Care for open wounds for babies – causes
- Skin abrasions caused by strong skin rubbing on rough or smooth surfaces
- Wounds – lacerations due to accidents or impacts
- Incisions caused by sharp objects such as sharp knives, sharp glass, scissors… The incision can be life-threatening if it involves organs, blood vessels or important nerves. important
- Stab wounds caused by sharp points as thin as needles or animal teeth…
Care for baby’s open wound – first aid
- Help your child stay calm, encourage him to not panic, reassure him that you can handle it
- Cover the wound with a clean cloth/bandage for a few minutes to help stop the bleeding. For a wound that is bleeding heavily, it is necessary to stop the bleeding quickly by using a clean towel to press on the wound and hold it for 5 – 10 minutes. Do not stop to look at the cut, if the cloth is soaked with blood, take a new cloth and place it on top of the old cloth and absolutely do not lift the old cloth. If possible, keep the baby’s wound above the child’s heart.
- Wash your hands with soap or sanitizer, use gloves if possible
- Thoroughly wash the injured area with soap and clean water, preferably with 0.9% Nacl solution. Do not rub the wound. If dirt/foreign object is present, remove it from the injured area. If there is a deep-rooted foreign body, do not pull it out on your own, but wrap a cloth towel around the object and take the child to the nearest medical facility immediately. Let the wound sit under clean running water for a few minutes. Dirty cuts or scratches that are not completely cleaned can cause scarring or infection.
- An antibiotic ointment can be applied to the wound, which will help antibacterial reduce the risk of infection and help keep the wound moist and prevent the bandage from sticking. But make sure your baby is not allergic to that topical antibiotic.
- Cover the affected area with bandages/gauze if the area is in the arm/leg area or if it is likely to leak fluid. If you have to wear a bandage, it should not be too tight as it will interfere with blood circulation . Change the dressing regularly, clean daily with 0.9 % physiological saline and Betadine mild antiseptic solution.
- Check the wound every day and always keep it clean and dry. If the wound is dry, leave it open without a bandage or cover it with a thin cloth to help the wound heal faster.
- Do not blow on cuts/scratches. This will likely allow germs to grow.
* Note : Care for baby’s open wounds: avoid putting bandages on babies and toddlers where they can take them off on their own and put them in their mouths. You can wrap a finger in gauze or leave a small cut/scratch without a bandage instead of suffocating your child.
Soothe the pain
Parents/relatives can distract from their child’s pain by telling them their favorite stories, comforting them or letting them sleep quietly. If the above doesn’t work give your child paracetamol/ibuprofen in small, appropriate doses. You should not self-diagnose and give your child any medicine, all of which should be consulted by a doctor. Never give aspirin to a child because it can cause reye ‘s syndrome (a rare syndrome that causes swelling in the liver and brain).
Take your baby to a medical facility as soon as possible
In the process of taking care of your baby’s open wound, if you encounter any of the following abnormal signs, take your baby to a medical facility with a doctor’s intervention and care:
- Heavy bleeding and not stopping bleeding after about 5-10 minutes of direct pressure
- Wounds on the face
- Injuries that are severe in the area near the head, head, neck, scrotum, abdomen, and chest, or cause a severed limb
- The wound is so deep that you can even see the muscles/bones
- Wounds caused by punctured sharp objects or rusted dirty objects
- The wound has debris such as: dirt, stones, glass or gravel
- Something is stuck in the wound and you won’t be able to get it out.
- Cutaneous lacerations caused by animal/human bites – these require special treatment
- Causing excruciating pain
- There are signs of infection such as: hot to the touch, redness, swelling, or discharge
Your child hasn’t had a tetanus shot in the last 5 years, or if you’re not sure when your child had their last tetanus shot.
Caring for an open wound for a baby – when the wound needs stitches
- Large cuts on the face, all cuts on the face can leave scars, areas that stretch or stretch with movement such as the palms of the hands and fingers
- If the wound is deep/longer than 1cm, it needs to be sutured
- Wounds have serrated edges/separated edges.
To see the best results, stitches should be applied no later than 8 hours after the wound has formed, to avoid the risk of infection and to prevent scarring from forming.
Preventing children’s injuries
- Where the playground for children needs to be flat, not too slippery;
- Windows-corridors-stairs should have handrails and balustrades;
- Keep out of reach of children with objects that may cause injury such as knives, scissors, glass table edges, sharp objects, fragile items…
- There should be a fence around the tree to prevent children from climbing
- Regularly observe and keep an eye on children
- For older children, please educate the awareness so that when participating in traffic or playing, do not push or fight.