Little boos are common in children. They run, fall, push each other, leave their fingers lying when you close the door, like to go down the stairs four to four. As a result, between the bumps, the bruises, the cuts, the splinters, the scratches, you Don't know where to give your head. Fortunately, these small injuries are in the vast majority of cases not serious. On the other hand, the "magic kiss" is not always enough to solve the problem! It is therefore better to anticipate and have at home enough to deal with any situation … And know when the incident deserves a doctor's visit.
Cut: how to cure it?
"First, you have to wipe the skin to see what the wound looks like. Either with clear water if you have nothing else, or with an antiseptic solution, "explains the doctor. The objective will be to determine whether or not the wound requires sutures. "if there are no edges, there is nothing to suture. If, on the other hand, you can see two edges of skin with an orifice, and it looks wide, you have to go to the emergency room to mount the notch. In case of doubt, the wound must also be seen by a professional who will say whether or not it is necessary to suture both sides of the skin ", explains the emergency doctor. He reminded us, however, of the need to react quickly and not to delay going to the emergency room. After six hours, the healing process is running and the banks how to heal, so there is no point in suturing.
In the case of a superficial cut, the wound should be thoroughly cleaned (after washing your hands) with a sterile compress (no cotton), making sure that there is no foreign body in it. If it is a superficial cut, it is necessary to clean the wound thoroughly (after washing your hands) with a sterile compress (no cotton), making sure that there is no foreign body inside. The ideal next is not to apply a bandage and leave the skin in the open air.
How do I know if a head shock is serious?
A child may have a huge bump on his forehead or have a nice cut in the scalp, but this is not worrying. It then, however, that the bump or the blue hides something more serious, namely a head injury.
It is important not to overlook the consequences of a big fall. As the emergency doctor details in his book Emergencies or not Emergencies: Manuel de survival en milieu pediatric "(First Edition, 2021), one must pay attention to 5 immediate signs of gravity that require going to the ER:
Other factors can also guide parents. If the child is less than one year old, you should always consult after a fall. If the child is taller, the reaction is also to be adapted according to the type of fall (head first on concrete, fall down stairs = consult. The child caught a corner of the closet or fell off the couch on the carpet playing with his brother (it should be okay).
After the fall, it is more than likely that the child will have a hump. As the doctor says, if the maid is hard, it's normal. If, on the other hand, the hump is soft, it should be taken to the emergency room as this may indicate a fracture of the cranial arch.
Bruising or hematoma: how do you make a difference?
Hematoma and bruising are commonly referred to as bruises. "bruising is an infiltration of blood into the top layer of the skin, it's flat. A hematoma is blood in a newly formed cavity. The blue is going to be raised, you can feel a lump, "explains the emergency doctor.
To relieve pain, a bag of ice can be applied to the blue, but not directly on the skin or paracetamol. Depending on the appearance of the hematoma, its location, and other possible signs (which we mentioned just above): consultation may be necessary. If you Don't consult for a bruise in the knee after a bicycle fall, a hematoma that forms on the head after a major fall, and while the child vomit, is not in her normal condition, you have to go to the emergency room. "it also depends on the size of the hematoma but also on how it regresses. If it does not decrease, it is necessary to consult to see if it is necessary to rinse ", concludes the doctor.
Thank you to be or not doctor, emergency doctor specialized in pediatrics
He is the author of "Emergencies or not Emergencies: Manuel de survival en milieu pediatric" (First Edition, 2021)
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