How To React If Your Child Takes A Hit
From the moment children begin to walk, the danger of falls or a blow is present day after day. The little one runs, goes up and down the slide, jumps, climbs, plays without stopping … But of course, this includes the number of falls and blows increasing.
The severity depends on where it occurs. A blow to the head is not the same as a scratch on an arm. Falls are usually the most frequent accidents in children, injuries are minor and occur in the extremities (arms and legs).
When the impact is on the head, it can cause from a slight trauma to something more serious. How do we have to react if our son bumps himself? Well, it depends on how the fall was and where the injury occurred.
What should we do if our child suffers a fall or a blow?
We are going to analyze the types of falls and how we should act. Do not lose detail because depending on the type of injury you will have to act in one way or another. Although the most important thing in all cases is that you do not lose your cool.
1. The child falls and scratches himself
If the child starts crying, the first thing to do is calm him down. We tell him that it can happen to all of us and that we know it hurts but that it will soon pass. We ask you to calm down because mom or dad will heal your wound. The next thing you have to do is keep your hands clean and then wash the wound well with running water. If you are away from home, a fountain or a bottle will suffice. Then disinfect the wound with alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, or chlorhexidine. Do not use cotton, it is better a gauze or a tissue, cotton leaves fibers.
2. When the fall produces a swelling “bump” with bruise
As mentioned above, first of all is to calm the child. Afterwards, cold water or ice (bag of frozen peas, cold soda wrapped in a handkerchief, etc.) is put on the area for 10 to 20 minutes to reduce the inflammation. If it is in an arm, we raise it so that the blood flow decreases and thus the hematoma as well. If it is in the head and the child loses consciousness or produces vomiting and fever, it must be taken to the pediatrician.
3. The blow to the eye
If you’ve been hit or had sand thrown in your eye, squirt it with water to wash it off. Do not rub or pressure it because it can cause subsequent injuries that can be more serious. Before a blow to the eye, you always have to go to the doctor to see the wound and tell us exactly what it has and what to do.
4. A blow to the mouth
These blows usually cause bleeding, because sometimes the child bites his tongue or lip when he falls, which is why this bleeding occurs. Given this, the child usually reacts by crying and is scared. We have to remain calm above all else, they have to see us calm, transmitting security. You have to rinse his mouth, if it is the milk teeth, nothing happens. If it is the permanent teeth, it depends on the blow; you have to consider taking it to the dentist.
5. A bone has been broken
In addition to pain, deformity and inability to move can occur and we must go immediately to a health center. We must try to immobilize the area that we believe may be broken. If it is a leg, we place it on a cardboard or wood and tie it in three places.
6. A blow to the head
The most serious blows are those that occur to the head and depending on the intensity of the blow, you have to take it immediately to a center or call 112. We must call when they occur:
- Repetitive vomiting
- Disorientation
- Seizures
- Loss of consciousness
- Drowsiness or does not respond to stimuli.
It is important that we watch the child when he goes to sleep, and wake him up every hour to check that his functions are normal. Before any of these blows or falls, it is normal for us to react by getting nervous, it is our son and we suffer for him. But first of all you have to remain calm, it is not convenient for the little one to see us anxious, you have to transmit security. Although inside we are suffering.
Remember that prevention is the best solution to avoid a scare. They are children and we must take precautionary measures but at the same time, letting them explore the world around them. Harming each other is normal, but you should indicate security measures so that they know how to protect themselves.
