Because kids don't come with instructions
Because kids don't come with instructions
If your kids are anything like mine, I am constantly bandaging up scrapes from trips and falls.
As they get older, and more adventurous, the scrapes seem to be getting bigger and deeper.
I’ll teach you some tricks of the trade on treating scrapes and cuts at home. And, I will also explain when you need to seek medical attention.
Road rash is when the surface of the skin gets scraped off. It usually happens when the skin is scraped against a hard surface or pavement, such as when kids fall off their bike.
Scrapes and road rash are very different from cuts and lacerations. Read on to learn about treating scraps and cuts at home, and lacerations, too!
You can also read more here to learn what you should have on hand at home in your home first aid kit.
A laceration is different from an abrasion in that the skin is not scraped off but cut or torn. This could be by a sharp or jagged object. Lacerations sometimes need stitches, and some need to be managed differently than abrasions. If your child gets a deep laceration, then you need to seek medical attention because they might need stitches or staples in order for it to heal.
01
Clean the Wound
Wash the wound with warm water and pat try.
You can also cleanse gently with soap and warm water and pat dry.
02
Use a wound cleaning solution
Most people know about hydrogen peroxide and use it to clean wounds. You know how it burns a little and bubbles?
There is a different solution we use in our hospital that is
just as effective, without the burn and bubbling. This wound care solution, called VASHE, should be in your medicine cabinet and used as a replacement for hydrogen peroxide. It cleanses the wound gently and prepares the wound bed for healing.
What you want to do is soak some sterile gauze pads in the Vashe solution (You can buy it from amazon!), make sure they are nice and wet, then place the gauze on the wound. Leave the gauze in place for about 5 minutes.
Let the wound air dry.
03
Use an antibacterial ointment
While you don’t actually need an antibiotic ointment, most parents just feel better about putting it on to prevent an infection.
You can use neosporin, or bacitracin, or even just aquaphor to keep the wound bed moist as it heals.
04
Cover the Wound
You can either cover the wound or leave open to air.
If you decide to cover it, you can use a standard bandaid of any size, or you can use some non-adherent pads – which means they won’t stick to the wound as it heals.
I recommend getting some non-adherent pads, and securing them in place with bandaids or medical tape.
05
Change Daily
Repeat all the above steps and change the bandage daily. The wound will heal from the outside in. As you start to see it heal you can stop the vashe wash, and just cover daily with a clean bandaid.
06
When to seek medical attention
If you think the wound is deep, more than just a layer or two of skin, or if you can see fat, you should seek medical attention.
If the wound is a deep laceration, you should also seek medical attention.
Stay safe this summer!
You got this!
