Cuts and Scrapes in Kids: The Right Way to Clean and Heal Them
Have you been there!
When your child runs up to you bruised and crying with some cuts and scrapes, maybe a result from playing roughly at the playground, what have you done about it other than just feeling sorry for your kid?
Kids panic if they see blood, they feel they are unsafe especially when they are in for some scolding from parents.
They don’t want to be grounded!
Parents feel pressure to act quickly and calmly, even when their heart is racing.
There’s no time to Google the right way to clean a wound, you just need to know what to do.
In this blog let’s see some practical tips for caring for cuts and scrapes in kids, so you can help your child heal safely and feel more in control during those frantic moments.
Step-by-Step Wound Care Every Parent Should Know
1. Don’t Panic and get them to Panic
First things first, don’t exhibit fear or tension to your kids. Before anything, take a deep breath. Kids pick up on your emotions.
Speak gently, kneel to their eye level, and explain what’s going to happen step by step. Getting to their level psychologically helps them to feel comfortable rather than when they have to look up to you. Reassurance lowers their fear, and helps you take care of the wound more efficiently.
2. Wash your Hands First
Now this can be new to many parents, our emotions push us faster than we think and we try to help our child out first with our bare hands. Imagine we were in the middle of something, or we can just transfer bacteria from our hands directly into their fresh wound which is not healthy.
So, wash your hands first thoroughly in water, use a rubber glove if you have them in your first aid kit.
3. Cleanse the wound with Fresh and Clean Water
Gently rinse the area with cool or lukewarm running water to flush out dirt and debris. This is often enough for minor scrapes. Avoid using hydrogen peroxide or alcohol, they can sting and damage healthy tissue. Don’t wipe the wound with rough cloth or anything that could aggravate the wound.
4. Gently clean the entire wounded area
Use mild soap and a clean washcloth to wipe around the wound if needed, not inside it. So just plain water can help clean up, don’t use any medicine to cleanse. Pat dry with a clean towel.
5. Apply an Antibiotic Ointment and Cover It
A thin layer of antibiotic ointment (like bacitracin) helps prevent infection. Then cover the wound with a sterile adhesive bandage or non-stick gauze pad. This keeps it clean and reduces the chance your child will pick at it.
6. Change the Bandage Daily
The bandage needs to be removed every day. Other than that, the bandage can be removed and changed as and when it gets dirty. You don’t have to wait to change or remove the bandage for 24 hours, if it needs to be changed go ahead and do it. Kids tend to dirty their bandage quite frequently, especially if they are playing outdoors.
The purpose of changing the bandage every day is to ensure that the wound is cleaned up. We don’t just change bandages because it’s dirty. We have to re-clean the wound if needed and apply fresh ointment and a new bandage. Most minor wounds heal within a week.
7. Teach Kids to take care of their skin
It is the responsibility of parents to teach their kids wound care and skin care from a very small age. Walk them through what you’re doing and why, use colorful bandages and storytelling to engage them as their attention span is very low. Allow them to apply ointment or open the bandage pack. Empowering them builds confidence and teaches lifelong habits about hygiene and health. Teach them the nuances of wound care and they will soon become good at it.
Watch out for the below Signs of Infection
- Redness spreading from the wound
- Swelling or pus
- Fever
- Pain that worsens after the first day
If any of these symptoms appear, contact your pediatrician or visit a care center. Don’t have to wait when your child complains of such discomfort or when you are able to see it.