Both my son and daughter are about to start fall sports leagues, and I know that bruises and cuts are sure to follow. How can I quickly and efficiently help my child best during these first-aid situations?
Odds are that the vast majority of the injuries a child will encounter during his or her young life will not send you rushing to the hospital. Here are some basic first-aid tips for cuts and bruises that need a bit more care than just a mother’s kiss or a hug, but that don’t involve serious bleeding, a suspected sprain, or broken bones.
Bruises (contusions) result from sharp impact that can result from a fall onto hard pavement, bumping into a sharp object, or being pinched so hard that the blood vessels below the skin break and excess blood rushes to the area.
An acronym for the care you should provide for a bruise is RICE: Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. Rest the bruised area; apply ice or a cold pack to reduce swelling (making sure that the ice does not directly touch the skin). Compress the bruise by wrapping a bandage or piece of cloth around it firmly (although not so firmly that it hurts), and elevate the injured area if possible.
Short-term use of over-the-counter pain medication, such as ibuprofen — never aspirin in children under the age of 18 — may help address your child’s pain, as long as you follow the dosage recommendations for the correct age range. If you follow these steps for up to 48 hours, and the swelling does not start to subside, or the pain stays the same or worsens, then it’s time to seek medical care.
Like care for a bruise, the sooner first aid is provided for a cut or scrape, the better. This is the case even if the wound has stopped bleeding on its own. No matter what, step one is to make sure the bleeding stops, first by applying continuous pressure for up to 10 minutes, then checking and continuing for another 30 minutes if the bleeding has continued.
Step two is cleaning out the wound with clear water to remove any debris, using small tweezers to remove any that does not come out in the rinse. Next, clean out the wound using soap, water, and a paper towel, napkin, or other type of clean cloth. Applying an antibiotic ointment, if available, will reduce the chances of infection (though it will not make the healing process go faster). Finally, cover the clean wound with a bandage or gauze, changing the dressing at least once a day, and after every time it gets wet or dirty.
It’s important to know proper first-aid care for a child’s scrapes and bruises, but always remember to trust your parental instincts. If you believe your child’s injury requires professional medical attention or opinion, despite first-aid, then call your child’s pediatrician or go to the emergency room. Cuts and bruises are not only a test of a parent’s first-aid skill, but of a parent’s judgment as well.
