First aid treatment - tips from the experts
No matter how prepared you are and how many precautions you take, things can go wrong and people can get sick, have accidents, injure themselves, get bitten by something - you name it. Don't let this stifle your sense of adventure and stop you and your kids from experiencing the rough and tumble of life.
For those times when things don't quite go our way, we have listed below informative articles from trusted sources on typical medical conditions and emergencies you might come across on your camping adventures, including appropriate first aid responses. This article is provided subject to our Disclaimer.
Many of these situations are rare, and some extremely so, but advanced knowledge in being able to provide the right kind of first aid assistance is important and reassuring.
Emergency responses
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a first-aid technique that can be used if someone is not breathing properly or if their heart has stopped.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
First aid basics and DRSABCD
Learning basic first aid techniques can help you cope with an emergency. You may be able to keep a person breathing, reduce their pain or minimise the consequences of injury or sudden illness until an ambulance arrives. This could mean the difference between life and death for them.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Pressure Immobilisation Bandage (how to apply)
Pressure-immobilisation is recommended for bites from all Australian snakes, including sea snakes, funnel web spider bites, blue-ringed octopus stings and cone shell stings.
Continue reading on the NSW Poisons Information Centre website
Recovery position
If someone is breathing but unconscious or non-responsive, they should be placed in the recovery position to help prevent suffocation from an obstructed airway.
View the St John Ambulance Australia recovery position instructions
Bites and stings
Insect bites and stings
It can be difficult to know if a bite or a sting from an insect is dangerous or not. This article explains the best first aid treatment depending on the type of insect involved.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Sea creature bites and stings
It can be difficult to know if a bite or sting from a sea creature is dangerous or not. This article explains the best first aid treatment depending on the creature involved.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Snake bites
It can be difficult to know if a bite from a snake is dangerous or not. This article explains the best first aid treatment depending on the type of snake involved.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Spider bites
It can be difficult to know if a bite from a spider is dangerous or not. This article explains the best first aid treatment depending on the type of spider involved.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Stinging plants
The beach is one of Australia’s most recognisable and enjoyable features. Here is how can we enjoy a day at the beach safely and help prevent accidents or injury.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Infections and illnesses
Diarrhoea and vomiting in children
It can be very concerning to see your baby or child having bouts of diarrhoea and vomiting. This helpful information aims to explain some of the common causes and strategies to help you alleviate your child’s symptoms.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Fever and high temperatures in children
Fevers are quite common in young children and are usually mild. Sometimes the causes of a fever will require urgent attention, but in most cases they can be managed at home.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis, also known as ‘gastro’, is a common illness that can cause vomiting and diarrhoea. Many types of gastro are easily spread. Gastro is not usually serious, but it can make you very dehydrated. Milder forms can be managed at home by drinking fluids.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Temperature and weather related conditions
Dehydration
Dehydration occurs when you don't have enough fluids in your body. If severe, dehydration can cause serious problems. If you suspect you are (or someone else is) severely dehydrated, seek medical attention.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Frostbite
Frostbite occurs when the tissues of the skin freeze. This can happen during prolonged exposure to cold weather, or even after a few minutes in extremely low temperatures.
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Hot weather risks and staying cool
We live in a sunburnt country where hot days and heatwaves can stress our bodies. Here's how to stay cool and hydrated.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Hypothermia
If you are exposed to prolonged cold conditions, whether outdoors or in an unheated house, you can get hypothermia. You are at greater risk if you are elderly, very young, underweight, or in poor health.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Sunburn and sun protection
Sunburn is the skin's reaction to the ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun. You can see sunlight and feel heat (infrared radiation), but you can't see or feel UV radiation. It can damage your skin even on cool, cloudy days.
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Heatstroke
Heatstroke is a life-threatening condition in which the body overheats when it can no longer maintain a healthy temperature. The high body temperature in heatstroke can lead to organ damage. You can avoid heatstroke by taking precautions in very hot weather.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Injuries, accidents and other
Anaphylaxis
Cases of severe allergic reactions to triggers, for example food or bites and stings, can lead to anaphylaxis. Anaphylaxis is very serious and can be fatal.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Bleeding
Bleeding is the loss of blood from the circulatory system. Causes can range from small cuts and abrasions to deep cuts and amputations. Injuries to the body can also result in internal bleeding, which can range from minor (seen as superficial bruising) to massive bleeds.
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Burns and scalds
Burns are common. At first, it can be difficult to tell how deep a burn is, because it can take around two weeks for a burn area to fully develop.
Continue reading on the Australian Government's Health Direct website
Cardiac arrest / heart attack
To perform its duties, the heart muscle needs a generous supply of oxygen and nutrients, which it receives from blood pumped through the coronary arteries and their branches. A heart attack occurs when a blood clot blocks one or more of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle.
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Choking
Air enters the lungs via the trachea (windpipe). Choking is caused when a foreign object, like a hard lump of food or a marble, goes into the trachea instead of the oesophagus (food pipe).
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Cuts and abrasions
Skin is the largest organ of the human body. It is soft to allow movement, but tough enough to resist breaking or tearing. It varies in texture and thickness from one part of the body to the next. It consists of two main layers – the epidermis and the dermis.
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Fractures (bones)
A broken bone or bone fracture occurs when a force exerted against a bone is stronger than the bone can bear. This disturbs the structure and strength of the bone, and leads to pain, loss of function and sometimes bleeding and injury around the site.
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Sprains and strains
Soft tissue injuries may be sudden (acute) or get worse gradually (chronic). Healing can take from less than seven days for a small muscle strain, up to more than 12 months for a significant ACL sprain.
Continue reading on the Victorian Government's Better Health Channel website
Related articles
- Calling for emergency help in Australia
- Safety and prevention - tips to stay safe
- First aid kit and safety equipment
