Arm yourself with the necessary knowledge to treat a hurt child in any situation, from a scratch to a sprain.
Cuts, scrapes, scratches and other bleeding wounds:
Before you can treat the wound you need to be able to see it. Too much blood can make it impossible to see the nature and extent of the damage, so before you do anything, start by patting away excess blood with a clean, wet cloth. This will allow you to see the wound more clearly.
Once you can see the wound, look for dirt and debris that may be lodged inside the wound and clean it out by running water over it. Rinsing the area with water will help get out dirt, but it won’t disinfect so follow the rinse with a wash using a mild soap. If the wound continues to bleed, cover it with a clean cloth and apply even pressure over the whole area. If the wound is located on a part of the body where elevation is possible, such as a limb, position the limb above the heart and then apply the pressure.
At this point some people prefer to use a hydrogen peroxide to disinfect, and if you happen to have that in your cabinet you may use it. If you don’t have hydrogen peroxide, cover the wound in an antibacterial ointment or cream. Either one of these options will work. After the wound is disinfected cover it with a bandage. A bandage needs to be changed frequently the first day, as the wound not only needs to be kept as clean as possible, but it also needs to be checked for continuing inflammation and redness.
It is best to call a doctor if the following conditions occur:
1) The bleeding continues after you have been applying even pressure for five minutes.
2) Debris appears to be stuck inside the wound, and you can’t get it out without causing more damage.
3) The injury is longer and/or deeper than the usual, superficial wound.
Sprains:
When a child sprains a body part, or appears to have serious bruising and discomfort, immediately apply ice for 20 minutes to restrict swelling in the area. Elevating the area above the heart will also help restrict swelling, and later it will reduce pain and throbbing. A serious sprain will cause extremely severe pain. The area needs to be supported by a brace, which can be issued by a doctor or purchased at a drug store. Seek medical attention if you suspect a broken bone.
Bee and wasp stings:
If a stinger is left in the skin, gently scrape it out using a credit card. Don’t pull it out with tweezers (or using a similar method) as this causes the poison to spread. Cover the stung area with a baking soda and water paste, a well-known home remedy for treating bee stings. Leave the paste on for 20 minutes. By this time the pain should have subsided. If not, an ice pack will help. If a child has experiences dizziness, nausea, or trouble breathing he or she might be having an allergic reaction. In this case contact a doctor immediately.
