Children have wounds that need care for many reasons. Your child may have a cut that needs care after surgery. Your child may have a cut, scrape, or puncture wound from an accident. Or your child may have a wound because of a boil or an abscess.
Whatever the cause of the wound, there are things you can do to care for it at home.
The doctor may also want your child to come back for a wound check. The wound check lets the doctor know how your child's wound is healing and if your child needs more treatment.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
If emergency treatment is not needed, bleeding can usually be stopped by applying steady, direct pressure and elevating the wound. The following steps will protect the skin wound and protect you from exposure to another person's blood.
Before you try to stop the bleeding:
To stop the bleeding:
Mild bleeding usually stops on its own or slows to an ooze or trickle after 15 minutes of pressure. It may ooze or trickle for up to 45 minutes.
Occasionally a puncture wound causes bleeding underneath the skin, but only a small amount of blood comes out of the wound. When this happens, the area around the puncture wound may become swollen and bruised. If the bleeding causes blood to collect in the wound site (wound hematoma), the risk of an infection increases.
While following the steps to stop the bleeding, watch for signs of shock in the injured person, including:
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