|
|
|
|
|
 |
Parent's
Resources |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
Bleeding |
|
|
Most small cuts don't present any danger to your child.
But bleeding from large cuts may require immediate
medical treatment. Depending on the type of wound and
its location, there can be damage to tendons and nerves.
What to do:
For Minor Bleeding From a Small Cut or Abrasion
(Scrape):
Rinse the wound thoroughly with water to clean out dirt
and debris.
Then wash the wound with a mild soap and rinse
thoroughly. (For minor wounds, it isn't necessary to use
an antiseptic solution to prevent infection, and some
can cause allergic skin reactions.)
Cover the wound with a sterile adhesive bandage or
sterile gauze and adhesive tape. Examine the wound
daily. If the bandage gets wet, remove it and apply a
new one. After the wound forms a scab, a bandage is no
longer necessary.
For Bleeding From a Large Cut or Laceration:
Wash the wound thoroughly with water. This will allow
you to see the wound clearly and assess its size.
Place a piece of sterile gauze or a clean cloth over the
entire wound. If available, use clean latex or rubber
gloves to protect yourself from exposure to possible
infection from the blood of a child who isn't your own.
If you can, raise the bleeding body part above the level
of your child's heart. Do not apply a tourniquet.
Using the palm of your hand on the gauze or cloth, apply
steady, direct pressure to the wound for 5 minutes.
(During the 5 minutes, do not stop to check the wound or
remove blood clots that may form on the gauze.)
If blood soaks through the gauze, do not remove it.
Apply another gauze pad on top and continue applying
pressure.
Call your child's doctor or seek immediate medical
attention for all large cuts or lacerations, or if:
you're unable to stop the bleeding after 5 minutes of
pressure, or if the wound begins bleeding again
(continue applying pressure until help arrives)
you're unable to clean out dirt and debris thoroughly,
or there' s something else stuck in the wound
the wound is on your child's face or neck
the injury was caused by an animal or human bite, burn,
electrical injury, or puncture wound (e.g., a nail)
the cut is more than half an inch long or appears to be
deep - large or deep wounds can result in nerve or
tendon damage.
|
|
Broken Bones, Sprains, and Strains |
|
|
A broken (fractured) bone requires emergency care.
Suspect a possible broken bone if your child heard or
felt a bone snap, if your child has difficulty moving
the injured part, or if the injured part moves in an
unnatural way or is very painful to the touch.
A sprain occurs when the ligaments, which hold bones
together, are overstretched and partially torn. Simply
overstretching any part of the musculature is called a
strain. Sprains and strains generally cause swelling and
pain, and there may be bruises around the injured area.
Most sprains, after proper medical evaluation, can be
treated at home.
What to Do:
For a Suspected Broken Bone:
If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not
move him unless the child is in imminent danger.
Movement can cause serious nerve damage. Phone for
emergency medical help. If your child must be moved, the
neck and back must be completely immobilized first.
Keeping your child's head, neck, and back in alignment,
move the child as a unit.
If your child has an open break (bone protrudes through
the skin) and there is severe bleeding, apply pressure
on the bleeding area with a gauze pad or a clean piece
of clothing or other material. Do not wash the wound or
try to push back any part of the bone that may be
sticking out.
If your child must be moved, apply splints around the
injured limb to prevent further injury. Leave the limb
in the position you find it. The splints should be
applied in that position. Splints can be made by using
boards, brooms, a stack of newspapers, cardboard, or
anything firm, and can be padded with pillows, shirts,
towels, or anything soft. Splints must be long enough to
extend beyond the joints above and below the fracture.
Place cold packs or a bag of ice wrapped in cloth on the
injured area.
Keep your child lying down until medical help arrives.
For a Suspected Sprain or Strain:
If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not
move him unless the child is in imminent danger.
Movement can cause serious nerve damage. Phone for
emergency medical help. If your child must be moved, the
neck and back must be completely immobilized first.
Keeping the head, neck, and back in alignment, move your
child as a unit.
It may be difficult to tell the difference between a
sprain and a break. If there is any doubt whatsoever,
phone your child's doctor or take your child to the
nearest hospital emergency department. An X-ray can
determine whether a bone is broken.
First aid for sprains and strains includes rest, ice,
compression, and elevation (known as RICE).
Rest the injured part of the body.
Apply ice packs or cold compresses for up to 10 or 15
minutes at a time every few hours for the first 2 days
to prevent swelling.
Wearing an elastic compression bandage (such as an ACE
bandage) for at least 2 days will reduce swelling.
Keep the injured part elevated above the level of the
heart as much as possible to reduce swelling.
Do not apply heat in any form for at least 24 hours.
Heat increases swelling and pain.
Your child's doctor may recommend an over-the-counter
pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
|
|
Dehydration |
|
|
Under normal conditions, we all lose some body water
every day in our sweat, tears, urine, and stools. Water
also evaporates from our skin and leaves the body as
vapor when we breathe. We usually replace this body
fluid and the salts it contains with the water and salts
in our regular diet.
Recognizing Dehydration
If your child has fever, diarrhea, or vomiting, or is
sweating a lot on a hot day or during intense physical
activity, you should watch for signs of dehydration,
which can include:
- dry or sticky mouth
- few or no tears when crying
- eyes that look sunken into the head
- soft spot (fontanelle) on top of baby's head that
looks sunken
- lack of urine or wet diapers for 6 to 8 hours in an
infant (or only a - very small amount of dark
yellow urine)
- lack of urine for 12 hours in an older child (or only
a very small amount of dark yellow urine)
- dry, cool skin
- lethargy or irritability
- fatigue or dizziness in an older child
Preventing Dehydration
The best way to prevent dehydration is to make sure kids
gets plenty of fluids, whether they're sick or just
physically active. In other words, you need to make sure
that they're consuming more fluids than they're losing
(from vomiting, diarrhea, or sweating).
The way you should keep a child adequately hydrated will
differ depending on the circumstances. For example, a
child with a sore throat may become dehydrated due to
difficulty drinking or eating. Easing the pain with
acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help. Cold drinks or
popsicles can also soothe a burning throat while
supplying fluids at the same time. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|