What to Do if Your Child Scrapes Himself

Falls, blows and injuries follow children wherever they go. As a mother, it's important to know how to act if your child scrapes himself.

Children have accidents and fall down frequently. This can happen at school or at home since they’re restless and want to explore everything. That’s why it’s important to know what to do if your child scrapes himself or gets hurt.

Certainly, your child can have lots of different injuries. Some only need to be washed with soap and water. However, depending on their depth or size, some may need medical assistance.

You take care of scrapes just like how you would take care of an other superficial injury. However, you should be extra careful with small children, whose skin isn’t fully mature.

Falling: the main cause of scrapes

Even though it seems obvious, falling is the main cause of common accidents for kids ages 1 to 14. As a mother, you need to deal with kids’ daily accidents in the best possible way. Therefore, it’s important for you to know how to administer first aid.

Above all, keep in mind that falling usually doesn’t have serious consequences for children. Generally, they may have a bruise, superficial wound, or light bleeding. In these cases, it’s important to treat and reassure your child.

What should I do if my child falls and scrapes himself?

After falling, children are usually scared and react by crying. At this time, motherly love and attention will help reassure him and help him through the pain.

You can comfort your child by using soft words and asking where he hurt himself. If there’s a lump or a bruise, we recommend applying ice for 20 minutes, as well as using ointment for bruises.

If, on the other hand, your child is bleeding after he scrapes himself, apply pressure to the wound for about three minutes to stop the bleeding. Then, disinfect the area and apply a sterile bandage. If the scrape needs stitches, you should take him to the doctor as soon as possible.

Remember, never place cotton on the wound. Also, don’t apply antibiotic ointments, dig in deep wounds or remove objects that are stuck. These can all make the injury worse.

How to treat your child if he falls and scrapes himself

These are the steps you should follow to treat your child’s injuries in these situations:

• Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before treating the wound.
• Wash the wound with clean water to remove dirt.
• Disinfect the area with an antiseptic using a compress.
• Never use cotton because it will leave particles in the wound.
• If the cut is shallow, join the edges of the wound.
• If it’s deep, apply pressure for three minutes with a sterile gauze to stop the bleeding. 

Signs of infection in scrapes

A wound that doesn’t heal properly can cause infections. Here are some signs that your child’s scrape is infected:

• The injury is deep or was caused by rusty metal.
• Apply soap to the affected area.
• Don’t put a bandage on him to protect the area.
• The wound has dirt under the skin.
• The pain doesn’t go away.
• Redness persists around the affected area.
• Your child feels sick.
• The pus is greenish and smelly.

When to go to the hospital

In the following cases, you should go to the hospital immediately:

• The bleeding doesn’t stop, even after applying pressure for 10 minutes.
• The cut is very deep and he needs stitches.
• Your child isn’t vaccinated against tetanus.
• There is an infection in the wound.
• The wound is dirty and you can’t clean it properly.
• The scrape doesn’t heal after 10 days.

Finally, we recommend that you always have this information on hand or memorize it in case your child falls and scrapes himself. As a mother, it’s important to follow these tips and that you stay calm. Also, make sure to go to the hospital when it’s necessary.