first aid

Some common minor injuries.

bee or wasp stings 

Bee and wasp stings cause instant pain. The sting of a bee can also leave its barbed sting behind, which looks like a small splinter.

1. Remove the stinger as soon as possible by scraping away with a sideways movement using a credit card or your fingernail. Never try to use your thumb and forefinger as this will only squeeze the venom from the sac down into the wound.
2. Apply a cool cloth or cold compress.
3. If there is itching, visit your pharmacist for an over-the-counter antihistamine.
4. A child’s pain relief helps. 

Seek immediate help if there is difficulty breathing, swallowing, swelling of the tongue, hoarseness, if your child becomes dizzy or faints, or if hives or intense itching develops other than around the sting site.

cuts and grazes 

1. Ensure your own hands are clean and germ free before handling your child’s wound. 
2. Comfort and sit your child down. 
3. Rinse the grazed area with clean water to remove any loose particles of gravel and dirt.
4. Check the wound for any embedded objects.
5. If the wound needs cleaning, use clean gauze - don’t use cotton wool as this will stick to the wound. Remember to wipe the area gently from the centre outwards using a fresh piece of gauze for each swab.
6. Dry the wound.
7. Apply a sterile dressing or plaster that has a pad large enough to cover the wound and the area around it.

Seek medical help if there is anything deep in the wound. Do NOT try and remove it yourself as you can aggravate the injury and/or cause long term infection.
 

objects or insects in the ear

Removal of any object from your child’s ear can be difficult and should only be attempted by a doctor. Small objects in the ear can cause temporary deafness, they may damage the eardrum and if left untreated, may cause infection. You can do more damage by trying to remove the object.  

1. If it is an insect then ask your child to lie down and tilt the head to one side with the affected side uppermost. 
2. Using a small dropper or the corner of a clean cloth (like a handkerchief) drop small amounts of warmed vegetable oil (or alternatively use a small amount of tepid water) into the ear. This will suffocate the insect and it should float to the surface. If not, seek medical help. 

nosebleeds 

1. Sit your child down and with the head inclined slightly forward. Tell your child to breathe through their mouth.
2. Gently pinch the nostrils together, just below the nasal bone, for ten minutes. If the bleeding persists continue pinching for another ten minutes.
3. If the nosebleed lasts for 30 minutes or more or the discharge is thin and watery, ask your child to hold their nose to maintain the pressure while you seek medical help.
4. Once the bleeding stops, clean around the nose and mouth with a dressing soaked in warm water. Do not let your child blow the nose for a few hours as it might bleed again.   

first aid kit  

It is important to have a well stocked first aid kit in your home and car. Children can get sick or hurt at the least opportune moments.

Here is a list of suggested items for your first aid kit. Some of the items are dangerous to children so it is essential to keep your first aid kit out of reach. 
 

• Adhesive tape
• Antiseptic cream, solution and wipes
• Bandages in different sizes
• Bite and sting cream
• Blanket
• CPR mouthpiece/shield
• Child’s pain relief
• Disposable gloves
• First Aid manual/book
• High factor sun cream
• Insect repellent
• List of emergency numbers
• Plasters
• Safety pins
• Saline
• Scissors
• Sterile gauze swabs
• Thermometer
• Torch and extra batteries
• Tweezers

Remember to check your first aid kit on a regular basis to replace missing items or items that may have expired.