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A YOUNG Sydney woman, who thought she had fallen ill with the flu, says she was shocked when told she was just 30 minutes from death.

Lily O’Connell from Paddington, was enjoying Christmas with her family last year she was started feeling unwell that evening.

Vomiting and suddenly developing a rash on her face, the 23-year-old was rushed to hospital and diagnosed with the meningococcal W strain.

“I turned the light on and I saw the rash on her face,” Lily’s mum Steph O’Connelltold the ABC.

“It was underneath her skin.”

Lily developed a rash all over her face from the disease.Source:Supplied

After her diagnosis, Lily was told by doctors at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital that she could have been dead within 30 minutes if she’d ignored her symptoms.

“I am just so lucky I lived three minutes away from the hospital because the doctors told me later that I was only about 30 minutes away from that being it for me,’ she told Fairfax.

“If I’d waited any longer I probably wouldn’t have made it.”

Lily, who still suffers from renal and adrenal failure, spent eight days in intensive care, and a total of three weeks in hospital. But she credits her mum for saving her life.

“Thankfully mum had a sixth sense,” she said. “I think that’s what saved me, that fast response.”

The disease destroyed Lily’s kidneys, and she currently spends five hours each day on dialysis. Her sister, Grace, will be donating a kidney in two weeks’ time.

Lily could’ve died if she didn’t get to the hospital when she did.Source:Facebook

Despite being vaccinated for Meningococcal C, she hadn’t received the injection for the W strain.

At a press conference on Sunday, NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian announced a meningococcal vaccination program for school students in years 10 and 11 will be rolled out across the state in a bid to immunise the community against the disease.

More than 200,000 students have been vaccinated against multiple strains of meningococcal since 2017 in a $17 million program.

The state-funded program includes the less common W strain because it has an eight per cent mortality rate — twice as high as other meningococcal strains — and diagnoses are on the rise.

The W strain became a concern for the state’s health authorities after diagnoses quadrupled between 2014 and 2016.

Lily thought she had the flu on Christmas Day.Source:Facebook

NSW chief health officer Kerry Chant said adolescents were being targeted by the program because schools are an effective way to immunise high numbers of an at-risk group.

The vaccine is also available for purchase for the wider community and Dr Chant urged people to remain vigilant for symptoms as spring usually brings an increase in meningococcal cases.

“If you experience symptoms including a sudden onset of fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, neck stiffness, joint pain or rash of red-purple spots, go straight to your nearest emergency department to seek help,” Dr Chant said.

“Acting quickly can save your life.”

— with AAP

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Symptoms of food-induced anaphylaxis in infants are much less severe than in toddlers and older children, according to a study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Anaphylaxis is defined as a reaction that involves multiple systems in the body or a presentation with significant cardiac or respiratory symptoms. While in older children an allergic reaction to food can be life-threatening, anaphylaxis in infants mostly manifests as hives and vomiting, the study found. With over 350 cases analyzed, including 47 infants, this is the largest study to date to describe food-induced anaphylaxis in infants under 1 year of age compared to other age groups.

“We found that infants, unlike older children, have a low-severity food-induced anaphylaxis, which should come as reassuring news to parents who are about to introduce their baby to potentially allergenic foods like peanuts,” says lead author Waheeda Samady, MD, from Lurie Children’s, who also is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Since early introduction of peanuts is now encouraged by national guidelines, it is understandable that parents might be fearful of triggering a serious reaction.”

The latest guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, released January 2017, recommend that infants be introduced to peanut-containing foods between 4 and 6 months of age. These guidelines are a major shift from previous recommendations to avoid early introduction of peanut-containing products. The current guidelines are based on a study demonstrating that early peanut introduction to high-risk infants significantly decreased their risk of developing peanut allergy.

To describe food-induced anaphylaxis in infants, Dr. Samady and colleagues conducted a retrospective review of children who presented with this condition at the Lurie Children’s emergency department over a two-year period. Their analysis included 47 infants, 43 toddlers, 96 young children and 171 school-aged children.

They found that infants presented with gastrointestinal symptoms more frequently than any other age group (89 percent of infants vs. 63 percent of toddlers, 60 percent of young children and 58 percent of school-aged children). Vomiting, in particular, was present in 83 percent of infants. Infants and toddlers also presented with skin involvement more often than school-aged children (94 percent in infants and 91 percent in toddlers vs. 62 percent in school-aged children), with hives as the most common skin manifestation found in 70 percent of infants. Any respiratory symptoms including cough were more common in older age groups (17 percent in infants vs. 44 percent in young children and 54 percent in school-aged children). Only one infant in the study presented with wheezing. Low blood pressure also was present in only one infant. No infant in the study died from anaphylaxis.

“If a baby develops only a mild rash or gastrointestinal symptoms after trying a new food, we advise parents to discuss this reaction with the child’s physician,” says senior author Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, from Lurie Children’s, who also is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “If there are multiple symptoms, make sure to call 911 and get emergency help immediately.”

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Georgia Groom performed CPR on Jack Norman, also 20, when he stopped breathing at their home – collapsing on the floor in the early hours of Thursday, minutes after waking up breathless and asking Georgia to call an ambulance.

Georgia said: “As you can imagine, I thought I had lost my boyfriend.”

Georgia called 999 and gave CPR to Jack – who has asthma, and whose heart was not beating.

Paramedics got to the house after 10 minutes and rushed Jack to hospital, where a doctor said that if Georgia had left Jack for 30 seconds longer he may have died.

Jack told the Comet: “If she didn’t act as quickly as she did, I probably wouldn’t be here. She saved my life at the end of the day.

“It was a very eye-opening experience I wouldn’t wish on anyone, and I don’t take life for granted.”

Jack Norman with his sister Isabelle, mum Victoria and stepdad Matt. Picture: Jack Norman

Now Georgia wants to raise awareness of how important it is to able to perform CPR.

“We are not taught CPR at school,” she said. “Why?

“I learned this through other ways – however, if I hadn’t, I don’t bear to think about what could have happened.

“CPR is most likely the easiest thing for someone to learn. Although our medical system are brilliant, you don’t need to be a paramedic to save a life. I could never, ever, ever have been able to live with myself if I didn’t know how to resuscitate him.”

Jack and Georgia have been together for 18 months, and just moved in together. If not for that, Jack would have been in the house alone – as his mum Victoria, stepdad Matt and 13-year-old sister Isabella were away in Spain at the time.

Victoria is grateful beyond words to Georgia for saving Jack.

Mum Victoria Norman with Jack. Picture: Victoria Norman

“She called an ambulance and, completely on her own in our house, performed CPR – for which she had never had any training,” said Victoria.

“Her actions saved my son’s life. She showed courage and bravery, and her ability to remain calm shows a true hero.

“I couldn’t get home as flights were delayed, and was in a state in another country – which is every mother’s worst nightmare.

“She kept me informed the whole time. I definitely would be grieving my son if it wasn’t for her.

“I would like for her to be acknowledged for the hero she is. I can never repay her.”

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Injured man filmed abusing paramedics

A man was filmed launching an expletive filled tirade at paramedics as they tried to treat him following a car crash in Adelaide.

A 29-year-old man as well as a female passenger were struck by a car and knocked off their motorbike at Grange Rd during peak hour on Monday morning, Seven News reported.

The male rider suffered a broken leg and camera’s captured him hurling abuse at paramedics as they tried to help him.

He initially refused painkillers and started his foul-mouthed rant when authorities tried to move him onto a stretcher.

“Ahhhh you f***ing idiot. Ahhhh move me, f***ing move me,” he was heard screaming.

“Stop swearing now, seriously mate,” the female paramedic said.

“Get the f*** off me … Get off me, dog,” the patient screamed as another paramedic tried to help.

The paramedics can be heard trying to reassure the man that they are there to help but he had to be restrained when he started hitting out at paramedics.

Angry crocodile bites trainer’s arm

This is the terrifying moment a furious crocodile chows down on a trainer’s arm in front of dozens of horrified spectators at a show.

The gory spectacle unfolded in the Phokkathara zoo in Chiang rai, northern Thailand, yesterday after the croc apparently had enough of being teased.

Video filmed by an onlooker shows the reptile handler performing a stunt which involved reaching inside the creature’s jaws.

As he began pushing deeper down the croc’s throat he looked at the audience before telling the announcer to stop the music.

But the reptile struck back — suddenly chomping down and clamping its teeth into the man’s forearm before shaking him violently from side-to-side.

The performer was heard letting out an agonising howl before freeing himself and staggering away with blood dripping on the wet tiles.

The owner of the crocodile park, Dong Wittawat, said today the trainer who had been bitten was treated at the farm with bandaging to his arm.

Dong Wittawat said: ”The performer is fine. His name is Tao and he is 45.

”He was treated at the farm with bandaging. He loves crocodiles and he will be working again soon in the next two weeks. It is very rare for this to happen.”

—Read more.

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Dr Samuele Cortese, of the University of Southampton, who led the research, says the results suggest a “possible role of allergic mechanisms in ADHD” and could lead to changes in clinical management of the two conditions.

The study, by an international team of researchers, has been published in the journal Lancet Psychiatry.

Dr Cortese, associate professor in psychology and medicine, said: “By combining a comprehensive analysis of available studies with a new large population-based study, we provided rigorous evidence supporting a significant association between ADHD and asthma.

“Mental health practitioners as well as clinicians involved in the care of respiratory diseases should be aware of this association, which might help to reduce delay in the diagnosis of both ADHD and asthma.

“Future research should aim to understand the mechanisms underlying this association, including possible common inflammatory alterations.”

The study examined two sources of data for the research – one involving 49 pre-existing datasets and the other from a population-based study in Sweden.

A university spokesman said: “According to the analysis of the 49 datasets, the prevalence of asthma was 16.9 per cent in individuals with ADHD and 11.5 per cent in those without.

“The prevalence of ADHD was 8.8 per cent in individuals with asthma and 5.6 per cent in those without.

“Results were similar in the population-based study, where the prevalence of asthma was significantly higher in individuals with ADHD than in those without (24.8 per cent vs 16.1 per cent).

“Additionally, the prevalence of ADHD was significantly higher in individuals with asthma than in those without (5.5 per cent vs 3.3 per cent).”

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An easy way to think about the necessary contents of a first-aid kit is to break it up into two categories: it should have bandages and it should have medicine. For a bare-bones kit, Wedmore recommends plenty of gauze, including at least one roll of Kerlix bandages and some non-adhesive gauze. A handful of butterfly bandages, different-size bandages and an ace bandage should be included as well.

As far as medication goes, Tylenol or a generic equivalent, an anti-inflammatory such as aspirin, an antihistamine such as Benadryl and diarrhea medication would be sufficient for most short-term needs. A few pairs of rubber gloves, paramedic’s scissors, alcohol pads, Neosporin, lots of duct tape and a CPR face shield should finish the kit off. A small Tupperware container can make for a cheap, waterproof carrying case.

Coghlan’s Pack I kit contains all the materials needed to take care of minor skin wounds and is small enough to fit in a pocket, making it ideal for afternoon hikes and bike rides. The 1-inch by 3-inch moleskin pad provides relief for painful blisters, and the antiseptic pad and alcohol pad ensures wounds are clean.

This disaster kit is built to sustain four people for three days; it includes 9600 calories’ worth of food and 96 ounces of water. All of the contents are stored in a 5-gallon plastic bucket, which can be converted to a makeshift toilet if needed. Survival expert Myke Hawke suggests swapping the plastic bucket for a metal one, so that it can be used to cook and boil water. Hawke also recommends replacing the kit’s four solar blankets with thick, heavy-duty trash bags. “Solar blankets are a neat concept for a day,” he tells PM. “After the first time you sleep in one, though, it falls apart. A trash bag can become a legitimate sleeping bag; it’s waterproof and it can be used to gather water.” The kit also includes a universal wrench to close damaged gas valves and a hand-crank emergency radio.

“If a kit is too big, you’re going to be less inclined to take it with you,” Hawke says. “And that will be the one day you need it.” Fortunately, the Ultralight & Watertight .9 weighs just 10 ounces and contains trauma pads, duct tape, an irrigation syringe and necessary medications. There are more than enough bandages in this kit to patch up serious skin wounds, and its three safety pins can be used to convert a T-shirt into a sling if needed. While using an irrigation syringe may sound intimidating to someone with limited medical knowledge, they’re crucial to flushing out deep wounds. Since they don’t contain needles they make it difficult for amateurs to induce further injuries.

A first-aid kit that is going to be stashed in the trunk should not only be able to address injuries, it should also be able to get you back on the road and out of harm’s way. In addition to the 45-piece first-aid kit, the Warrior Road Kit comes with a 250-psi air compressor, a reflective triangle and a set of jumper cables. The fleece hat, gloves and scarf for brutal winter breakdowns are thoughtful additions.

Sunburn, sea sickness and fishhooks through the hand are all common injuries at sea, which you may not think about while you’re still on land. The Marine 300 comes equipped with aloe vera gel, nausea medication meclizine and a complete guide to marine medicine, which includes information on hook removal. Hawke notes that the three-quarters of an ounce of iodine is a nice addition because of its versatility. “Don’t get iodine tablets, get the drops,” he says. “Three drops in a cup of water, let it sit for 30 minutes, and you’re good to drink it. It can also be used to clean wounds, where tablets can’t, so it saves space.” While this kit wouldn’t be sufficient for a crew heading out for several days, it’s ample for a family fishing excursion.

Hunting dogs face countless risks out in the field, many of which can be fatal if not treated immediately. The most unique items in the Sporting Dog kit are the skin staple gun, which can be used to seal deep wounds, and the pill gun to assist in administering medications to unyielding pets. However, most of the supplies can be found in cheaper, human-oriented first-aid kits.

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Many thoughts and emotions run through you when you find out you’re pregnant. From excitement to joy, happiness and in most cases the question, “how will I look after this bundle of joy to the best of my ability?”

When I was six months pregnant with Jessica, our now five-and-a-half year old daughter, my husband Heath and I thought it would be a good idea to get our First Aid certificate.

Things happen in life and being best equipped to handle any situation that may arise was definitely confidence building for me as a soon-to-be mum.

Being trained doesn’t make you a helicopter mum (although that I am), I’ve just found that having First Aid knowledge means I can go about my everyday life with a little less stress.

Funnily enough, one of our best First Aid experiences was when Jess looked after ME! I’d cut my foot quite badly and knew I needed compression and elevation but I was unable to walk, so I asked Jess to go down the hall and grab some toilet paper.

She ran back as fast as she could, ready to help me stop the bleeding, toilet paper still attached at the other end and a perfect roll running down the length of the hall. It was so sweet I’d almost forgotten I’d probably need stitches.

I’d like to think my St John’s First Aid training kept me level-headed that day, and as for Jess, she is now a superstar in the First Aid department!

Whether it’s a graze, bite, sting or ankle sprain, being prepared for everyday events that require First Aid is definitely an awesome feeling and knowing that Jessica learns from her parents is a reassurance that cannot be understated.

Brodie Harper is showing her support for the First Aid Champion Awards, organised by St John Ambulance Victoria to honour the unsung heroes amongst us for using their First Aid skills and have made a lasting impact to people’s lives. Consisting of five categories, the First Aid Champion Awards recognise that First Aid is a vital skill to have, irrespective of age, gender, background or health status. The categories for nominations are Junior (under 12) First Aid Champion, Youth (under 18) First Aid Champion, School First Aid Champion, Community First Aid Champion and Workplace First Aid Champion, allowing for recognition across all aspects of society.

Nominate your First Aid Champion today through stjohnvic.com.au/champions

Make sure you book in to a first aid course in your local area. www.canberrafirstaid.com

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Symptoms of food-induced anaphylaxis in infants are much less severe than in toddlers and older children, according to a study from Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago published in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. Anaphylaxis is defined as a reaction that involves multiple systems in the body or a presentation with significant cardiac or respiratory symptoms. While in older children an allergic reaction to food can be life-threatening, anaphylaxis in infants mostly manifests as hives and vomiting, the study found. With over 350 cases analyzed, including 47 infants, this is the largest study to date to describe food-induced anaphylaxis in infants under 1 year of age compared to other age groups.

“We found that infants, unlike older children, have a low-severity food-induced anaphylaxis, which should come as reassuring news to parents who are about to introduce their baby to potentially allergenic foods like peanuts,” says lead author Waheeda Samady, MD, from Lurie Children’s, who also is an Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Since early introduction of peanuts is now encouraged by national guidelines, it is understandable that parents might be fearful of triggering a serious reaction.”

The latest guidelines from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, released January 2017, recommend that infants be introduced to peanut-containing foods between 4 and 6 months of age. These guidelines are a major shift from previous recommendations to avoid early introduction of peanut-containing products. The current guidelines are based on a study demonstrating that early peanut introduction to high-risk infants significantly decreased their risk of developing peanut allergy.

To describe food-induced anaphylaxis in infants, Dr. Samady and colleagues conducted a retrospective review of children who presented with this condition at the Lurie Children’s emergency department over a two-year period. Their analysis included 47 infants, 43 toddlers, 96 young children and 171 school-aged children.

They found that infants presented with gastrointestinal symptoms more frequently than any other age group (89 percent of infants vs. 63 percent of toddlers, 60 percent of young children and 58 percent of school-aged children). Vomiting, in particular, was present in 83 percent of infants. Infants and toddlers also presented with skin involvement more often than school-aged children (94 percent in infants and 91 percent in toddlers vs. 62 percent in school-aged children), with hives as the most common skin manifestation found in 70 percent of infants. Any respiratory symptoms including cough were more common in older age groups (17 percent in infants vs. 44 percent in young children and 54 percent in school-aged children). Only one infant in the study presented with wheezing. Low blood pressure also was present in only one infant. No infant in the study died from anaphylaxis.

“If a baby develops only a mild rash or gastrointestinal symptoms after trying a new food, we advise parents to discuss this reaction with the child’s physician,” says senior author Ruchi Gupta, MD, MPH, from Lurie Children’s, who also is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “If there are multiple symptoms, make sure to call 911 and get emergency help immediately.”