How to Treat Minor Cuts and Grazes In Children?

Answer 1

Every child will fall over and get a cut or graze at some point in their lives. Although you may have excellent children’s healthcare insurance, you can save yourself time, money and worry by treating minor injuries yourself at home. Of course, if there is any chance it could be more serious, or they cut themselves on something that may require a tetanus shot, then you shouldn’t hesitate to go to the doctor or to the hospital. Usually, though, a simple graze is just that – a graze, and very easy to treat if you know how. This guide will take you through some simple steps to treating minor grazes.

-Step 1: Sit the child down

The child will probably be in tears, so calmly take them somewhere quiet, sit them down and carefully comfort them.

-Step 2: Wash hands and assess

Wash your hands to avoid causing infections, then assess the extent of the injury. Usually, it will be the knees or the hands. Check it’s not too deep, and there’s nothing more than a small cut or graze.

-Step 2: First aid kit

Ideally, you should always keep a well-stocked first aid kit in the house if you have children, so if you do have one go get it now. If not, find a clean cloth.

-Step 3: Cleaning the wound

Using soap and water, and a clean gauze pad or cloth, gently clean the wound. You need to make sure to get rid of any grit and dirt that can cause infection. This will upset the child and can be painful, so be as gentle as possible, but don’t stop until all the grit is out.

-Step 4: Antiseptic

Use a little antiseptic cream or lotion to make sure it is clean. It may sting a bit, but it shouldn’t be too painful.

-Step 5: Dressing

A small graze or cut can be left open, but if you prefer to put a dressing on it, it may be better for the child and more comforting. So, either use a plaster or a piece of bandage. If using a plaster, make sure the child is not allergic. Keep it on for about 24 hours so a scab can form. After that, the open air will help it to heal, as long as the child leaves it well alone.

-Step 6: When to seek medical help

If the wound is bleeding heavily and hasn’t stopped, seek help. If the cut is very deep, it may need stitches, so take them to the hospital. Any head injury should be seen by a medical professional, as well as anything that may need a tetanus shot.

If the wound does not start to heal within a couple of days or looks red, swollen or gets hot then take the child to the doctors, because it could be infected.

Using these simple steps, you can deal with small situations like this calmly and effectively, without the need of the emergency room or the doctor. This is not an alternative to proper first aid training, though.