Minor Injuries

A Guide To The Proper Treatment Of Minor Injuries In Children And Teens

One of the major hallmarks of childhood are the bumps, bruises and scrapes that seem to pop up out of nowhere, on a daily basis. The stories of how they got those minor injuries will be the stuff of legends as they get older and you can have a major role in those tales, if you learn how to treat each injury as it happens. It is well known that mother’s medicine is the best medicine of all and we will teach you how to handle each type of personal injuries your children might experience.

Children play hard and minor injuries are just one more part of growing up. The caring staff of Pediatric Partners want your children to remain healthy and whole. Make an appointment to see us today for the expert care your child deserves.

Bruising

Often the most common of all the minor injuries a child can experience, bruising, also known as contusions, are also fairly easy to treat. These are usually caused by a fall or a blow of some kind, and may be swollen and discolored. The coloration of a bruise is caused by blood vessels under the skin being broken during the injury and the resulting blood leak will form a clot just under the surface of the skin. The color of that clot will change as the injury heals, from red to blue to brown to yellow.

Bruises are easily treated by rest and the use of an ice bag on the injured area. If the bruise remains red for more than a day or the skin feels warm, seek medical attention as soon as possible, for there may be more injury below the skin than initially appears. If your child has a bruise on their head or back, take them to see the doctor to ensure that there is no other trauma present.

Sports Injuries

The most common sport injuries during childhood and beyond are the sprains and strains that occur to active muscles. Muscle strains happen because they are being overworked and are usually stretched beyond what they can normally tolerate. They can also occur through twisting the back and joints like the knees, in a way that can cause the muscles connected to be strained. Also known as a pulled muscle soft tissue injury, they can happen anywhere on the body, even in the smallest of joints. There will be swelling, pain and general discomfort in the injured area, which can be treated with rest, elevation and the application of hot or cold packs.

A sprain, on the other hand, is characterized by the rapid swelling and bruising of the skin around the injured area. More often than not, the injury will be connected to a joint, like an ankle or wrist sprain, and is often a sign that internal bleeding or a tendon or ligament has been sprained or slightly torn. Mild sprains can be tended to with heat or ice, rest and elevation, but those occurring in the knee or ankle should be tended at the doctor rather than at home, just in case it is more serious.

Wounds

Tending to your children’s wounds at home can be a tricky business, depending on the type of wound they have incurred. There are five basic types of wounds: blisters, bites, cuts, abrasions and lacerations. Each type requires a different kind of treatment and some may be risky to treat at home, because of the odds of infection. Always clean any wound before treating it, check to make sure there is no debris embedded in it, apply some type of antibiotic ointment and bandage well, but not too tightly. The wound will need to be cleaned and checked for infection every time the bandage is changed.

Lacerations are irregularly shaped and may have ragged edges around it. These may often include damage deep within the skin and should be seen to by a doctor as soon as possible. An abrasion is your basic skinned knee type of wound, and should be carefully checked to make sure there is no debris caught within it. Blisters are skin rubbed raw and need to be drained, ointment applied and bandaged to prevent infection. Cuts and bites should always be treated by the doctor, in case there is other damage that cannot be immediately seen. Animal bites in particular, require close examination as well as immunization against rabies and tetanus.