Around 500,000 kids below 14 years old get injured in a playground every year. Between 20% to 40% of this number will be taken to an urgent care facility for treatment. Girls get injured more than boys. Children between five to nine years old get taken to emergency rooms more frequently than other age groups, and their injuries happen while at school.
Whether your child is playing inside a private school in New York City or public park in Pleasant Ville, it pays to be prepared for when your child gets injured in a playground. Often, they suffer from scrapes and bruises. Open wounds can lead to infection if not attended to properly.
Clean Up First
You will be tempted to rush to your child when you witness an accident. If there’s a wound or minor scrape with some bleeding, wash your hands before attending to it. If your hands are clean, you reduce the chances of infection.
Minor Scrapes
If your child is resilient and is used to all the bumps and bruises associated with playing, then you’re halfway done with the treatment process. But some kids wail and are more challenging to handle. Get your child’s attention and reassure him/her that everything is alright. Here are a few basic steps to follow:
- After you’ve washed your hands, you need to stop the bleeding by applying pressure on the wound with a clean cloth or a gauze if it’s available.
- Keep the pressure on for five or more minutes. Do not remove the pressure immediately and look at the wound.
- When the bleeding is under control, run water and soap gently on the wound for a few minutes. The purpose of this is to remove any foreign debris in the injury, which might cause infection.
- If you’re far away from a faucet, use wet baby wipes until you get to a water source. Using alcohol and hydrogen peroxide might seem like a good idea, but applying it to the wound can cause pain and irritation. Avoid this when you can.
- Apply an anti-bacterial cream and seal the wound.
The Big Cuts
Big and deeper wounds will gush blood. You need to assess the situation if you should already call 911, especially if the bleeding hasn’t stopped after applying pressure for about ten minutes. Otherwise, follow the steps below:
- Run water on the wound so that you can see how big or deep the wound is.
- With a clean cloth or gauze, if on hand, apply pressure on the wound. Wear latex gloves if and when available.
- To help manage the bleeding, elevate the wound, if possible, above your child’s heart.
- Again, do not be tempted to remove the pressure and the gauze immediately. Apply a second cloth on top when the first one becomes too soaked. Continue to apply pressure.
Call the Doctor or 911
Call 911 or your doctor immediately if you find that the wound continues to spurt blood. In extreme situations, where an object remains lodged on your child’s body, do not attempt to remove it. Continue to apply pressure on the wound until professional medical care arrives.
Tiny scrapes with little bleeding might not give you immediate cause for concerns. But if not treated properly, it might lead to infections. Follow these steps to ensure the health and safety of your child.
