Dealing With Your Babys Tumbles & Bumps
2008-07-0912:09
However safe you believe your home to be, your little rascal is bound to encounter occasional tumbles and bumps. Whilst hoping that the more serious accidents never happen, it is good to know some first aid measures to handle these situations until medical aid is obtained.
Following are some tips to help you prepare just in case of such an emergency: * Keep a list of emergency phone numbers near your phone * Include the numbers of your doctor, local hospital and a mode of transportation. * Collect a few first aid needs for your home such as cotton wool, gauze, Hydrogen Peroxide, antiseptic ointment and lotion, etc.
BruisesThese are usually caused by knocks or falls and appear as soft swellings which become discoloured with time. Apply iced or cold cloth immediately and continue for the first 24 hours. After this, warm compresses will help reduce swelling and discoloration.
Falls from Heights Keep the child calm and have him examined by a doctor. If your child falls asleep, wake him up every 30-60 minutes to check whether he or she is conscious and rational. Look out for vomiting and dazed appearance. If you notice these symptoms, see a doctor immediately.
Fractures If the arm or leg shows a deformity and cannot be moved, cut away any clothing around the area with care and lay the child down. If the child needs to be transported to hospital, a splint can be applied using anything that is rigid (e.g. stick, board, cane, tightly rolled magazine) extending above and below the adjacent joint so that the joint cannot be used.
Objects Swallowed If the object swallowed is a sharp one such as an open safety pin or needle, do not give a laxative and never force the child to vomit. The doctor can follow the progress with an x-ray. If the child chokes, turn him head down and forcefully hit the back of the child to dislodge the foreign body, using the palm of your hand.
Wounds with Little Bleeding Gently wash the wound with soap and water using a clean cloth. Apply an antiseptic and a clean dressing, changing it daily. If the wound is gaping or wide apart, stitches may become necessary.
Wounds with Severe Bleeding Always apply pressure first. Don’t try to clean the wound. Place a sterile gauze pad or clean cloth over the wound and apply firm and steady pressure using a hand or finger. Pressure usually stops most bleeding, but a tight bandage can be dangerous as it can stop blood circulation to the area beyond the wound. If the wound shows redness around it, and a swelling develops with severe pain, soak wound 3-4 times a day in warm water mixed with table salt, for at least an hour at a time.
Dog Bites Clean the wounded area with soap and water, dry with a clean cloth and rinse with Hydrogen Peroxide if available. A Tetanus booster is necessary. Keep the dog under surveillance and watch for changes in behaviour. If bitten by bees and wasps, apply cold compresses and Calamine lotion to reduce swelling or itching.
Breathing Hitches Remove any foreign matter, if any, from the mouth. Place the child on his or her back and tilt head back with chin up. Lift the lower jaw from behind so it juts out to prevent the tongue from falling back to block the air passage. Place your mouth over the child’s nose and mouth and breathe into your child with shallow puffs of air. If air passages are still blocked, suspend child by the ankles or hold the child’s head down over your arm and give several sharp pats between the shoulder blades to dislodge any blocks in the air passage.
Burns If due to a corrosive item, strip off all clothing and flood the area with lots of water. Then contact your doctor immediately. If due to fire or dry heat, hold the burnt area in cold, running water for several minutes. Clean area with a detergent soap, apply a mild burn ointment and a clean dressing. A Tetanus booster should be given to all suffering from significant burns.