Handling medical emergencies

Information that individuals can provide for emergency personnel

Our Clinic offers personalized medical information cards to individuals with 22q11.2DS who receive our services. These are small enough to be kept in the wallet and can provide a wealth of information to physicians who are not familiar with the person with 22q11.2DS. Please call (416) 340-5145 or email the clinic at 22q@uhn.ca for further information.

Some smartphones have built-in apps for medical emergencies. You can read the instructions and set up the app so that it can display your medical conditions, allergies, and emergency contact information.

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What to say during a 911 call

When you call 911:

(1) Stay calm. Wait for your call to be connected to the correct answering point

(2) The dispatcher will ask "Do you need police, fire, or ambulance?" Answer clearly.

(3) Then the dispatcher will ask you to provide:

  • Address

  • Closest major intersection (Even if you cannot tell the exact corner of the intersection, it’s OK. Sometimes, multiple streets with the same name exist within a city. When you give the closest intersection, the dispatcher can send emergency crews to the correct street.)

  • Phone number

(4) Wait for dispatcher to ask a question then answer it the best that you can. It is okay to say "I don't know."

(5) Follow the dispatcher's instructions. Do not hang up until he/she asks you to do so.

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Please inform us when a patient is in the hospital

A note to family members and caregivers of our patients:

If the individual with 22q is admitted into a hospital (including the Toronto General Hospital), please inform us as soon as possible. Calling us at (416) 340-5145 on weekdays is best. If you prefer to email us at 22q@uhn.ca, we will try to respond within 24 to 48 hours.

Unfortunately, we won't know that a patient is admitted into a hospital unless family members or caregivers inform us. Please let us know so that our team can help provide relevant documents and support.

Thank you.

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Resource on Emergency Preparedness

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