First aid for children's wounds properly

Children playing running and jumping are prone to injuries such as broken hands or bleeding falls,. These injuries are very simple, but not everyone knows how to give first aid properly. If you know how to give first aid, it will make the wound less painful and heal faster.

First aid for children's wounds properly

The best way to treat wounds

Wash your hands thoroughly before examining the wound. If the wound is bleeding, it should be "stopped" with a clean bandage or towel until the bleeding stops. If the bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes, the child should be taken to the hospital immediately.

After the bleeding stops, check for any foreign matter or dirt in the wound. If so, flush the wound under cool water. If it doesn't work, use tweezers to pull it out.

Then wash the wound gently with soap and warm water, pat dry gently. If your child is brave, you can soak the wound for a while in dilute salt water.

Do not blow on the wound even though it may make the baby comfortable because it will increase the risk of infection.

Do you need to use an antibacterial wound agent?

It is not necessary, but applying antibacterial ointments to the cleaned and dry wound will help reduce the risk of infection.

Absolutely do not use alcohol, Hydrogen peroxide, Iodine or because they will only make the child more painful and the wound takes longer to heal.

What is the best wound dressing?

For small wounds, it is best to leave them open and exposed to air. However, if the wound is susceptible to contamination and rubbing against clothing, a dressing may be necessary.

For deeper wounds, medical tape can be used to cover the wound. Note that the cotton gauze part only hugs the wound just enough and should not be bandaged too tightly because it will affect blood circulation.

Remember to change the dressing every day or when it gets wet.

After the wound is closed, there is no need for a bandage. If the baby tends to scratch because of the itch, it should be lightly bandaged to protect the new skin process.

Some doctors suggest that the wound should be left open at night to allow it to dry faster. Of course if the wound is not too severe.

How to relieve pain?

If your baby is in pain, you can give him Acetaminophen, also known as paracetamol, Ibuprofen for children. Remember to stick to the dosage listed on the instructions. Never give aspirin to a child because it can cause a serious side effect called Reye's syndrome.

Reye's syndrome is a disease that mainly causes acute brain damage Encephalopathy and fatty degeneration of the liver - Fatty liver, which usually begins shortly after recovery from an acute viral illness, especially influenza and chickenpox - Rice straw.

When does a wound need stitches?

That's when the wounds are deep and wide, especially if they form ridges.

For best results, the wound should be sutured up to 8 hours before the injury - the sooner the better, avoiding the risk of infection and helping to reduce scarring.

David Pac

Update 08 May 2023