How to treat superficial wounds in children. A first aid guide for parents
The main stages of healing a superficial wound
Superficial wounds in children heal in several successive stages. We have inflammation in the first place, when the skin is red and superficial bleeding can occur.
The second stage is the formation of new supportive tissue, when the scab appears and collagen fibers are synthesized to fully restore the tissue.
Finally we have the epithelialization stage, when the size of the lesion becomes smaller and smaller, and the previously formed crust separates and leaves a small scarred area.
However, each healing process is different and depends largely on the severity of the injury that the young child has suffered.
It’s good that no matter what happens, there is a first aid kit at home. Here is some useful information on that.
How to treat superficial wounds in children. A first aid guide for parents
How do we treat superficial wounds in children?
Before we learn how to treat superficial wounds in children, we need to understand how important care and comfort is for an injured little one. Children need to be listened to and understood in order to help them. Although we primarily tend to use solutions to disinfect the area such as hydrogen peroxide or betadine, doctors believe they are not necessary for small superficial wounds.
The first step to take when your little one is injured is to clean the wound with soap and water. This way you will clean up any debris that may be in the wound area. The next step is to secure the wound. This is done with grafts that bring the edges of the wound closer together to help the wound heal faster.
If we are talking about a wound that is bleeding much deeper, it is important before cleaning to stop the bleeding in that area by applying pressure with a dry absorbent material. Cleaning the wound is necessary to prevent the area from becoming infected. Applying the bandage will help heal faster and protect the area from dust or dirt.
It is important to change the dressing as often as needed, and to remove it when the lesion begins to recover. In such cases, it is important to avoid patches or dressings that may stick to the wound. For small areas, sterile patches are recommended, so that healing ointment can be applied later to speed up the healing process.
In a simpler scheme, the treatment process looks like this:
- stop the bleeding
- Wound cleaning
- wound dressing
- Use healing ointments that speed up wound healing.
How to treat superficial wounds in children. A first aid guide for parents
When is it recommended to go to the doctor?
The risk of wound infection should raise some questions for the parent. They include increased pain in the affected area, swelling around the wound, heat or throbbing in the affected area, pus or even fever and malaise.
Wounds that have occurred in a potentially infected environment should also be treated by a doctor. By this environment we mean the presence of rust in that area or even the ground. In some cases it is necessary to apply an antibiotic cream by a doctor.
Infection is manifested by a few simple signs. Odor, local inflammation, skin heat and pulsating pain. The environment will deal with the child’s injuries depending on how severe they are.
