First aid guide for treating cuts and scrapes in kids

Kids tend to be very curious and often get injured while learning or playing. Activities running and skipping are a fun part of growing up. Plus, getting older also means learning about the items that are dangerous and could possibly harm them. Perhaps, it is a daunting task to keep your kids from creating chaos. So, it would come in handy to learn first aid for treating cuts and scrapes in kids. This knowledge can reduce the risk of infections and provide a faster recovery.

Having said that, let’s learn about the treatment!

How to treat cuts and scrapes in kids?

Step 1

Before you begin the treatment, wash your hands. Having clean hands will help prevent the wound from bacteria or infection. After that, ask your child to lie down or sit so that you can begin treating their wounds.

Step 2

If the wound is bleeding, take a clean cloth and press it gently over the wound to stop the bleeding. Be sure that you do not put a lot of pressure on it. Keep your hold firm, though.

Step 3

Once the bleeding stops, you must clean the area properly. For that, wash the wound under cold running water.

Or you can use clean cloth and water to clean the area. If you have saline wound spray, you can use that as well.

But, do not use warm water or alcohol, mercurochrome, iodine, hydrogen peroxide, and other chemicals to clean the wound. It will cause irritation and pain, making it challenging for you to proceed with the treatment. Moreover, clean water is always a great way to clean the injured area.

Step 4

If the wound is minor, but includes dirt and grit, use clean and sanitized tweezers to carefully remove it.

Step 5

After cleaning the injury properly, use bandages to cover it. Consider using bandages that include natural ingredients such as manuka honey instead of chemicals. Honey has antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties naturally, so it can be helpful for medical use.

Not to mention, manuka honey is also proven for faster healing of wounds. You can also use the ointment to mitigate the chances of infection. Plus, it will help keep the bandages from sticking to the injury and causing pain.

Once the cut dries and forms a scab, you can leave it open to heal. However, if it causes irritation or itching, you can keep it covered. It is because kids often have the urge to itch the scab, which can cause further injury or even bleeding.

When to visit a doctor about kids’ cuts and scapes?

Generally, minor cuts and scrapes are ones you as the parent can treat easily at home. However, if the wound is too deep and the bleeding does not stop, you must visit the doctor. They can diagnose the injury and provide proper treatment.

Apart from this, you must visit the doctor if:

• Your kid has not been immunized within the last five years
• The wound is punctured, bitten by an animal, or tendon injury
• Your child can not use the affected body part
• Your child is in immense pain

Key takeaway

Learning first aid is one of the steps to keep your child protected. The steps mentioned above will help you properly treat minor wounds, cuts, or scrapes. Nevertheless, you should visit the doctor in case of any major injury or emergency.