesting)
- breathing (inhaling)
- absorbed (through the skin)
- injected (as in insects, snakes and animal bites) 		Then the children were given a First Aid manual to look at as Wayne talked to them in more detail about Poisons. Wayne told the children that because of all the different methods of dealing with different types of poisons,  it was best to ring the Poisons' Information Centre on 131126 to find out the best treatment for a particular poison.

Wayne then demonstrated the pressure immobilisation bandage which is used for all types of snake bites. Firstly, the bite itself is bandaged, don't wash off any venom as it may be used at the hospital to work out what sort of snake it was from!! 

Then another bandage is put over the top of the first one, starting this time at the ends of the limb and working up to the top of the limb.

 If the bandage is applied quickly then the person bitten may have up to 2 or 3 hours before the bite 
becomes life threatening. The bandage should be checked to see if it is too tight by pushing the finger under the nail to see if it goes white and then back to red when pressure stops.

 This bandaged arm looks a bit like a snake and this is how you can remember how to bandage for snake bite! After the bandaging is finished, the limb should be splinted to minimise movement. The patient should be moved as little as possible to minimise the flow of venom around the body. Brown snakes cause more deaths in Australia than any other snake. The children looked at some pictures of the more common snakes like the Red bellied black, death adder and taipan.

The children then had a look at some pictures of snake bites.

The old fashioned methods of sucking a snake bite or using a tourniquet were discussed and the children shown quite graphically why we DON'T use these methods any more in these pictures.

The third picture on this sheet on the left, shows a thumb affected by a snake bite where the thumb has "died" (skin necrosis ) because of a tourniquet keeping the venom in the one spot!! This limb would have to be amputated. Click here for a better look at these pictures! Not a pretty sight though!
Wayne then went on to talk about spider bites. For all except the Red back, the pressure immobilisation bandage is used once again. 

As a Red back has different venom to other spiders and causes great pain, the only treatment is to apply ice packs to the wound. Only the very young or old are usually given Red back anti-venom. The female Red back is the only one that bites as the males are too small.

It was interesting to  learn that the Funnel web spider is only harmful to apes and humans and not other animals. Respiratory distress results from Funnel web bites and breathing and the heart can both stop, so it is important to apply the pressure immobilisation bandage as quickly as possible.

The male Funnel web is the more dangerous of this species.
Wayne then went on to discuss Insect Bites with the children who are all too familiar with the occasional bee or wasp sting at school. The treatment for all bites from insects  - bees, scorpions, wasps, bull ants etc - is ice. Always remember never to apply an ice pack directly to the skin as this can "burn" it. Bees die after they sting as they leave part of their body behind with the sting. The main thing to watch for with insect bites is an allergy to them where the patient swells up and this can also affect the airways, which swell as well.

In this case, bandage the bite, NOT the swelling and contact a doctor immediately!! Doctors can give antihistamines for this allergic reaction and sometimes an injection is needed.

Another very dangerous type of bite or sting is that of the Box jellyfish. Found mostly in the northern waters off the Queensland coast, this jellyfish has recently been reported as far south as Stradbroke Island. This is because its main predator, the leather back turtle is now on the endangered species list  because of man. Plastic bags and drink plastic rings look like the jellyfish to the turtles who get caught in the plastic or rings and drown.

The sting of  a Box jellyfish has been known to kill people and is extremely painful. 

 Its tentacles are 8 to 10m long and are invisible in the water. It has thousand of stingers or barbs which shoot into the skin and inject venom and won't let go. The tentacles pull out of the jellyfish rather than the victim. They leave red, raised welts on the skin in a lattice pattern. The only way to remove the barbs is to douse them in about 10 litres of vinegar which makes the barbs let go enough to be washed off the skin. Then a pressure immobilisation bandage is applied to the affected area, then ice or cold water is put over the bandage to take away the pain. Click here for some more information about Box jellyfish.

Of the other dangerous sea creatures, bites from the blue ring octopus and cone shell are also very serious. These cause paralysis which can last for up to 22 hours before the venom is broken down. It is very important than anyone bitten is given assistance to breathe and taken to hospital to be put on a ventilator as soon as possible. A pressure immobilisation bandage should be applied to the bite. Any type of fish spine sting, like that of the stone fish, bull rout, stingray and cat fish really hurts and the victim feels severe pain. The only treatment for this is to give some pain relief by applying hot water. Ice or bandaging only makes the pain worse.

 However if there is an allergic reaction, then a pressure immobilisation bandage should be applied.

Wayne then told the children about another lesser well-known dangerous Australian animal - the male platypus. The male platypus has poisonous glands on its back legs and fishermen are often scratched trying to release them when they become caught in nets etc. There is no first aid treatment for this, ice bandaging or hot water all have NO effect. The only known treatment is to keep very still as the less movement, the less pain is suffered.

Finally, Wayne pointed out that, as with everything, prevention is better than a cure and that many poisonings can be prevented by taking precautions like locking chemicals away, wearing protective clothing, and checking places for spiders and other dangerous creatures.

Once again an excellent lesson, thanks a lot Wayne. We're really sorry they are finished and thanks again!!

On Monday, 1 November, 1999, Wayne returned to our school to present the children with their Statements of Attendance for the First Aid Course. The children were thrilled to receive them.

Here's the certificates that Wayne made for the children. Year 5g and 5p received them all together in Mrs Clarkson's room.

Stacey presented Wayne with one of our school pennants. One of the Year 5p children gave Wayne his present which we collected money for.

Wayne was thrilled with his diary/organiser that we gave him. Now he can book us in for next year. Here's some of the kids and Wayne with their certificates and Wayne holding his pennant!! 

Thanks a lot Wayne and we hope to see you next year!!

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