Continuing on the topic of our previous article , we'll look at other common emergencies which require first aid for babies and children. As we discussed before, in such cases it's important to maintain your composure, so as not to frighten the child further. Well-prepared caregivers are more likely to react adequately in such high-stress situations.
This article again includes video instructions by Andrian Georgiev from FirstAidbg.com. Watch them carefully. To be better prepared, we advise you to take a first aid training course for babies and children.
Bleeding
Cuts and scrapes are an inevitable part of childhood. In almost all cases, they are not serious enough to require emergency care and can be treated at home.
First, reassure the child and tell them that they will be fine. Young children get scared even by minor wounds and it's important to respect their feelings. Rinse with water and soap. For extra disinfection, treat with antiseptics. Do not put alcohol or iodine on the wound itself, but only on the healthy skin around it. Keep a bandage on and watch for signs of infection over the next few days, such as increasing pain, redness, discharge, or swelling. If you notice any of these symptoms, take the child to a doctor.
If the would is more severe and there's heavy bleeding, you need to take more serious measures. Cover the wound with a sterile gauze or a clean cloth if you don't have a gauze. Then apply pressure to the wound with clean hands, gauze, a dry cloth or a scarf to slow the bleeding and help the blood clot. Elevate the wounded body part above heart level.
Pressure on the wound should be constant and direct for at least 10 minutes. Don't be tempted to remove the bandage beforehand. If it gets soaked with blood, put a new one on top.
If the wound is deep and gaping and/or the bleeding doesn't stop within 10 minutes, take the child to the emergency room or call an ambulance. Stitches may be needed. If there is anything sticking out of the wound, do not remove it. Continue to apply pressure around the object and seek immediate medical attention.
Watch the following video on heavy bleeding by FirstAidbg.com If there is a risk of shock, have the person lie down, elevate their legs, and cover with a blanket ..
Nosebleeds
Nosebleeds are unpleasant, but rarely alarming. They happen frequently to children and are usually caused by picking, blowing, sensitive blood vessels, dry air, collision. Here's how to stop them:
Bone fractures
If a broken bone is suspected, take the child to the emergency room. Don't allow them to move the injured body part and don't try to set the bone yourself. To reduce swelling, apply a cold compress on the way to the hospital.
If the injury is in the area of the pelvis, hips or spine, don't move the child and call an ambulance right away.
Seizure
Seizures can be very frightening, but in most cases they don't cause permanent damage.
The most common type of seizures in childhood are febrile seizures. They appear when the child's body temperature rises very quickly. Febrile seizures typically occur between 6 months and 5 years of age, since in this period the brain is still developing and maturing. If a child has had a febrile seizure once, it's possible that another episode occurs even without a high-grade fever. Consult a doctor about how to prevent it.
During the seizure the most important thing is to secure the area around the child. Clear away any objects that may hurt them. Put something soft under their head and turn them on their side so they don't choke on saliva or vomit.
What NOT to do:
Don't try to suppress the seizure by forcefully holding the child. This can cause serious injuries such as fractures and sprains. Don't put anything between the child's teeth. This can also injure the jaw. Seizures do NOT cause tongue swallowing.
Record how long the seizure lasts - this is important for doctors later. To lower the child's temperature more quickly, undress them and apply cold compresses to the forehead, neck and armpits. Do not use vinegar for the compresses because it can burn the delicate baby skin.
Breath-holding spells
A breath-holding spell can also be very stressful for parents, but poses no danger to the child. It has nothing to do with epilepsy and doesn't require treatment. The spell is due to a muscle spasm of part of the respiratory organs and occurs typically after 6 months and before 5 years of age.
Unlike epilepsy, breath-holding spells occur only if the child has experienced some very strong emotion - fear, pain, anger, disappointment. As a result, they cry so loudly that they cannot breathe.
In general, children manage to cry out again after 20-30 seconds and quickly return to a normal state. In rarer cases, a spell may last longer and the child may become unconscious for a few seconds. After losing consciousness, their muscles relax and they quickly start breathing again on their own. This longer episode may be accompanied by skin discoloration, stiffness, convulsions, arching of the body backward, and skin discoloration.
As with seizures, if a child is holding their breath, don't shake them or put things in their mouth. Try blowing in their face or clapping hands to distract them. If a child falls unconscious for a few seconds, roll them on their side and gently tilt their head back to clear the airway. The child will start breathing on their own.
Burns and scalds
Burns are another common childhood injury. In most cases, they result from spilling hot liquids (water, tea, soup) or touching hot surfaces around stoves and cooktops.
If your child accidentally touches a hot pan, the first and most important thing to do is to cool the affected area. Heat has the property of penetrating the tissues, so the better you cool the skin, the less damage there will be.
How to cool the skin? Don''t use ice. Submerge the burned area in lukewarm (not cold) water or hold it under running lukewarm water for 10 minutes. This will reduce pain and speed up healing.
After cooling, cover the wound with a clean dry dressing like sterile gauze. Do not apply greasy substances like oil, butter, or coconut oil! Grease retains more heat and can worsen the condition. Also, do not use home remedies like yogurt or brandy! They dry out the skin, which delays healing. Instead, consult a doctor on which ointment or gel to use.
If the burn is more severe, with intense pain and blisters, take the child to the emergency room. Before you head to the hospital, don't forget to cool the skin for 10 minutes and cover it with gauze or regular kitchen film to retain moisture. For the most serious third-degree burns, do not wet or apply anything to the area. Cover it with a clean cloth without tightening and call an ambulance.
Allergic shock
Our child might have a severe allergy and we may not even be aware. Among the most dangerous allergens are foods like nuts, strawberries, and seafood, bee stings, and certain medications. These can trigger anaphylactic shock within minutes—a life-threatening condition that leads to difficulty breathing, swelling, rash, sudden drop in blood pressure, and other signs of shock.
In such cases it's best to have a prescribed allergy medication like an Urbason injection. If you don’t have one and the throat and tongue start swelling, apply a cold compress to the neck and chest. Seek emergency medical help. Lay the child down and continuously check if they are conscious and breathing.
Watch the video below with helpful tips from our partners at FirstAidbg.com, recorded by the parenting platform "1 naum".
Sources:
First and CPR. Nurse-family partnership. The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. MY CHILD – How Can I Keep My Child Healthy? Copyright 2015.
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/nose-bleed.html
https://roditel.bg/parva-pomosht-pri-schupvania-izkalchvania-i-natartvania-pri-detsata
https://1naum.com/zahlasvane-kakvo-da-pravq
Cover photo by CDC from Unsplash
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