First Aid Tips Everyone Should Know
Parents routinely experience a range of intense emotions when it comes to their children. One of the most common emotions felt is worrying about a child injury, which is often accompanied by the urge to provide protection. Despite how well parents plan for potential hazards, little ones are curious and full of energy, which means they often end up injured in accidents.
If someone else was responsible for causing the accident in which your child was injured, it might be possible to pursue compensation. To be successful, a claim must contain several elements. Not all accidents meet this standard, though. In these situations, it is still helpful to know what you can do to treat scrapes, rashes, and other non-life threatening injuries. Here are some critical first aid steps that you should know as a parent.
Bites and Stings
Due to their curious nature, children can end up suffering from a variety of bites and stings. Some of the most common of these injuries include:
- Bees, Hornets, and Wasps: Avoid pulling the stinger out of the child’s body. Instead, it is a better idea to scrape the skin. After the stinger has been removed, place a cold compress on the area to treat the pain. You should monitor the child for signs of allergic reaction to the sting. Some of the most common warning signs include difficulty breathing, dizziness, or hives. If you believe the child is having an allergic reaction to the bite, call 911.
- Spider Bites: Fortunately, spider bites almost always result in mild reactions. In these situations, you simply wash the area, apply a cold compress to the area, and if necessary take acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Some types of spiders, including black widows and brown recluses, however, have deadly bites. If a child is bitten by one of these spiders, you should immediately call 911.
- Ticks: Performing tick checks on a child is important if they have been playing in the woods or other areas where ticks reside. If a tick becomes lodged in the child’s skin, you should use either your fingers or tweezers to clutch the tick by its head then pull the insect away from the skin. After removing the insect, you should make sure to clean the area with soap and water.
Bloody Noses
Bloody noses are commonly the result of either dry air or excessive nose picking. While most bloody noses stop on their own and are not a cause of concern, it still helps to know how to treat these conditions.
First, if a child has a nosebleed, avoid tilting the child’s back because this can lead to blood going down the child’s throat. You should also pinch the child’s nose slightly below the nasal bone and above the nose tip. Pressure should often be applied for around 10 minutes. While applying pressure, the child should do their best to avoid nose blowing or picking. If you try several times to stop the bleeding but it continues, take the child to a nearby emergency or urgent care center.
Burns
For less serious burns, the best way to respond is simply to pour cool water on the area for around 15 minutes to cool down the area and reduce swelling. You should then apply antibiotic ointment to facilitate healing. If pain in the area continues, the child should take either ibuprofen or Tylenol. If blisters form in the area, the child should be instructed to leave them alone because the human body utilizes blisters to prevent infection. After the blister pops, antibiotic cream can then be applied to the area, which should then be covered with a bandage.
Reducing Fever
Some people swear that they can sense whether someone has a fever by simply feeling their forehead. In reality, the only way to learn whether someone has a fever is to take that person’s temperature. If a temperature is above 100.5 Fahrenheit, it is likely connected to infection. For particularly high fevers, call your family doctor and take the child to either emergency or urgent care. If a child has a fever, you should put them in light clothing, make sure the child consumes enough liquids, and maybe even bathe the child in cool water.
Splinting a Broken Bone
If a child breaks anything while playing, you will need to take the child to an emergency room or urgent care. To safely transport the child, however, you will need to stabilize the broken bone. Things like rolled-up magazines can be utilized to hold the broken in place. If a long bone is broken, however, you should give serious thought to calling 911 for an ambulance.
Treating Open Wounds
Less serious cuts often do not require emergency medical care. In responding to such cuts, you should first make sure to wash your hands with soap and water. After ensuring that all debris is removed from the wound, clean the area and apply a topical cream with antibacterial qualities. If the area is bleeding, you should make sure to elevate and apply pressure to the area.
Some wounds require stitches, but not all do. Some of the indicators that a medical professional should examine the injury to decide whether stitches are necessary include the depth, length, smoothness or jaggedness of the edges, and amount of blood that comes from the wound.
Various factors including whether the bite was animal and whether the wound was caused by a rusty object can also present a high risk of infection. If these factors are present, promptly seek medical attention.
Contact an Experienced Child Accident Attorney
When accidents occur and someone else is to blame, one of the best steps that you can take is to contact a knowledgeable personal injury lawyer in Long Island. Contact The Law Office of Cohen & Jaffe, LLP today to schedule a free case evaluation.
