Basic First Aid: What You Should Know

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Of course it’s necessary to seek medical help for potentially life-threatening accidents in and around the home. Any foreign body embedded into the skin should obviously be removed only by a medical practitioner. Nasty bumps on the head, heavy nose bleeds, animals bites or falling unconscious should all be taken seriously. This article is about handling other little accidents we or our children may have. Always keep your first-aid box well-stocked and ready for use.

Cuts and grazes

• Wash the cut/graze with clean water and pat it dry. 
• If it’s still bleeding, apply pressure to the area until the bleeding stops. 
• Use an antiseptic wipe if needed, but this is not necessary if the wound has been cleaned properly.
• If you have suitable cream in your first-aid box, apply some on the area.
• Apply an aerated bandage, as exposure to air assists the healing process. If this is not possible, put a plaster (band-aid) on. Change the plaster every day and check to see that wound is healing normally. 
• For large cuts, apply pressure on the spot and keep elevated while you seek medical help.
• Use a dressing, pressing down firmly on the cut. Keep applying pressure and if needed, use a second dressing (over the first one) until help arrives.  You may never have to deal with very large cuts in your home surrounding, but if you do, remember it’s vital to keep the injured limb as high above the heart as possible. 

Nosebleeds

• Get your ‘patient’ to sit down and breathe normally. It’s natural for a child to mistakenly think that holding in their breath will stop the bleeding. 
• The jury is still out on whether or not you should pinch the soft part of the nose during a nose bleed, but for many of us, pinching the nose for 10 minutes is the first step in stopping a nose bleed. 
• If the bleeding does not stop, repeat the above for another 5 minutes and release. Have plenty of tissues or paper towels at hand.
• Remember to keep the child calm because it’s disconcerting to see blood pouring out of your nostrils. Hyperventilating or panicking would only make matters worse. 
• If bleeding persists after 15 minutes, especially if it’s profuse, get the child to an A&E.

Burns and scalds

• It’s imperative to hold the burn/scald under a cold running tap for 10 minutes or more. This may seem like a long time, but it is very important for the cooling the skin and for the prevention of nasty scars in the long run.
• Remove any jewellery or tight clothing that can inhibit blood flow to the area. Blood flow is also very important in the healing process. How well the burn/scald heals has a lot to do with how it’s treated straight away, not later on. 
• Cover the spot with a wet cloth or cling film. 
• Apply any suitable burn cream you have in your first-aid box. If you have none, squeeze a thin layer of toothpaste on the area until you can get some. 

Sprains and fractures

• Apply an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas) straight away. Don’t cook those peas. You can keep them in the freezer for another injury pack. A cold pack will not only numb the area, but it will prevent it from swelling, which will also enable the medical practitioner to give a better diagnoses of the problem.
• Keep the limb elevated.
• Remember you can use the healthy limb (arm or leg) as a splint if you need to. Fingers can also be used as splints when another digit is sprained/fractured.
• Avoid moving the child around if you can help it. 
• Injuries like these must be seen by a medical practitioner. However, if you’re sure the injury is just a minor strain, the ‘patient’ should be made to avoid any activity (using that limb) for the next two days to allow proper healing.

Bruises

• Apply an ice pack (or a bag of frozen peas). You can wrap these in a kitchen towel or a soft piece of cloth. This will keep the swelling down and avoid the formation of large patches of bruising.
• Keep the cold pack on the spot for about 20 minutes.
• Keep limb elevated.
• Repeat if necessary the following day.
• After 2 days, use a warm cloth on the bruise for about 10 minutes at a time. If you do this in the morning and at night, the bruise should clear up quickly.

Do you have a stocked first aid box in your home? When was the last time you replenished it? If you have any other first-aid tips for the above situations, why not list yours below. As always, you can visit me at my personal development and relationship blog.