When a person older than one year is responsive, they are awake and can communicate or react to stimuli, such as speaking, opening their eyes, or moving. Reacting calmly and effectively in these situations can make a meaningful difference. This guide offers steps for immediate care.
Understanding Responsiveness and Initial Actions
When encountering a responsive person older than one year, first ensure safety. Check for immediate hazards. If unsafe, move the person to a safer location, if possible without causing further injury.
After ensuring safety, quickly assess the person’s condition by asking if they are okay and observing their breathing. Communicate calmly to gather details: what happened, how they feel, symptoms, allergies, and medications. Provide reassurance and help them into a comfortable position, such as sitting upright for breathing difficulties. Loosening any tight clothing around their neck or chest can also aid in comfort and breathing.
Addressing Specific Conditions
If a responsive person older than one year is choking, encourage forceful coughing. If they cannot cough, speak, or breathe adequately, stand behind them and perform abdominal thrusts. Place your fist, thumb side in, just above their navel and grasp it with your other hand, then deliver quick, upward, and inward thrusts. For children, you may need to kneel behind them. For obese individuals or those in late pregnancy, chest thrusts are recommended instead of abdominal thrusts.
For a mild to moderate allergic reaction, observe for symptoms like hives, swelling of the face or tongue, or abdominal pain. If they have a prescribed adrenaline auto-injector, help them administer it into the outer mid-thigh, holding it in place for three seconds. Removing the allergen, if known, and keeping them calm can also be helpful.
For an asthma attack, help the person sit upright and assist them in using their quick-relief inhaler. If they have a spacer device, encourage its use, as it can improve medication delivery. Remain calm and reassure them, as panic can worsen symptoms.
During a seizure, the primary goal is to keep the person safe from injury. Move any nearby objects that could cause harm and place something soft and flat, like a jacket, under their head. Do not try to hold them down or put anything in their mouth. Once convulsions stop, gently turn them onto their side to help keep their airway clear.
When to Call for Emergency Assistance
Call for emergency assistance (such as 911) for a responsive patient older than one year if their condition rapidly worsens or if you are uncertain how to proceed. Signs that warrant immediate professional medical attention include severe difficulty breathing, persistent chest pain lasting more than a few minutes, or sudden weakness or numbness, which could indicate a stroke.
Also call for emergency help if there is uncontrolled bleeding, a head injury with symptoms like confusion or persistent vomiting, or if a seizure lasts longer than five minutes or is the person’s first seizure. When calling, be prepared to provide clear information about your location and the person’s condition to the dispatcher.