When a child gets injured, it's natural to panic. But don't! Before you can help the child, it's important to stay calm and assess the situation. If you think the injury is serious or life-threatening, call 911 immediately. To help your child recover from a minor injury:
Don't panic.
The first thing to do is not panic. It may seem like the most important thing, but panicking will only make things worse for the child and yourself.
First aid should be focused on getting help as quickly as possible and stabilizing the injured body part until professional medical assistance arrives. Stay calm and listen to your instincts; if something doesn't feel right, then it probably isn't right!
Checking for blood in the mouth or nose can be helpful in determining whether an injury is serious enough that you need medical attention immediately (or if you should just call 911). If there's no bleeding after checking these areas, then it's likely not serious enough yet--but keep checking every few minutes just in case!
Make sure the child is breathing.
When dealing with a child who has suffered an injury, it's important to first make sure that they're breathing.
- Check for chest movement. A person who is not breathing will have their chest completely still. If you see this, it means that your child needs immediate medical attention because they are not getting enough oxygen in their body and may pass out or even die if the situation isn't resolved quickly enough (in which case CPR should be performed).
- Listen for breathing sounds while checking on your child's pulse at the wrist or neck area (if possible). If there are no sounds coming from this area either then start CPR immediately! Don't worry about doing it right; just get started by pressing firmly into their chest at least 100 times per minute until help arrives--or until someone else arrives with more expertise than yours does!
In addition to checking for signs of life like those mentioned above there are other things you can do before calling 911 such as applying pressure directly onto wounds themselves rather than moving injured limbs around too much since doing so could cause further damage elsewhere within their bodies."
Check for bleeding.
If you see blood, apply pressure to the wound with a clean cloth or bandage. If there is no bleeding (this is especially important in children), do not apply pressure.
- If there is a lot of blood coming from the wound and it looks like the child could lose consciousness from blood loss, put on a tourniquet above the elbow or wrist (for arms) or just below the knee (for legs). If possible, put it on their opposite limb so that their hands aren't tied up applying pressure elsewhere on their body if they need to use them later; however, putting it somewhere else isn't as effective at stopping bleeding so this should only be done if nothing else can be done right away!
Gently move the injured body part.
First, make sure that your child is breathing. If they aren't breathing, begin CPR immediately by pressing your fingers firmly on their chest in a quick but steady rhythm (about 100 times per minute). If there's bleeding or swelling, find out where it is coming from and stop it with direct pressure--if necessary, use something clean like gauze or a cloth towel as padding between your hand and their skin; never use your bare hands! After stopping any bleeding or swelling with direct pressure, try to keep them calm until help arrives.
Call 911 if you think the injury is life-threatening, or if your child is unconscious.
If you suspect that your child's injury is life-threatening, call 911 immediately.
- If your child is unconscious and unresponsive, check for breathing and pulse. If there are no signs of life, begin CPR until paramedics arrive (see below).
- If the bleeding hasn't stopped after applying pressure for five minutes and elevating the area above heart level, call 911 again to request medical attention from emergency personnel at a hospital or urgent care center.
Taking care of a small injury is easier than you think.
When a child has an injury, it's important to stay calm. One of the biggest mistakes you can make is panicking and calling 911 when it isn't necessary. The best thing to do is assess the situation, treat it as if it were your own injury, and then call 911 if you think they're needed.
- If the child is unconscious: First check for breathing by putting your hand on their chest and feeling for movement there. If they aren't breathing normally (meaning that there isn't enough air going into their lungs), begin rescue breathing immediately until help arrives or until the child begins breathing again on his/her own.
- If there's bleeding: Apply pressure directly over the top of where the blood is coming from using gauze pads or other material such as clothing.
- Checking for signs of serious injury: Check them from head-to-toe looking for any signs of serious injury such as broken bones, deep cuts, or bruises.
Conclusion
The most important thing is to stay calm and assess the situation. The next step is to gently move the injured body part, which you can do by applying pressure on either side of it or by holding it still while applying ice packs. If you think your child has a serious injury that requires medical attention, call 911 immediately!