As a mom, you certainly never want to see your kid in pain; however, no matter how hard you try, you can’t necessarily prevent every scrap or cut that she may receive. As kids engage in daily play and take clumsy tumbles from their trikes and bikes, they will sustain injuries. How you attend to these wounds is of paramount importance, as failure to manage a wound, no matter how small, could have a lasting health impact.

Wound Reaction Importance

Any time the skin is broken, there is a potential for germs to invade the body. To prevent this, you must deal with every wound immediately. If a wound is bleeding, this could also present a threat, as blood loss could be life threatening if severe enough. While a small wound, or even a large one for that matter, is no reason to panic, wounds of any size should not be ignored but should instead be treated to ensure proper healing.

Keeping Kids Calm

Many kids lose their cool upon the sight of blood. As a parent, your reaction can play a large part in the way your child reacts to his injury. Even if you worry that your child’s wound might be severe, try not to show this concern, as allowing your child to see your fear could result in him becoming upset. If your child becomes upset, his heart rate will increase, which can lead to an increase in the amount of blood that is seeping from the wound. To avoid this, remain level headed, and encourage your kid to demonstrate bravery and do the same.

Cleaning it Up

Because germs can make their way into the body through an open wound, your first response to a wound should be to clean it. To clean your child’s wound, run the injured area under tap water and use a mild, anti-bacterial soap. Take care to remove any debris that may have gotten inside the wound, as these invaders could inhibit the healing process.

If a wound is gushing blood, you can skip this step, as the need to apply pressure and stop blood loss supersedes the need to clean out any potential contaminants.

Wrap it Up in Style

By covering your child’s wound, you can ensure that no new germs manage to take the place of the ones you already washed away. Use a plain bandage or sterile gauze piece to cover the wound or, to make your injured child smile, buy some stylish adhesive bandages specifically for his wounds. If you want to give your kid’s cut the celebrity treatment but do not have any of these specialty bandages, consider dressing up a plain one by drawing a smiley face or other mood-altering symbol on the wound cover.

When to Seek Help

While you can take care of many wounds yourself, some require outside intervention. If your child’s wound is bleeding profusely or doesn’t stop bleeding even after the application of pressure, seek medical attention. Additionally, if your child’s wound seems particularly deep, take a trip to the doctor. Any time you suspect that your child’s wound may be worse than usual, it is better to be safe than sorry and get a professional to look at the injury.