10. Ways to use first aid
Cuts or Abrasions
Rinse the wound thoroughly with water to clean out dirt and
debris.
Then wash the wound with a mild soap and rinse thoroughly. (For
minor wounds, it isn't necessary to use an antiseptic solution to
prevent infection, and some can cause allergic skin reactions.)
Cover the wound with a sterile adhesive bandage or sterile gauze
and adhesive tape.
Examine the wound daily. If the bandage gets wet, remove it and
apply a new one. After the wound forms a scab, a bandage is no
longer necessary.
Call your doctor if the wound is red, swollen, tender, warm, or
draining pus.
11. Ways to use first aid
Broken Bones, Sprains & Strains
For a Suspected Broken Bone:
a.
If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not move him unless the child is in imminent danger.
Movement can cause serious nerve damage. Phone for emergency medical help. If your child must be moved,
the neck and back must be completely immobilized first. Keeping your child's head, neck, and back in
alignment, move the child as a unit.
b.
If your child has an open break (bone protrudes through the skin) and there is severe bleeding, apply pressure on
the bleeding area with a gauze pad or a clean piece of clothing or other material. Do not wash the wound or try
to push back any part of the bone that may be sticking out.
c.
If your child must be moved, apply splints around the injured limb to prevent further injury. Leave the limb in the
position you find it. The splints should be applied in that position. Splints can be made by using boards, brooms,
a stack of newspapers, cardboard, or anything firm, and can be padded with pillows, shirts, towels, or anything
soft. Splints must be long enough to extend beyond the joints above and below the fracture.
d.
Place cold packs or a bag of ice wrapped in cloth on the injured area.
e.
Keep your child lying down until medical help arrives.
For a Suspected Sprain or Strain:
a.
If the injury involves your child's neck or back, do not move him unless the child is in imminent danger.
Movement can cause serious nerve damage. Phone for emergency medical help. If your child must be moved,
the neck and back must be completely immobilized first. Keeping the head, neck, and back in alignment, move
your child as a unit.
b.
It may be difficult to tell the difference between a sprain and a break. If there is any doubt whatsoever, phone
your doctor or take your child to the nearest hospital emergency department. An X-ray can determine whether
a bone is broken.
c.
First aid for sprains and strains includes rest, ice, compression, and elevation (known as RICE).
Rest the injured part of the body.
Apply ice packs or cold compresses for up to 10 or 15 minutes at a time every few hours for the first 2 days to
prevent swelling.
Wearing an elastic compression bandage (such as an ACE bandage) for at least 2 days will reduce swelling.
Keep the injured part elevated above the level of the heart as much as possible to reduce swelling.
d.
Do not apply heat in any form for at least 24 hours. Heat increases swelling and pain.
e.
Your doctor may recommend an over-the-counter pain reliever such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
12. Ways to use first aid
Tooth Injures
When a Baby or Toddler Injures Gums or Teeth
If there's bleeding, put cold water on a piece of gauze and apply pressure to the site.
To reduce swelling, offer the child an ice pop to suck.
Call a dentist. He or she will probably want to see the child to assess the need for realignment or removal of a very loose tooth. If the child is very young,
the dentist might recommend a spacer to keep the rest of the teeth in place until the permanent tooth appears.
Over the following week, watch for signs of an abscess such as fever and swollen, tender gums next to the injury site.
If a Permanent Tooth is Chipped or Broken
Collect all the pieces of the tooth.
Rinse the damaged area of the mouth with warm water.
Give the child a cold compress to hold on the injured tooth.
See a dentist right away.
If a Permanent Tooth is Knocked Out
Hold the tooth by the crown (the "chewing" end of the tooth), not the root.
Rinse the tooth immediately with saline solution or milk. (Tap water should be used only as a last resort; it contains chlorine, which may
damage the root.) Do not scrub the tooth.
The best place to preserve the tooth on the way to the dentist is in its socket. If your child is old enough and mature enough not to
swallow it, replace it gently, then have the child bite down on a gauze pad to keep it in place.
If the tooth can't be reinserted, put it in milk — a good preservative because its chemical makeup is compatible with teeth. If milk isn't
available, place it inside your own mouth, between your cheek and lower gum.
Give the child a gauze pad or handkerchief to bite down on, which will help lessen bleeding and ease the pain.
See a dentist right away or visit a local children's hospital — most also have dental services for children.
