What if a child mistakenly drank “sniper” or any similar poisonous substance, pesticide, insecticide, herbicide or organophosphate?
Or, what if it was a situation of attempted suicide?
Or, what if you mistakenly inhaled it or drank it, or got poisoned by skin or eye contact?
What do you do?
How do you minimize pain, reduce damage, and preserve life?
Today we will look at First Aid for Organophosphate poisoning or “sniper” ingestion, after looking at the symptoms of danger!
I won’t bother you with any technical knowledge or fact that should only be known by medical professionals.
Instead, I will give only information that you need to know.
First SPEED!
Every second count because it is an emergency!
RUSH TO THE HOSPITAL!!!
There is not much that can be done at home, and even in the best of hospitals, after a while, there is almost nothing anyone can do to save the person!
So, the earlier and faster you get medical help, the better!
Organophosphates are a wide range of products meant for different purposes and under different company and product names.
“Sniper” is a common name in these parts of the world.
Whatever the name, provided its an organophosphate (used to control insects and pests in homes and farms), the First Aid and subsequent treatments are similar.
Just so you know, you could see names like Dichlorvos or 2,2-dichlorovinyl dimethyl phosphate or DDVP written on the container.
Acetylcholine is a substance that controls the activities of many parts of the body.
The levels of acetylcholine regulated by acetylcholinesterase.
Organophosphates (like sniper) inhibit acetylcholinesterase thereby making acetylcholine work uncontrollably.
Well, that’s all the science you need to know!
Now, How Can One Be Poisoned By Organophosphates like Sniper Insecticide?
By Inhaling or breathing it in
Skin contact and absorption
Drinking or swallowing it, and
Eye contact
How Do You Know Someone Is Poisoned By Organophosphates (Like Sniper Insecticide)?
What are the signs and symptoms?
Symptoms of exposure include body weakness, headache, tightness in chest, blurred vision, salivation, sweating, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, eye and skin irritation, eye pupil constriction, eye pain, runny nose, difficulty in breathing, blue discoloration of body, twitching of muscles, paralysis, dizziness, movement problems, restlessness, confusion, convulsion, coma, cessation of breathing, etc.
That’s a long list!
Now, most importantly…
Sniper Insecticide Poisoning First Aid: What Do You Do To Help ?
Call for help
Start making arrangements to take the person to a hospital as soon as possible.
Protect yourself
As we earlier said, it can be inhaled and, also, can be absorbed through the eyes and skin.
Protect yourself
If it is a closed space, open the doors and windows.
Handle containers carefully and discard carefully.
If the person vomited, avoid contact with the vomit with bare skin.
When helping the person, reduce direct skin-to-skin contact as much as possible.
Protect yourself.
Place the person in the recovery position.
Let the person lie down, on his side, in a left lateral position while you wait for help to arrive.
Induce vomiting
Even though some experts do not agree with this point, others (including the producers of the products) advise that you make the person vomit.
So, if the person actually drank it, and it is within 2 hours after drinking and the person is FULLY CONSCIOUS, make the person to vomit.
If the person is conscious, give large quantities of water immediately.
Try to get the person to vomit by touching the back of his throat with a finger.
Do not give salt water as this may involve serious risk.
If you have liquid paraffin or activated charcoal in your first aid box, this is the best time to give the person.
This is life saving!
Note: Activated charcoal is not an ordinary charcoal. It’s different. You can get one from a pharmacy.
Again, do not make an unconscious person vomit.
Other Important Tips (Sniper Insecticide Poisoning)!
- If the person is convulsing, let him convulse.
Do not try to forcibly restrain him.
- If it was poisoning by skin contact, remove contaminated clothing immediately.
Immediately wash the contaminated skin using soap or mild detergent and water.
Get medical attention immediately.
- If it was poisoning by inhalation, move the exposed person to fresh air at once.
Keep the person warm and at rest.
Get medical attention, and preferably, as soon as possible.
- If it was poisoning by eye contact, wash eyes immediately with large amounts of water, for at least 10 minutes, lifting the lower and upper lids occasionally.
Get medical attention immediately.
Now, briefly…
For Medical Personnel (on Sniper Insecticide Poisoning)
Commence resuscitation using the ABC approach.
Atropine is the antidote of choice for treatment of this poisoning.
It is life-saving.
However, atropine should never be administered unless warning signs of intoxication appear.
The atropine should be given at high doses, doubling dosage every 5 minutes, in a stepwise fashion, until stabilization.
Also, Diazepam and pralidoxime have been found to be super-helpful.
Finally, do not forget to get a mental health review especially if poisoning was deliberate and not accidental.
TAKE CHARGE OF YOUR HEALTH AND HAPPINESS!
