Finding that your child has suffered a deep cut can be a stressful but unavoidable part of being a parent. In addition to addressing your child's pain, you will also need to take steps to prevent the cut from developing complications. To help you with treating your child's injury, you should make it a point to follow several important first aid steps:
Limit The Bleeding
When a cut is particularly deep, it can cause a tremendous amount of bleeding. One of the first steps in treating your child's wound will be to slow or stop the bleeding. To do this, you will want to use a bandage of soft cloth to apply gentle but sustained pressure to the cut. If you attempt to treat the cut without stopping the bleeding, you may cause more blood loss and discomfort than is necessary.
Clean The Wound
After you have limited the bleeding, you will want to take steps to clean the wound. When a cut occurs, bacteria and other harmful substances can be forced deep into the cut. This can make secondary infections much more likely to develop. To thoroughly clean your child's cut, you will want to use a damp cloth to gently remove any visible dirt and debris from the cut before you apply an antiseptic.
Evaluate The Cut To Determine If Stitches Are Required
Once the bleeding has been controlled and the wound cleaned, you will be able to clearly see the extent of the damage. When a cut is particularly deep or wide, stitches may be required to help it heal. Unfortunately, parents will often find that they are unfamiliar with the warning signs that stitches are needed. Typically, if you can see tissue below the skin or it is especially wide, stitches are likely to be required to close it. Another warning sign that this treatment is needed can be if there is a change in sensations in the cut area as this could indicate that a nerve was damaged.
Treat The Wound Each Day Until It Is Fully Healed
After your initial treatment of the cut, it can be easy to forget about it. However, you will need to treat your child's cut each day until it has completely healed if you are to minimize the risk of infections developing. During these daily treatments, you should change the bandage and thoroughly clean the wound. Also, if you notice an infection starting to develop, you may want to have it treated by a doctor to address it before it becomes serious.
Contact a medical clinic like La Costa Urgent Care for more information and assistance.
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