Children and Cuts and Scrapes

Children are very active and will often inadvertently do things that may result in a cut, scratch, abrasions or sometimes maybe even something worse like breaking a bone. However in this article we're just going to cover cuts, scrapes and abrasions.

A cut is normally the result of the skin being penetrated with a sharp object. If a cut is deep it will need to have stitches. A cut could be caused by anything that is sharp. A scratch is a mild form of a cut as it does damage the skin surface but will not be a deep wound like a cut may be.  An abrasion is usually something they get by rubbing against something roughly or repeatedly such as a rug burn.

In any of the 3 cases mentioned above there is the possibility they may bleed.   If the bleeding is heavy you should apply a clean cloth to the wound and apply pressure to help stop the bleeding. If it looks deep and the bleeding is heavy a trip to the emergency room will be in order.  With an abrasion or minor cut you should be sure to clean the wound with warm water and soap. Next treat it with some antibacterial ointment and cover it with a bandage.  The bandage will help keep out germs and bacteria that could cause infection.  You should apply a clean bandage every day until it's sufficiently healed.

The good news is that in most cases the cuts, scratches and abrasions your child will get won't require a trip to the emergency room.  However if the injury was caused by a rusty nail, rusty metal piece, animal bites or claws then you should seek medical attention immediately as a septic infection could possibly develop. 

The doctor will examine the injury and may prescribe some antibiotics, shots or salve.  You'll also want to make sure your child is up to date on their tetanus shots.  If a wound gets infected it's likely to become swollen, red and may have pus coming out of it. If this happens you will want to seek medical attention right away as well.

If the wound is deep and needs stitches the doctor will first numb the area with a local anesthesia. He will then suture the wound together with special thread. In some cases they may apply a sort of liquid glue to pull the edges together.