First Aid for Children

Would you know what to do if your child was burned with a hot liquid? What if your child tripped and his ankle swoll up? If your child fell on the playground and knocked his tooth out, what would you do? It is very important that all parents and caregivers know what to do in an emergency situation. The care that you provide before medical assistance arrives can affect the outcome of the situation. Stay calm and plan ahead in case an emergency ever happens.

BURNS
If your child gets a minor burn that does not have blisters, place the burned area into cold water or cover with a towel soaked in cold water until the pain stops. Do not use ice on any burned skin. If the burn has blisters, do the same thing and do NOT break the blisters. Call your doctor for advice on how to cover the area. It is best for any burn on the face, genitals, hands or feet to be a medical professional. If your child experiences a large or deep burn, call 911 immediately and do NOT apply any medication. Remove the clothing if you can and keep your child warm with a clean sheet and then blanket until help arrives. Do not allow the sheet or blanket to touch the burned area. Chemical burns and electrical burns should always be seen by a doctor, If your child is experiencing an electrical burn, disconnect the electrical power and do NOT touch the child with bare hands. Pull your child away from the power source with wood or a thick,dry cloth.

SEIZURES AND CONVULSIONS
The most important thing to do when dealing with seizures is to keep your child safe and protect her from injury. If your child is not breathing, perform CPR and call 911. If your child is breathing, lay the child on their side and do not put anything into their mouth. Call 911 for medical assistance.

EYE INJURIES
If something has been splashed into your child's eye, flush it with water for atleast 15 minutes. Call the Poison Control Center or your doctor for further advice. A painful or injured eye should be seen by a medical professional. Do not touch or rub the injured eye, as this could make the problem worse. Do not apply any medication unless told to do so. If an object is stuck in your child's eye, do NOT pull it out. Call 911 or get to the nearest hospital immediately.

FAINTING
If your child has fainted, lay the child on his back with his head to the side and legs raised. Do not give your child any water, food or medicine. If the child wakes up, call your doctor to discuss what to do next. If the child does not wake up right away, call 911 immediately.

FEVER
Fevers can be a parent's worst nightmare. A child that feels hot to the touch, is sweating or chilling or complains of being hot, might have a fever. Take the child's temperature-rectally, if possible. If your child has a fever, give him fever medication as recommended by the doctor. Do NOT sponge a child with ice or rubbing alcohol. If the child is hot from sun exposure or exervise, get him to a cool area to rest and encourage fluids. Call your doctor if the fever does not respond to medicine or is higher than 101.4. Call your doctor immediately if an infant under 3 months has a fever of any degree.

FRACTURES AND SPRAINS
If you suspect that your child has a back or neck injury, do NOT move them. Moving someone with a neck or back injury can cause further damage. If your child's injury is painful, swollen, deformed or if motion causes pain, you should suspects a fracture. Splint the injury if you can and apply a cold compress. If you can get your child to the hospital safely, do so. If not, call 911 for an ambulance.

HEAD INJURY
If your child has a major head injurt, do NOT move them. Moving them can cause harm. Call 911 if your child has any loss of consciousness or is drowsy, has a persistent headache or throws up, is clumsy or unable to move body parts, is experiencing seizures or has blood or watery fluid coming from the ears or nose. If your child is experiencing abnormal speech or behavior, go to the hospital or call 911. For less serious head injuries, call your doctor for advice if needed.

NOSEBLEEDS
If your child's nose is bleeding, have them sit down , hold a small towel and squeeze the nostrils together between your thumb and index finger for 10 minutes. If the bleeding does not stop, call your doctor.

POISONS
Any nonfood item is a potential poison. If your child has swallowed something other than food, call the Posion Control Center immediately. Do NOT induce vomiting, unless told to do so. The Posion Control Center will give you further instructions on what to do or give your child, depending on what was ingested. If your child has lost consciousness, having convulsions, having trouble breathing or is becoming drowsy, contact 911 immediately. For gas, fume and smoke inhalation, get your child into fresh air. Call 911 and the fire department immediately. If your child is not breathing, start CPR until help arrives. For poisons that are the skin, such as acids, lye, pesticides and other dangerous chemicals, gently brush off dry material with rubber gloves if you can. Remove any contaminated clothing and call the Poison Control Center for advice. If the chemical has burned the skin, get your child to the nearest hospital quickly.

SKIN WOUNDS
If your child gets a bruise, apply a cold compress for half an hour. If the bruise is severe or is extremely painful or swollen, call your doctor. For a cut, apply pressure with a clean cloth to stop the bleeding. If the cut is large and/or deep, call 911 and continue with pressure until medical help arrives. For minor cuts, wash the cut with soap and water and cover with a bandage. If the cut needs stitches, go to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. Scrapes generally just need washed with soap and water and covered with a sterile bandage. If your child has a splinter, wash it with soap and water. Do not soak the splinter, as it could break off. Remove small splinters with tweezers and if it is not easily removed, call your doctor. If your child experiences a puncture wound, do NOT remove large objects like knives or sticks. Call 911 immediately for medical help. For minor puncture wounds, wash the area with soap and water and call the doctor to see if a tetanus booster is needed.

STINGS AND BITES
If your child has been stung by a stinging insect, remove the stinger with the scraping motion of a fingernail. Do NOT pull the stinger out. Put a cold compress over the bite to relieve the pain. If hives, paleness, weakness, nausea, vomiting, breathing difficulty, tightness in the chest or collapse happen, call 911 immediately. If your child experiences a spider bite, go to the hospital or call your doctor for advice. Sometimes children experience animal or human bites. Call your doctor-they will probably want to see you and may ask about a rabid animal. To remove a tick, place tweezers close to the head of the tick and pull away from the point of attachment. Call your doctor if the head remains attached or your child experiences a headache, fever or rash. If your child has been bitten by a snake, keep them calm and resting. Call 911 for medical assistance. In the meantime, you can call Posion Control Center for advice. Do not apply ice.

TEETH
If your child's baby teeth are knocked out or broken, simply apply clean gauze to the area to control bleeding and call your dentist or doctor. However, if your child has knocked out his permanent teeth, find the tooth and rinse it gently without touching the root. Insert the tooth into your child's mouth and hold the tooth in its socket or transport the tooth in a glass of cow's milk. Time is the most important factor here. If the tooth is broken, save the pieces and go to the dentist immediately. Place a cold compress on the area to reduce swelling.