Pause Your ‘Oohs’ & ‘Aahs’-Not All Injuries are Critical

Hug Your Child Tight, Every Pain Disappears from Sight!

A childhood without injuries is like a sea without water. Even the Prince’s child surrounded by not one or two, but multiple helpers faces the plight of cuts and bruises occasionally. That’s because, we cannot curb a child’s reflex but only give a reaction to every action the kid does. For example, when we take our children to the park, we can stand beside them all through but cannot direct each and every move to avoid them from falling off the swing or sliding rapidly from the sliding board. Nowadays, mommies and daddies are over-protective of their children and let a loud sigh even before their kids fall down or hurt themselves. By doing this, we are restricting their exposure to the stark outside world upbringing them without much challenges and hurdles. All these aside, the fact remains that kids get hurt and injuries do happen.

Most injuries faced by our children are trivial ones for which first aid at home is more than sufficient to treat. One must also take caution in remembering that not all injuries can be treated as passing clouds and left at the mercy of time for healing. Here is a list of guidelines on how to manage certain injuries at home and also to know when not to restrict yourself to home treatment.

Cuts, Scrapes:  Children often become victims to cuts and scrapes due to playing outdoor games, racing against each other on their cycle or while trying to do monkey tricks climbing or jumping from a sofa/bed. Most of these injuries call for a simple wash with plain water (use a cloth to remove any sand/debris present first) and then maybe, one can use a clean bandage to cover the area. If you find the injured area to be red, you can use a little antibiotic cream and daily repeat this procedure until it heals. A cut/scrape calls for medical attention when:

• The cut seems too big and might require sutures
• Bleeding becomes unstoppable even after applying pressure to stop it. Cuts on the lips or mouth bleed heavily but stop usually with some ice cubes. When bleeding does not stop even after first aid, it’s time to call the doctor.
• The cut/scrape oozes out pus or stay reddish even after applying antibiotic ointment.
• The child develops a fever

Animal or human bites

We have heard a dog or cat bite but what about humans who are defined to be the sanest of creatures living in this world? All the more shocking is the fact that humans have dirtier mouths than dogs and cats and a human bite that disturbs the skin calls for a visit to the physician.

First and foremost, wash the bitten area well. Bites often cause wounds deep down and we need to use plenty of soap and water to clean it as much as we can. Not all animal bites are deadly and immediately requires an injection, but it is always advisable to bring it to your doctor’s attention and verify whether there could be any risk of rabies. When the kid is bitten by another person’s pet, it is required to ensure with the individual that the animal is vaccinated to avoid too many injections on your little one.

Bumps/bruises

Most of these need a pack of ice and lots of love and affection, maybe a tight hug, a gentle kiss on the forehead or some snuggle time together with your little one. Get a physician’s help when:

• The child gets a bump on the head irrespective of whether or not he/she suffers from side effects. Any signs of vomiting, sleepiness or trouble doing normal things are signs to call a physician as soon as possible.
• The bump is on the eye socket or anywhere near it and causing redness in the eye, troubled vision or discomfort moving the eye
•  The kid seems to suffer from pain, acts sleepy or when you feel that something is not right despite all the ice and hugs

Injuries to the Eye

When some tiny object gets into the eye or something is sprayed into your eyes by mistake, immediate rinse it with plenty of water (contact lens solution too works well). When the eyes look normal and without any redness (or just have minimal redness) there is nothing to worry about. But, if they remain painful and look red it is needed to visit your doctor. Signs of bleeding, blurry vision or object size that is too big calls for a doctor’s visit immediately.

A Broken Limb or Fracture?

Every time the kid gets hurt, every parent’s first doubt would be fracture. The answer is a solid ‘no’ in most cases and parents can try moving the injured part of the body to confirm normalcy. If your child feels nauseous/dizzy, there is severe swelling in the affected area, has trouble moving the injured body part, can’t bear weight or the part of the body looks crooked/different from normal it is requested to seek immediate medical attention. When none of them seem to bother, it is good enough to dispense some ice on the affected area and ask your child to take rest completely. Read more about first aid help at www.firsteatright.com. Beyond this, when there is no improvement it is better to call your doctor to understand whether taking an x-ray might give a clear picture whether you are ignoring a minute fracture.