Administering First-Aid to Babies
By Carol on Jan 11, 2008 in Baby Medical Issues
Babies are delicate and can become hurt or injured rather
easily. Luckily, most of these instances are treatable
within the comforts of your own home. There is often no need
for professional assistance. For the following cases,
consider the suggestions listed below:
Bruises
• The majority of bruises that takes place in regards to a
baby usually occur during their learning stages. For the
most part, they usually do not result in serious injury.
Within a week, bruises typically heal on their own without a
lot of discomfort.
• If the skin is not broken, there is no need for a bandage
on a bruise.
• Ice packs are great for decreasing the swelling, as well
as the black and blue marks left behind. It is suggested to
place ice on a bruise at intervals that last 15 minutes. For
the first 48 hours, this should be completed a couple of
times per day. When you don’t have an ice pack on hand, you
can use a package of frozen vegetables or ice cubes in a
plastic bag. A paper towel or washcloth wrapped around the
makeshift ice pack protects your baby from extreme coldness.
Some parents also alternate an ice pack with a heat pack
after 48 hours.
• When placing an ice pack on a baby’s injury, try cuddling
or feeding your baby as a distraction.
Depending on the circumstances, you should call the doctor,
if:
• Bruises come when tumbling off of a bed or down a flight
of stairs.
• A bruise appears behind your baby’s ear after they have
banged their head.
• Bruises that do not heal within two weeks.
• Baby experiences pain that continues for more than 24
hours.
Cuts
Small cuts need cleaning and can heal without the help of a
bandage. You can best treat this concern by:
• Stopping the bleeding with light pressure applied to the
cut using a clean towel or bandage.
• Remove any signs of glass, dirt or foreign matter using
cold running water.
• Use warm water and soap to wash the cut, making sure to
pat dry with a clean towel.
• Once cleaning is complete, small cuts usually heal on
their own.
• If your baby has a deeper cut, an adhesive bandage becomes
necessary to pull in the cut edges of the skin and promote
healthy healing.
Burns
Surface burns, also known as first-degree burns, are treated
as follows:
• Place burned skin completely under water or apply a cool
compress for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep the area dry using a
clean towel, making sure to cover it with a germ-free
bandage.
• To soothe the pain, ask your doctor if acetaminophen or
ibuprofen is OK.
• To prevent an infection, avoid applying baby powder,
butter, or grease.
• First-degree burns often fade within a couple of days.
Here is a very hand item to always keep handy…..
PediaPak First Aid Kit for Families with Children
Price: $70.95 USD
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