10 Home Remedies for Bumps in Children
Bruises and bumps in children are some of the most common injuries. In most cases, they’re unavoidable, and when they occur, you can resort to different remedies that calm the discomfort and can accelerate their healing.
Here are some options for you to implement today. Keep them in mind!
Natural remedies for bumps in children
Young children can be restless as they try to handle themselves, run, or explore different places. Because of all that, scrapes, bruises, and bumps are commonplace.
There are several options for home remedies to try to reduce the pain that these accidents produce or shorten their healing times. Take note!
1. Lavender oil
Lavender oil comes from a natural plant that has anti-inflammatory action, which makes it very useful for treating injuries and bumps in children. At the same time, it has different properties that include the following:
- Antioxidant
- Anxiolytic
- Antimicrobial
- Analgesic
It’s frequently used for its great effectiveness and speed in relieving the pain caused by bumps in children.
2. Aloe vera gel
Aloe vera is one of the most widely used plants due to its important medicinal properties, especially for the treatment of skin conditions. Among its most outstanding qualities, we can mention that it’s anti-inflammatory and that it regenerates and refreshes skin lesions.
There are numerous over-the-counter products with aloe vera, which even provide good hydration to the skin.
3. Anti-inflammatory cream with glucocorticoids
According to a publication of the Spanish Association of Pediatrics, 1 in 10 children will suffer a minor blow to the head during childhood. For this reason, you should always have a corticosteroid cream or triple combination in your medicine cabinet.
The doctor’s instructions and those of the product regarding the forms and times of application must be respected. Its use for long periods of time or on external areas of the skin isn’t recommended.
4. Arnica gel
Arnica can be presented as a gel, lotion, cream, or spray, and its function is to resolve bruises caused by scrapes or bumps in children.
In addition, it has analgesic properties due to its high content of dihydrohelenanine and helenaline acids, which quickly relieve the pain suffered by the child.
5. Compression and bandaging of the bump
Compressing the injured area with a bandage or dressing helps decrease the severity of the injury, as well as swelling and pain. Therefore, it’s best to put light pressure on the affected area as soon as the injury occurs.
Then, after a considerable time of compression, arnica can be applied to prevent the development of bruises in the area.
6. Creams with vitamin K
Vitamin K plays an important role in blood clotting and reduces the severity of bumps in children. To do this, it should be rubbed gently over the bruised area.
There are several products on the market that contain vitamin K that are used to stop bleeding or create clots.
7. Local cold for children’s bumps
Experts recommend placing some ice cubes inside a cloth and applying cold to the area of the blow. This way, it’s possible to reduce inflammation and local edema, which will favor the rapid resolution of the hematoma.
The cold causes vasoconstriction, which means that blood flow to the injured region decreases. In addition, cryotherapy numbs the area and reduces pain. However, it’s not a good idea to place the ice directly on skin wounds, as there is a risk of causing burns.
8. Oral drugs to relieve pain
In addition to the pampering and caresses of parents, drugs that have been indicated and prescribed by the doctor can also be administered to relieve pain.
In general, paracetamol is the most indicated, as the consumption of ibuprofen in children under 6 months is contraindicated.
You may be interested: Mongolian Spots in Babies: Causes and Treatment
9. Tea tree oil
Tea tree oil is one of the most used essential oils for its many health benefits. It comes from a native Australian plant, Malaleuca alternifolia.
Some of its most characteristic properties are the following:
- Antibacterial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antimicrobial
- Antiseptic
It’s often recommended as an adjunct to treatments for athlete’s foot, acne, head lice, onychomycosis, and insect bites.
10. Warm cloths for bumps in children
In contrast to the recommendation to apply ice around the inflamed area, it’s also a good idea to apply heat to increase and stimulate blood flow.
If, in addition to the presence of bumps in children, vomiting, lethargy, loss of balance, or changes in vision are experienced, an emergency doctor should be sought.
The importance of medical care for children’s bumps
It’s almost impossible to prevent a child from getting hit and developing a bump at some point. Likewise, in most cases, they’re usually light and superficial contusions, which resolve spontaneously and without leaving long-term effects.
However, in other cases, more serious clinical manifestations may appear that require more extreme care. Therefore, in the face of a blow, consultation with the pediatrician is always recommended to carry out the corresponding indications.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Golpes en la cabeza. ¿Qué nos debe preocupar?.2019 [Internet] Disponible en: https://enfamilia.aeped.es/temas-salud/golpes-en-cabeza-que-nos-debe-preocupar
- Stevinson C, Devaraj VS, Fountain-Barber A, Hawkins S, Ernst E. Árnica homeopática para la prevención del dolor y los hematomas: ensayo aleatorio controlado con placebo en cirugía de la mano. JR Soc Med . 2003; 96 (2): 60-65. doi: 10.1258 / jrsm.96.2.60
- Pazyar N, Yaghoobi R, Bagherani N, Kazerouni A. A review of applications of tea tree oil in dermatology. Int J Dermatol. 2013 Jul;52(7):784-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-4632.2012.05654.x. Epub 2012 Sep 24. PMID: 22998411.