Sports Injuries
Skin Wounds
Make sure the child is up to date for tetanus vaccination. Any open wound may need a tetanus booster even when the child is currently immunized. If the child has an open wound, ask the pediatrician if the child needs a tetanus booster.
• Bruises: Apply cool compresses. Call the pediatrician if the child has a crush injury, large bruises, continued pain, or swelling. The pediatrician may recommend acetaminophen for pain.
• Cuts: Rinse small cuts with water until clean. Use direct pressure with a clean cloth to stop bleeding and hold in place for 1 to 2 minutes. If the cut is not deep, apply an antibiotic ointment; then cover the cut with a clean ¬bandage. Call the pediatrician or seek emergency care for large or deep cuts, or if the wound is wide open. Continue direct pressure with a clean cloth until help arrives.
• Scrapes: Rinse with clean, running tap water for at least 5 minutes to remove dirt and germs. Do not use detergents, alcohol, or peroxide. Apply an antibiotic ointment and a bandage that will not stick to the wound.
• Splinters: Remove small splinters with tweezers; then wash until clean. If you cannot remove the splinter ¬completely, call the pediatrician.
• Puncture Wounds: Do not remove large objects (such as a knife or stick) from a wound. Call for help. Such objects must be removed by a doctor. Call the pediatrician for all puncture wounds. The child may need a -tetanus booster.
• Bleeding: Apply pressure with gauze over the bleeding area for 1 to 2 minutes. If still bleeding, add more gauze and apply pressure for another 5 minutes. You can also wrap an elastic ¬bandage firmly over gauze and apply pressure. If bleeding ¬continues, call for help.
Eye Injuries
If anything is splashed in the eye, flush gently with water for at least 15 minutes. Call the pediatrician for further advice. Any injured or painful eye should be seen by a doctor. Do NOT touch or rub an injured eye. Do NOT apply medicine. Do NOT remove objects stuck in the eye. Cover the painful or injured eye with a paper cup or eye shield until you can get medical help.
Fractures & Sprains
If an injured area is painful, swollen, or deformed, or if motion causes pain, wrap it in a towel or soft cloth and make a splint with cardboard or other firm material to hold the arm or leg in place. Do not try to straighten. Apply ice or a cool compress wrapped in thin cloth for not more than 20 minutes. Call the pediatrician or seek emergency care. If there is a break in the skin near the fracture or if you can see the bone, cover the area with a clean bandage, make a splint as described above, and seek emergency care.
If the foot or hand below the injured part is cold or discoloured (blue or pale), seek emergency care right away.