When you have a child in the household you should also be prepared for accidents, both big and small. Keep a well-stocked First Aid Kit handy that contains everything for emergency care ranging from pain killers to gauze strips and other Band-Aids.
Let us discuss the most common accidents that kids get into:
Nose bleed
- Most of us instead of getting the blood off the nose, ask the child to raise their head upwards, towards the ceiling to stop the ceiling.
- But what actually should be done it that the child should be asked to sit straight and you should pinch their nose at the ends for 2 minutes. The pinch will reduce the bleeding.
- If the nosebleed has been caused by trauma then hold an ice bag till the bleeding stops.
- Don’t hesitate to call 911 if the bleeding does not stop even after 10-15 minutes.
Cuts and scrapes
- Kids fall and tumble which leads to cuts and scrapes. If the cut is bleeding, then press the wound for a few minutes till the bleeding stops.
- Then clean the cut under running water and pat dry. It might be a good idea to apply an antibiotic cream or powder like Bacitracin or Neosporin and cover with a gauze or Band-Aid.
- If the cut shows any signs of releasing pus or becomes tender, then it might be a good idea to head to the doctor.
Insect bite or sting
- If an insect bite has left its stinger in the skin, then scrape it off using a card or your finger nail. If the bite is itching then apply a compress and even apply topical creams and calamine lotion to soothe the sting.
- If the child is showing signs of not being able to breathe or has swelling anywhere in his body or you even discover that is voice is changing you might want to head to the Emergency room.
Burn
- If the burn is mild then hold it down running cold water to cool it. If it is tiny then simply cover with Band-Aid.
- If the burn has occurred in any delicate area of the body like the face, genital area or hands then do visit the doctor.
- If the burns are serious in nature, seem deep or cover a tenth of the body then do not use cold compress. Simply cover with a clean sheet to prevent hypothermia and wait for the paramedics.
Eye Trauma
- If the eye of your child has been poked and he is facing blurry vision or pain then hold a cold cloth or compress to the area and head to the ER.
- The doctors might prescribe eye drops or ointment to get the surface of the eyeball back to normal.
- If the pain persists even after few days and is causing pain or inflammation then it might be something more serious, so you need to revisit the doctor to know if it is anything serious.
Splinter
- If your child has managed to get glass or wooden splinters in their skin, then try to pull it out using tweezers, if you’re unable to get it out, then wait for a few days for it to come out on its own.
- If he or she has managed to get too many splinters, then head straight to the ER for proper medical care to get them out. They will also use the aid of X-ray’s to get the splinter out.
So be prepared to treat your little one when he gets into any scrapes or falls.
Written by: Rasha Ashraf
