First aid tips for parents: What to do when children get skin wounds

  With their fearless curiosity, your kids are bound to encounter tumbles, scrapes and other accidents on a relatively frequent basis. The resultant skin wounds are usually easy to treat at home, but occasionally a severe injury requires a trip to the doctor’s office or emergency room. As a parent, you’re the all-knowing superhero in your kids’ eyes. Keep these wound care tips in your back pocket so you know how to react when your little ones look to you for help. It’s all fun and games until they fall and get hurt. Parents should know how to care for common skin wounds. For cuts and scrapes: If there’s bleeding, start by applying pressure with a clean cloth until it stops – usually anywhere from three to 15 minutes, according to Parents magazine. Elevating the injured area above their heart can also help stop the bleeding. Next, flush the wound with lukewarm water and gently clean the affected area with soap. Don’t use alcohol or hydrogen peroxide because the former can sting badly and the latter can damage the skin, as noted by Parents magazine. Apply an antibiotic ointment and cover the wound with a bandage. KidsHealth® advised seeking professional medical advice for cuts and scrapes that won’t stop bleeding, as well as those that are considerably large, deep or gaping. For splinters: Use a sterilized pair of tweezers to carefully remove the wood or other foreign objects. Once removed, flush the wound thoroughly w...
Source: Advanced Tissue - Category: Dermatology Authors: Tags: Wound Care wound care products wound supplies wound care treatment healing wounds Source Type: news