My daughter, 9, almost died after taking out the rubbish – don’t make our mistake
Graphic Warning
MUM’S WARNING
Plus, the vital steps you need to know for dealing with severe bleeding
NAVAEH Connor was taking out the rubbish during a blackout when a simple mistake her mum made almost cost her her life.
The nine-year-old schoolgirl almost died after the incident in April this year when a lid from a tin of peas, that was inside the bag, sliced her right leg in two places.
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Navaeh thought it was just a scratch, but after shining a torch on her leg she saw one of the cuts was eight inches long and just one cm from the bone.
The savvy schoolgirl stemmed the heavy bleeding by applying pressure using towels and toilet paper, copying life-saving skills seen in TV show The Walking Dead.
After 20 minutes, Navaeh went downstairs and showed the cut to her mum April Connor, causing her to "freak out" and call an ambulance.
The youngster was rushed to UPMC Children's Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where doctors cleaned and stitched up the cut, which had sliced through a tendon.
Her mum April, 33, said she feared Navaeh would die as she could have bled out, but admitted she did a "good job" in stopping the bleeding.
In the hit zombie apocalypse show, first aid is crucial for survival - allowing characters to treat injuries, prevent infection and potentially save lives as no hospitals are open due to a zombie apocalypse.
Navaeh, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US, said: "My favourite show is The Walking Dead, it felt like I was in my own Walking Dead episode.
"I was scared and nervous. I just knew to put pressure on it [from the show], my brain just told me to put pressure on it."
Mum-of-three April said Navaeh, whose favourite character is Judith Grimes, was helping out with chores when the accident happened.
She explained: "My daughter took a garbage bag and went to take it to the trashcan because the next day was garbage day and the lid of a tin can sliced her leg.
"She said she thought she was just scratched and didn't know it was that bad until we got back into the house.
"Because we were in a blackout, she ran into the bathroom and shone a flashlight on her leg.
"That's when she saw that she was quite hurt and she was gone for about 20 minutes before she even came down to tell us she was cut.
"She was trying to stop the bleeding on her own, she tried to put bandaids on it and tried to hold pressure on it with towels and toilet paper.
"She said she was scared and wanted it to go away with band aids and when it didn't go away, she got her dad and I and said, 'Mom I think you need to take me to the hospital'.
"I thought she was just being dramatic. When she shone the flashlight and showed us the cut on her leg I freaked out, I had to call an ambulance.
I thought she was going to die, I was so concerned because she didn't come to me straight away
April Connor
"She is nine years old and she did a really good job stopping the bleeding on her own.
"I watch a lot of doctor shows and documentaries and she is used to medical gore.
"We watch a lot of Grey's Anatomy and horror movies, one of her favourite things to watch is The Walking Dead.
"I thought she was going to die, I was so concerned because she didn't come to me straight away.
"She could have bled out on the floor, she's my youngest daughter and she handled it better than I did."
Following an hour-long plastic surgery, Navaeh was given stitches and needed crutches to walk as she had sliced through her tendon.
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The stay-at-home mum is now warning parents against putting sharp objects in the bin without the right precautions.
April said: "She was in shock because of the wound and bleeding out but she was in a concentrated state of mind.
"She was very strong throughout the whole situation, the only time she cried was when she heard she had to have surgery.
"They gave her crutches, she is having some trouble with the muscle because she cut through the tendon but she is doing better with walking.
"Don't put anything sharp in the garbage at all, even if you push the lid inside or wrap it up, put it in a box.
"I thought I had taken enough preventative action and I hadn't, and this is the outcome of what can happen."
IF severe bleeding isn't controlled quickly it's possible for someone to lose a lot of blood, become unresponsive, and possible develop shock.
Shock is a life-threatening emergency condition, caused when the body doesn't have sufficient blood circulating to supply the vital organs with oxygen.
Steps to follow if someone's bleeding
- With open wounds there's a risk of infection, so wear protective first aid gloves (if available) to help prevent any infection passing between you both.
- Apply direct firm pressure to the wound using a sterile dressing if possible or a clean non-fluffy cloth to stop the bleeding.
- Ask a helper to call 999 or 112 for emergency help and give the emergency call handler details of where the wound is and the extent of the bleeding.
- Firmly secure the dressing with a bandage to maintain pressure on the wound. Make it firm enough to maintain pressure but not so tight that it restricts their circulation.
- Check their circulation beyond the bandage. Press one of the nails or the skin beyond the bandage for five seconds until it turns pale, then release the pressure. If the colour does not return within two seconds, the bandage is too tight. If necessary, loosen and reapply the bandage.
- The loss of blood could cause the casualty to develop shock. Treat them for this by helping them to lie down on a rug or blanket. Raise and support their legs, so that they are above the level of their heart. You should then loosen any tight clothing around their neck, chest and waist and cover the casualty with a blanket to keep them warm.
- If blood comes through the dressing, remove it and reapply pressure with a new dressing or pad to control the bleeding. Once the bleed is under control, secure the dressing place with the bandage, tying the knot over the wound to keep the pressure applied.
- Support the injured part with a sling or bandage, and keep checking the circulation beyond the bandage every 10 minutes.
- Keep monitoring their level of response until help arrives. If they become unresponsive at any point, prepare to start CPR. If the bleed is not controlled with pressure, it is possible that the call handler will ask you to improvise a tourniquet if you do not have one or are not trained. They may ask you to use items such as a triangular bandage, a belt or a tie and instruct you on what to do.
Source: St John Ambulance
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