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Health Education

Health Education: First Aid for Snakebites – Every Parent Should Know

When a child is bitten by a snake, the first few minutes are critical. Knowing what to do—and what not to do—can make a significant difference in ensuring the child receives timely and appropriate medical care.

KidsToxLK is pleased to share a new educational article, "First aid for snakebites: Guidance for parents," published in the Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health. The article provides simple, evidence-based advice to help parents and caregivers respond safely and confidently if a snakebite occurs.

The guidance emphasises several important first aid principles:

Keep the child calm and as still as possible.
Immobilise the bitten limb and seek urgent medical attention at the nearest hospital.
Do not apply tourniquets, cut or suck the wound, apply herbal remedies or chemicals, or attempt other traditional treatments that may delay effective care.
If it can be done safely, take a photograph of the snake from a distance—but never attempt to catch or kill it.

Many harmful first aid practices continue to be used in Sri Lanka despite evidence that they can worsen outcomes. By promoting scientifically proven first aid measures, parents can help reduce complications and improve the chances of a full recovery.

At KidsToxLK, we are committed to providing reliable, evidence-based health education that empowers families to prevent poisoning and respond appropriately to medical emergencies.

Reference

Dayasiri K. First aid for snakebites: Guidance for parents. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health. 2026;55(2):186. DOI: 10.4038/sljch.v55i2.11957

🔗Read the full article: https://doi.org/10.4038/sljch.v55i2.11957

New research explores why adolescents start using drugs in Sri Lanka

Understanding why young people begin using drugs is essential for developing effective prevention strategies. A recent study by Prof. Kavinda Dayasiri and colleagues, published in BMJ Paediatrics Open, explored the psychosocial factors that lead to substance use among adolescents in Sri Lanka.

The research found that curiosity, peer influence, emotional distress, family conflict, grief, and easy access to drugs in familiar settings such as schools, homes, and neighbourhoods all contribute to the initiation and continuation of substance use. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening mental health support, improving family and school-based prevention programmes, and developing youth-centred interventions to reduce substance use among adolescents.

Read the full news article published in The Morning:

https://www.themorning.lk/articles/vtGFslPb4GRBaRKXWNrV

New evidence highlights harmful first-aid practices in childhood poisoning

What you do immediately after a child is exposed to a poison can make a significant difference. While some first-aid measures are lifesaving, others can delay treatment or even worsen the child's condition.

A recent study by Prof. Kavinda Dayasiri and colleagues found that harmful first-aid practices are still commonly used by caregivers of poisoned children in Sri Lanka. The findings emphasize the urgent need for better public awareness on safe first aid and the importance of seeking prompt medical advice from healthcare professionals or a poison information service.

Read the full news article here: https://www.themorning.lk/articles/nSkN01WeVrnoa9Vf0T7x

The article reports the findings of the research conducted by Prof. Kavinda Dayasiri and colleagues on first-aid practices following childhood poisoning.

KidsToxLK Featured in Doctor Magazine – March 2026 Issue (Sinhalese version)

The March 2026 issue of Doctor Magazine features KidsToxLK – the Paediatric Poison Information and Research Centre of Sri Lanka in a special article on the prevention and essential first aid of childhood poisoning. Authored by Professor Kavinda Dayasiri, the feature highlights the urgent need for systems-level responses to paediatric poisoning in low- and middle-income settings.

The article outlines practical, evidence-based first aid measures for common childhood poisonings, addresses harmful myths and inappropriate home remedies, and emphasises the critical importance of early hospital presentation. It also discusses gaps in discharge counselling, pharmacy-level risk communication, and safe medication storage practices—areas identified through ongoing research and national surveillance initiatives led by KidsToxLK.

Importantly, the feature underscores the role of caregiver education, safer packaging, and community-based prevention strategies in reducing avoidable morbidity and mortality among children. By integrating clinical care, toxicovigilance, research, and public education, KidsToxLK is presented as a scalable model for strengthening paediatric poisoning prevention in Sri Lanka and similar settings.

Download Article

ඖෂධ විෂ වීමෙන් දරුවන් ආරක්ෂා කර ගනිමු

ඖෂධ ආශ්‍රිත හානිවලින් දරුවන් ආරක්ෂා කර ගැනීම ආරම්භ වන්නේ නිවසේදී සරල පියවරයන් සමඟිනි. සියලුම ඖෂධ - ටැබ්ලට්, සිරප් සහ විටමින් පවා - අගුලු දමා ළඟා විය නොහැකි ලෙස ගබඩා කරන්න. නිසි මිනුම් උපකරණයක් භාවිතයෙන් සෑම විටම නිවැරදි මාත්‍රාව ලබා දෙන්න, සහ ඖෂධ "රසකැවිලි" ලෙස හැඳින්වීමෙන් වළකින්න. කුතුහලයෙන් සිටින අත්වලට ඒවා සොයා ගත හැකි ස්ථානවල කිසි විටෙකත් මේස, ඇඳන් හෝ බෑග් මත ඖෂධ බෝතල් තබන්න එපා. ඔබේ දරුවා අහම්බෙන් ඖෂධයක් ලබාගෙන ඇති බවට ඔබ කවදා හෝ සැක කරන්නේ නම්, වහාම වෛද්‍ය උපකාර ලබා ගන්න.