Kids are prone to accidents at home whether you're looking or not. As a parent, you barely have the time to monitor your kid. For instance, if you double as chauffeur, tutor, counselor, coach, cook, and more in the home, you can miss what your kids are doing most of the time as you can't always monitor them.
Accidents in the home can lead to minor or serious injuries, and sometimes there's little you can do to prevent them. However, you can mitigate their impact through first-aid treatments for different injuries; you should know them because they'll come in handy.
Head injury
Head injury can occur due to different reasons. It could be due to a slip and fall or object falling, or recklessness. It can result in concussion, headache, vomiting, sleepiness, or confusion. First, you should check whether your child didn't hurt his neck or have a tingling or weakness in the arm.
Keep him still, call 911 or rush to an emergency room if he has a severe headache, feels confused, stumbles, or keeps vomiting. If the injury is due to negligence from another party, consult with an Atlanta slip and fall attorney* if you stay within the area to help you get compensation.
Chipped or knocked-out tooth
Your kid could fall while playing or during other activities. This could result in chipped or knocked-out teeth and redness around the mouth. Call the dentist if it's a permanent tooth, or head to the emergency room.
Put the knocked-out tooth back into the socket and get the child to hold it by biting a clean washcloth or paper towel. You can also preserve the teeth in a clean container filled with milk or small saliva.
Allergic reaction
Discovering that your kid has an allergic reaction can make you panic when you notice a swollen face or lip, breathing difficulty, coughing, diarrhea, dizziness, or vomiting. First, get an epinephrine injector and use it.
Even if your child looks good afterward, take him to the ER before the drug's effect wears off. Call 911 if you don't have an EpiPen and give your kid Benadryl (diphenhydramine), if available, while you wait.
Nosebleed
Nosebleeds are hard to miss and are often worse than you think. If your child has a bleeding nose, slightly tilt the head forward and pinch the nose tightly below the nasal bone using tissue or a towel. You may also use a nasal spray into both nostrils and hold the position for ten to fifteen minutes.
When the nosebleed stops and the blood clots, dab the nostrils with vaseline to keep them moist. Avoid tilting the head backward to prevent blood from entering the throat or stomach or stuffing cotton or tissue in the nose. Then, ensure the kid doesn't blow their nose for several hours.
Broken bone
You may notice broken bones crooked, sticking out, or swelling in injured areas. Instead of panicking, make your child comfortable and move the broken limb as little as possible.
Call 911 if the child is in severe pain or the bone sticks out or is crooked. You may also call your doctor and go to the emergency room if unsure what to do.
Conclusion
Accidents are likely to happen at home, school, mall, or anywhere. You must know some first-aid treatments to administer before going to the hospital if the situation is critical.
In many cases, you may be unsure what to do to remedy or mitigate the situation. Ensure you call your doctor or 911 or visit the emergency room.
