You must learn how to treat cuts and scrapes as soon as your infant can crawl and walk, and be prepared to deal with minor wounds in a confident manner. A moving baby means cuts and scrapes can happen.
Know When a Cut Needs Professional Care
If the wound is near an eye or if it is deep and may cause scarring, you will want to go for professional help. Excessive bleeding, a head injury that dents instead swelling, a puncture wound and an animal bite are the types of injuries that require a doctor's attention.
Keeping Calm
If the injury is minor, you can take charge. The first step to treating any minor cut or scrape is to remain calm and confident. The child will settle down when he sees his parent is in control and not frantic. Keep perspective and a calm attitude.
Wound Care
A small cut should be cleaned thoroughly with warm water and soap while it is still open. Allowing bleeding is not bad. Bleeding washes out some of the bacteria naturally. The body produces its own antibodies to fight infection. After washing and patting the cut dry, hold the edges of the cut together and apply a Band-Aid. An antibiotic cream such as Neosporin should be applied only when the cut has begun to heal. Apply the cream the next time you wash the wound.
Treating a Scrape
A scrape should be soaked clean of dirt and patted dry with a towel. It is best not to bandage a shallow scrape. Air and light will help it heal more quickly. An analgesic cream provides some pain relief and can help the child deal with the scrape.
Healing Cuts
The trick to healing cuts is to keep the skin around the cut clean and to encourage the child not to pick at and traumatize the wound. Keep bandages over the cuts if necessary to aid natural healing.
 | Every home should have first aid kit contents. They are easy to put together and provide peace of mind when minor health issues arise. Everything you need in your first aid kit can be found at your local drug store. |
 | You need to know the severity and the source before you can provide first aid for burns. |
Everyone should have these items in a first aid kit in their home. Since I don't work at home and am probably more prone to injuries on the job, I also have a workplace first-aid kit in my truck. |
Outdoor first aid kits need to be stocked with extra supplies, in case you need to leave an injured person behind while you search for help. |
Every home should have a basic First Aid Kit. You'll be able to handle almost any minor medical emergency with the right supplies. Moreover, in the event of a serious medical emergency, your First Aid Kit may be able to help you stay in control of the situation until medical personnel arrive. So what belongs in a basic First Aid Kit? |
