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Assistance in case of accidents

 
, medical expert
Last reviewed: 20.11.2021
 
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Damage to the body covers the most common injuries in childhood.

Contusions. Such injuries are very common in children. The injury is characterized by tissue damage without compromising the integrity of the skin. In this case, small vessels are usually destroyed, as a result of which there is a hemorrhage into the soft tissues. Depending on the severity of the stroke and the number of damaged vessels, the blood more or less strongly impregnates the soft tissues, forming a bruise. Later, the cyanotic color becomes yellow-green. With the detachment of the skin or subcutaneous fat and the accumulation of blood in this place, a hematoma forms - a cavity filled with blood. The most characteristic symptom in this case will be a swelling-a space filled with liquid will be felt under the skin. Feeling the area of damage is always painful.

The first aid and treatment of the bruise is mainly to create peace for the affected part of the body. To reduce edema and hemorrhage in the first two to three hours, a blister with ice (cold in any version) is applied to the area of the injury. If the joint is bruised, then it is better to bandage it with an eight-band dressing. In order for the edema and hemorrhage to resolve quickly, after two to three days, thermal procedures (baths, physiotherapy), rub hydrocortisone ointment.

Abrasions and scratches. Such damage to the surface layers of the skin occurs, as a rule, due to the fall of the child or careless handling of various objects. Abrasions often combine with bruises. Abrasions are the entrance gate of infection, they most often cause inflammation of the lymph nodes and suppuration. Especially dangerous in this respect are abrasions contaminated by the ground, since it is possible to infect with tetanus. The abrasions should be immediately cleaned of contamination, treated with hydrogen peroxide, greased with a solution of potassium permanganate or diamond greens. Effective Novikov liquid. At extensive abrasions it is possible to impose a dry protective bandage. Dressings are done after 2-3 days. The crust formed on the place of abrasion disappears on the 7th-9th day, after which a gentle scar remains, which later becomes invisible.

Wounds. An injury is a traumatic violation of the integrity of the skin or mucous membranes with damage to deeper tissues. Wounds can be cut, chopped, chopped, bruised, smashed, gunshot, bitten. Characteristic symptoms of injury: gaping its edges, pain, bleeding. However, the gaping of a stab wound can be small, and it can be difficult to distinguish among blood clots. Dangerous bleeding occurs when large veins and arteries are damaged. With superficial wounds, bleeding quickly stops after applying a slightly pressing bandage. In children, the vessels are very elastic and easily recede, so there is no danger to life and health of bleeding in normal household trauma in young children. Always remember the possible complications of injury. So, with stab wounds in the soft tissues, a foreign body (a chip, a glass, a nail) can remain. With a small point wound, penetration into one of the body cavities (thoracic, abdominal) or into the cavity of the knee joint is possible.

Damage to soft tissues is sometimes combined with fracture of bones (open fracture), in this connection, in any injury of a small child, it is necessary to consult a doctor. The main precept for first aid to children is not to harm. Do not fill the wound with iodine or alcohol - this will cause the baby pain, cause a burn of damaged tissue, and the wound will heal longer. Only the edges of the wound are treated. Do not apply an ointment to the wound and cover it with medicinal powder (you can infect the wound). In no case can the wound be examined with a finger and remove foreign bodies from it, as well as touching that surface of the sterile bandage that lies on the wound. If soon after applying a bandage starts to get wet, it is not removed, but only toppled. Compliance with these rules will help you competently provide first aid and avoid additional traumatization of damaged tissues. When arterial bleeding should be applied a tourniquet above the wound. At the same time, certain rules are observed. The tourniquet is placed on a soft lining, so that they do not pinch their skin. Then it is tightened until the pulse on the peripheral arteries of the injured arm or leg ceases to be palpated. If the tourniquet compresses the vessels insufficiently, the bleeding continues. As the tourniquet stops accessing the blood to the tapered limb, it can not be kept longer than two hours in summer and half an hour in winter to avoid necrosis of the tissues. The child must be rushed to the medical institution with an exact indication of the time of application of the tourniquet. If you do not have a tourniquet at your fingertips, stop bleeding before manufacturing it from your handy material, squeezing the arterial vessel with your fingers above the wound site. Press the artery with four fingers in the places where the artery lies next to the bone, to which it can be pressed. When bleeding on the leg, the artery is squeezed in the groin, on the arm, on the inner surface of the middle third of the shoulder. This method is also used if the tourniquet lies about two hours: by pressing the artery at a specified point, the tourniquet is weakened, allowing the blood to proceed to the bloodless limb along the auxiliary vessels.

Bitten wounds. The peculiarity of bitten wounds is the contamination of their saliva with an animal, in which a rabies can be caused. The sufferer, in addition to the surgical, needs anti-rabies care (vaccination against rabies).

Snake bites. Among the poisonous snakes, the most common types of vipers (forest, steppe, sand). The viper venom acts primarily on the vascular walls and blood. On the site of the bite, there are two parallel incisions - traces of teeth. Soon after the bite, the victim feels a burning pain, which gradually intensifies. Begins to swell around the limb, there are pinpoint hemorrhages. The skin around the place of bite first reddens, and then acquires a cyanotic shade. Swelling quite rapidly spreads above the site of the bite, sometimes beyond the limb. Because of the absorption of poison into the blood, there are symptoms of general poisoning: malaise, headache, vomiting, diarrhea, fever, increased heart rate. In severe cases, gastrointestinal bleeding is possible, paralysis. Sometimes, a few hours after the bite, death occurs from paralysis of the breath and a disorder of the heart activity.

With a snakebite, it is very important to provide first aid to the victim, but the possibilities are very limited. The most effective means is the sucking of poison by the mouth. You can suck the poison if you put the cans. However, suction is advisable only in the first 10-20 minutes after a bite, since the poison is rapidly absorbed. The victim should be given as much as possible to drink. Traction of the affected limb with a tourniquet to reduce the absorption of poison not only does not give the desired effect, but is harmful, since it prevents the outflow of blood. With a rapidly increasing edema, this can lead to the necrosis of the limb, and after removing the tourniquet, the poison will still enter the body. Excision of wounds, cauterization of their red-hot iron and chemical substances does not reduce the spread of poison in the body and only traumatizes the child. After a snake bite of time, you can not lose. It is necessary to deliver the child to the hospital as soon as possible, where he will be injected with a specific polyvalent serum (antigurzin, etc., depending on the type of snake that bites the child). If this is done in the first hours after the bite, the treatment gives an effect.

Insect bites. Bites of mosquitoes and midges, although they cause itching, scratching, etc., but, as a rule, do not require special treatment. However, if the child's complaints are too strong, he can give one of the antihistamines: dimedrol, suprastin, fenkarol. You can moisten the bite site with diluted vinegar water.

The bite of a bee, a wasp, a bumblebee, a hornet causes severe pain, then swelling develops around the place of the bite. Especially dangerous are multiple bites of wasps and hornets, and bees too - firstly, the amount of poison that enters the baby's body increases, and secondly, the risk of anaphylactic shock increases significantly. With these bites, the kid complains of general malaise, headache, his temperature rises, dyspnea appears, blood pressure may fall. Given the possibility of developing an anaphylactic shock, it is necessary not to lose time to see a doctor, and on the way to give the child more to drink and apply a cold compress to the place of the bite.

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