First Aid Guide

Sometimes the injury is minor and only requires simple measures that can be provided with first aid. Accidents invariably happen, regardless of how prepared you are or how careful you try to be. Here is a basic guide on treating your baby’s boo-boos, large and small.

Cuts and Scrapes

Unfortunately, there is no amount of safety prevention that can prevent minor cuts and scrapes. When babies are learning to walk and run, they are unsteady on their feet and often clumsy. This means that cuts and scrapes happen. Luckily for you, most of these are minor and can be treated at home.

Home Care

• Wash your hands with antibacterial soap and warm water.
• Use lukewarm water to cleanse away any blood and dirt that is on the wound surface and cleanse the cut with antibacterial soap and water.
• Gently pat the area dry with a clean gauze pad.
• Apply pressure if the cut is bleeding for about 5 minutes.
• Apply antibacterial ointment (Bacitracin or Neosporin) and then cover the wound with a bandage.
• Keep the area covered and change the bandage daily.

You Should Go to the Doctor When….

• The cut is ragged, deep, or longer than an inch.
• The cut is embedded with gravel or dirt.
• The cut is caused by a sharp object, rusty object, or animal or human bite.
• Heavy bleeding continues after direct pressure is applied.

Burns and Scalds

Whether it is a hot iron or a cup of coffee, these types of accidents are common in children. Curious crawlers are more prone to these types of injuries. According to experts the only type of burns that should be treated at home are first-degree burns that affects only the outer layer of skin.

Home Care

• Run cool water (not icy water) over the area for around 5 to 10 minutes to lower the skin temperature.
• Apply a thin layer of aloe vera cream or gel to ease the pain.
• Cover the area with a damp gauze.

You Should Go to the Doctor When…

• The burn has blistering areas on it. This indicates that it is a second-degree burn that affects the outer and underlying layers of skin.
• The burn covers a large area.
• The burn is on the face, hands, feet, or genital regions.

Insect Bites and Stings

Mosquitoes, bees, spiders, and other insects will often bite you and your baby. Most bites and stings are harmless, but some can cause allergic reactions, infections, and serious pain.

Home Care

• Apply a cool compress or rub with an ice cube to ease itching.
• Use calamine lotion or a baking soda paste to alleviate itching.
• Cut down or file your child’s fingernails so that scratching don’t result in infection.
• Use an over-the-counter topical antihistamine to relieve itching.
• Use an over-the-counter topical steroid (hydrocortisone 1%) to decrease swelling.

You Should Go to the Doctor When…

• The insect bite or sting appears large, becomes painful, or looks infected.
• The insect bite or sting causes other symptoms to occur such as fatigue, nausea and vomiting, aching joints, or a rash. This could indicate Lyme disease.

You Should Call 911 If…

Your child has an allergic reaction that can be a potentially life-threatening condition leading to throat swelling, difficult breathing, enlarged lips, wheezing, hives, and other symptoms of anaphylaxis.

Head Bumps

One of the most traumatic things for a parent is when the child bumps his head. There may be many “goose eggs” during your baby’s journey from toddler to adult. Keep in mind that this injury looks worse than it actually is and try to remain calm when it happens.

Home Care

• Apply a cold compress on the area to minimize swelling.
• Have him sit for a while in a quiet area after the injury occurs to calm down.

You Should Call the Doctor When….

• Your child vomits.
• Your child loses consciousness.
• Your child appears tire, irritable, or extremely quiet.

You Should Call 911 If…

• Your child loses consciousness or has a seizure.

Splinters

Removing a splinter can be a challenge because your baby or toddler does not understand that it should be removed in order to get better. At this age, he thinks it will not matter.

Home Care

• Wash the skin around the splinter with antibacterial soap.
• Clean tweezers with alcohol and slowly pull the splinter out.
• Apply a thin layer of antibacterial ointment and cover the area with a bandage.
• If the splinter cannot be removed, soak the area with warm water and allow a couple of hours for it to come to the skin surface. Never dig for the object, as this can lead to infection.
• For really soft splinters, use adhesive tape to pull them out.

You Should Call a Doctor If…

• You cannot remove the splinter safely.

Choking

Babies put things in their mouths and unfortunately for the parents, some of these thinks can pose a serious risk of choking. Signs of choking include inability to speak and holding of the throat.

Home Care

• Call 911.
• Lay the baby facedown along your forearm with his head lower than his chest.
• Support the head with your hand around the jaw and under the chest.
• Give around five quick back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of the hand.
• Turn the baby face up and sweep the mouth to see if the object is there.

First Aid Kit

There are some items you should buy and have available for yourself as a first aid kit. Many manufacturers offer pre-made ones but you should check to make sure all of the following items are inside it.

• A copy of a first aid guide.
• Wound Care - bandage supplies including a roll of 3 inch wide gauze, individually packaged 4 inch sterile gauze pads, a roll of 1 inch bandage tape, butterfly bandage tape, and scissors
• Elastic bandages or cling wraps
• Cotton swabs
• Sterile dressings or towels
• Pain reliever (acetaminophen or ibuprofen)
• Anti-inflammatory medicine (ibuprofen)
• Tweezers
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Skin creams: hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion, topical antihistamines, and antibiotic ointment
• An oral antihistamine (diphenhydramine for allergic reactions)
• Flashlight
• Eyepatch
• Arm sling
• Tongue depressors (to be used as a finger splint)
• Ice pack
• Rehydration fluids (such as Pedialyte or Infalyte)

Keep Kids Healthy, LLC. (1999). First Aid. Retrieved from:

http://www.keepkidshealthy.com/welcome/firstaid/firstaidkit.html