First Aid for children that fall

Falling and children go hand in hand. As your baby is in full development, learning to walk and run, your baby will also occasionally fall. Some falls will not be hard and a kiss will suffice. But your baby may also scrape themselves or hurt themselves badly. Read all about First Aid for your children’s fall in this article.

What can you do if your child falls?

Scrape

Een schaafwond is een oppervlakkige beschadiging van de huid van je baby. Meestal bloedt de wond niet. Een schaafwond kan voor je baby flink pijnlijk zijn, de huid is als het ware afgeschaafd en het kan een branderig gevoel geven. In de wond kan vuil komen, daarom is het belangrijk om je baby’s wond schoon te maken en te desinfecteren. Spoel je baby’s schaafwond af met lauwwarm stromend water en ontsmet de wond. Een schaafwond kun je het beste aan de lucht laten drogen, dan geneest de beschadiging het snelst. Is de schaafwond groter en komt er wat bloed en wondvocht vrij, dan kun je de wond (tijdelijk) afdekken met een pleister of gaasje.

A scrape is superficial damage to your baby’s skin. Usually, the wound does not bleed. A scrape can be quite painful for your baby; the skin is, as it were, scraped off and it can cause a burning sensation. Dirt can get into the wound, so it is important to clean and disinfect your baby’s wound. Rinse your baby’s wound with lukewarm running water and disinfect it. It’s best to let the wound air dry, that way it will heal fastest. If the wound is larger and there is some blood and wound fluid, you can (temporarily) cover the wound with a band-aid or gauze.

A cut

Did your child fall on something hard and sharp, such as a piece of glass or sharp pebbles? If so, that can cause a (deep) cut. The bacteria on the sharp object can also get into the wound. Therefore, it is very important to take good care of it. Rinse the wound clean and pat it dry with a gauze or clean cloth. Disinfect with disinfectant. Do this by dripping directly on the wound or do it with gauze. Put a band-aid on the wound to prevent dirt and bacteria from entering the wound. Choose a colored plaster or one with princesses or cars. The cheerful plaster in itself will then ease your little one’s pain a bit.

Tooth through lip

Did your child fall on his mouth or chin and have a tooth through his/her lip? Then press the wound on the lip closed with a wet washcloth or wet (sterile) gauze. After a few minutes, the bleeding usually stops.

Bruise

Cool the bruise with a cold wet washcloth. You can also cool the bruise or bump with ice or a cold pack. Note: Never hold the ice or cold pack directly on the skin! Put the ice cubes in a clean tea towel or washcloth, for example.

After every fall, keep a close eye on your child. Do you notice that he becomes drowsy, less alert, dizzy, or nauseous? If so, contact your doctor.

First aid kit

Make sure you have a well-stocked first aid kit in your home so you can provide immediate first aid when your child falls. The following products should definitely be in your first-aid kit:

• Disinfectants
• Plasters / festive Children’s plasters 
• Sterile gauze
• Gauze bandages
• Cotton wool
• An ointment or gel that treats bruises and scrapes and relieves pain

Want to know everything about your baby’s mental development and find out how you can stimulate this? Download The Wonder Weeks app or buy the book.