Healthy, active children will most likely get minor cuts and scrapes while playing inside or outside the house. These kiddie wounds, scrapes, and in Filipino – sugat can be earned from tripping, slipping, and bumping. My 5 year old son gets scrapes on his knees and when he does, I try not to make a big deal out of it. Some kids cry when they trip or fall not because of pain but because of their parent’s reactions to the incident.
However, I take first aid seriously and it helps if parents like us do not panic and focus on treating our kids. It is a big advantage and peace of mind if you will keep the following inside your house and make it accessible to your relatives, housemates, and kids (with proper introduction to these tools):
1. Anti-bacterial soap or handwash
2. Cotton balls
3. Gauze
4. Medical tape
5. Povidone Iodine solution aka betadine
*I prefer gauze over bandages to keep wounds aerated
First Aid for Kids Wounds: Minor Scrapes and Cuts
1. Before anything else – as your child’s first aider you must wash your hands first before attending to your child’s wound. Proper sanitation is equally important among moms as the First Aiders before treating their children’s minor burns and wounds. Parents must be aware that the first important step is washing their hands before treating their children.
2. If the wound is bleeding, your priority is to stop this by applying pressure to the wound. Gently position a clean gauze or wash cloth, gently press to apply pressure for 30 seconds to 1 minute. This helps the blood to form clots and stop the bleeding.
3. If wound is not bleeding or has stopped bleeding, it is time to sanitize the wound to avoid infections. Gently pour clean water on the wound to dislodge dirt and other foreign objects. I personally like mixing anti-bacterial liquid soap like Safeguard’s foaming hand wash with water, just enough to make it runny – then pour slowly and gently onto the affected area. I follow this up with water to remove any foam and soap residue.
Washing the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes also greatly reduces the chance of infection, tetanus, scarring, and tattooing of the skin from dirt left in the wound.
4. Gently pat the wound dry with a clean wash cloth.
5. Apply antiseptic solution using cotton balls. I prefer using povidone iodine solution and make sure the cotton balls are soaking with it. Wipe excess iodine solution.
6. Gently cover the wound with gauze (cut it to the right size, just enough to cover the wound to ensure kid’s comfort).
For more health tips for the whole family, you can also check out Safeguard Philippines on Facebook. Remember, do not panic and always keep your hands and your children’s hands clean 🙂
