CUTS IN CHILDREN
Wounds of the skin are classified as abrasions (scrapes), punctures, and lacerations. A laceration is a cut of any size and depth and can be located anywhere on the body.
Signs and symptoms
A cut is obvious from its appearance and the bleeding that occurs. However, there are signs and symptoms you should look for to help you decide whether the cut needs a doctor’s care or can be treated at home. Major cuts with serious bleeding obviously need a doctor’s immediate attention; emergency control of bleeding is the only possible home treatment.
First, look at the depth of the cut. If a cut is more than skin deep it cannot be treated at home. Deeper structures (such as muscles, tendons, and nerves) must be repaired by sewing.
Second, look for dirtiness or raggedness in the cut. A cut with ragged edges or with deeply embedded dirt needs professional care to avoid infection and to reduce scarring.
Third, look at the width and location of the cut. A small cut rarely needs stitching to control the bleeding, but stitching may help reduce the amount of scarring. A cut heals leaving a scar the size of the opening of the skin. There is no treatment that will reduce the length of the scar. But the closer the edges of the cut are to each other during the healing process, the narrower the final scar will be. If a home-style bandage can hold the edges together for the seven to ten days required for healing, there may be no advantage to a doctor’s treatment. However, if the cut is in an area that moves, such as near a joint or on some parts of the face, it is nearly impossible to keep the edges from gaping unless the wound is sewn.
Home care
First, stop the bleeding. Apply firm pressure directly on the cut for ten minutes (by the clock). Use sterile gauze if it’s immediately available. If not, any reasonably clean cloth – a handkerchief, towel, or shirt-will do. Even bleeding from large arteries can be controlled by pressure applied directly on the wound. You never need so-called pressure points.
Do not use a tourniquet to stop bleeding from a cut. The only time a tourniquet is necessary is if a limb is partially or completely amputated. In this severe case, the tourniquet may be placed anywhere above the wound. The new thinking is that once the tourniquet is put on, it should be left on-not released and tightened as was once suggested. Then immediately rush the person to the nearest medical facility.
Second, once the bleeding has stopped, wash the area with soap and water so that the cut is clearly visible. Look at the depth, width, dirtiness, raggedness, and location of the cut to decide if a doctor should treat the wound.
If it seems reasonable to care for the cut at home, apply a non-stinging antiseptic. Draw the wound’s edges together with adhesive butterflies available at your pharmacy (or make your own). Then cover the wound with sterile gauze and a bandage to prevent infection. If the cut is near the joint of a finger, splinting the fingers can keep them from moving until the cut has healed. Cuts between the toes can sometimes be kept from moving by bandaging the toes together around the cut. Inspect the wound every day for signs of possible infection. Remove butterflies after seven to ten days.
Precautions
• If the cut requires stitching, it must be done within eight hours to avoid infection. If a wound becomes infected (showing increased tenderness, swelling, discharge of pus, or red streaks spreading out from the wound), see your doctor.
• Be sure that your child receives tetanus boosters at the ages recommended by your doctor.
Medical treatment
A doctor, surgeon, or plastic surgeon has the skill and equipment to handle cuts that cannot be cared for at home. Your doctor will clean a dirty wound and decide if the wound needs stitching.
*45/84/5*
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.