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| Quick reference medical handouts used
by Pediatric offices |
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First Aid Tips for Parents
According to the National Safe Kids Campaign 13 million children will be
victims of accidents this year, and about 7,000 of those will be fatal. This
guide to life-saving strategies can prevent your child from becoming one
of those statistics. Read it, then print it out and post it in an easily
accessible place, such as on the refrigerator door or the inside of your
bathroom cabinet. Be sure that you and your child's other caregivers review
it frequently. One day it may help you save your child's life. The material
presented below is supplied courtesy of the American Red Cross and the American
Heart Association.
TREATING WOUNDS |
To stop bleeding, take a clean cloth or gauze and press it
against the wound.
If blood soaks through the cloth, do not remove it, but add additional thick
layers of cloth or gauze and continue to apply direct hand pressure even
more firmly. |
If the wound is on an arm or leg and there is no evidence of
a fracture, elevate
the limb while applying pressure so that it is above the heart. Elevation
slows the
loss of blood. |
| Once the bleeding is controlled, bandage firmly but not
tightly. |
| If your child is cool, clammy, or lethargic, elevate his feet
and keep them warm. |
If the bleeding continues, maintain firm pressute on the wound
and transport your
child to the hospital immediately. Do not attempt to clean the
wound. |
Wounds where only the outer layer of skin is broken and the bleeding is limited
should be cleaned thoroughly to prevent contamination and infection.
CLEANING WOUNDS |
| To cleanse a wound, wash your hands thoroughly with soap and
water. |
Wash in and around the wound-with regular hand soap to remove
bacteria and other
foreign matter. |
| Rinse the wound thoroughly by flushing with water. |
| Blot the wound dry with a sterile gauze pad or
cloth. |
| Apply a dry, sterile bandage, and secure it in
place. |
Contact your child's physician immediately to inquire if a
tetanus immunization or a
tetanus toxoid booster injection is needed. Also, be sure to contact your
doctor if any
evidence of infection appears-such as swelling, redness, tenderness, fever,
throbbing
pain, pus, or swollen Iymph glands. |
WHEN TO GO FOR HELP
Your child needs to go to an emergency room if he or she has:
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| An injury that causes the child to lose
consciousness |
| A deep laceration |
| A possible broken bone |
| A burn |
| An animal bite |
| Swallowed something toxic |
| Extreme difficulty breathing (for instance, because of an asthma
attack or choking. |
| A convulsion |
| Vomited blood |
| Bleeding from the ear |
A fall followed by a severe headache, persistent vomiting,
weakness, or an
abrupt change in mental status (hallucinations, incoherence, irritability
or
extreme lethargy) within 24 hours |
| A fall or head injury and the child is under 1 |
| A fever and the child is under two months old |
As a reminder, this information should not be relied on as
medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice of your child’s pediatrician.
Please read our full disclaimer.
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