Photo By Staff Sgt. Michael Carden | Sgt. Diana McClure, a medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Troop, Regimental Troop...... read more read more
BAGHDAD — Sgt. Diana McClure, a medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Trooop, Regimental Troop Squadron, 278th Armored Cavalry Regiment, 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) and a Palmersville, Tenn., native, provided emergency care to an Iraqi child who had a seizure June 16 at a Returnee Assistance Center in Baghdad.
“My adrenalin levels just shot up as soon as I saw [him], especially with it being a child,” she said. “I have two at home myself and you just can’t turn away from that.”
To begin treatment, McClure ensured the child’s airway was clear, and then made sure that the boy was positioned on his side to help keep any fluid accumulations from blocking his throat. At one point, secretions built up in the child’s throat and she had to manually remove them, she said.
McClure directed other Soldiers to use cool water on the child’s neck and face to bring the child’s temperature down.
“He probably had a past experience of seizures, but there was a lot of excitement with us being there and everything going on,” McClure said. “He was running around and getting extremely hot. I am sure that contributed to it.”
McClure said she continued to monitor the child’s vital signs while waiting for him to become lucid, making sure there wasn’t any lack of oxygen, which could cause brain damage.
While McClure treated the child, other Soldiers continued to monitor the area with Iraqi Police to keep the scene safe.
“The IPs came over and started helping out,” said Staff Sgt. Charles Smith, shift leader with HHT and a Woodbury, Tenn., native. “They were clearing out people, getting them away.”
Even with attention on the medical emergency, the Soldiers kept to the mission of ensuring security to the U.N. inspectors at the Returnee Assistance Center.
“To see what we rehearsed, and what we have been trained on,” Smith said. “to see that everyone reacted accordingly, it makes me feel good to know that when something does happen, that everyone is going to do the right thing,” Smith said.
After one of the local children brought the boy’s father to the scene, Soldiers helped the boy to his feet and the child and his father walked away.
McClure said the father seemed confused by the crowd around his child at first, but after the interpreter explained what was going on, he was relieved that the U.S. service members were helping.
| Date Taken: | 06.16.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 06.20.2010 07:25 |
| Story ID: | 51688 |
| Location: | BAGHDAD, IQ |
| Web Views: | 231 |
| Downloads: | 176 |
This work, 278th ACR medic treats local child, by SSG Michael Carden, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
