Your child has taken a tumble and their knee is bleeding, or they have just banged into the corner of the coffee table after turning your living room into a Wild West conquest… Our children's little bumps and scrapes punctuate their daily lives, and it is all too easy to panic or to fall back on the wrong reflexes. This table lists the most common mishaps and the right thing to do for each one: always keep it within reach.
Mishap by mishap: the right thing to do
| Mishap | The right thing to do |
| Splinter | Take a pair of tweezers, sterilise them with alcohol and remove the splinter. Then disinfect the wound with an antiseptic. Dress it and keep an eye on it for a few days. |
| Minor burn | Hold it under cold water for 5 to 10 minutes. Then disinfect and apply an antiseptic, healing cream in a good thick layer. Cover with a paraffin gauze dressing (tulle gras) and wrap with a bandage. |
| Small cut, minor wound, graze | Wash with soap and water, then disinfect with a sting-free antibacterial solution. If the wound is bleeding, use sterile knitted closure strips to draw the edges of the wound together. Also apply a waterproof dressing. Do not tighten it too much, so as not to restrict blood flow. |
| Knocked nail or trapped finger | Hold the finger under water for at least 5 minutes. If the nail has been damaged or a bruise has formed, use an antiseptic solution and Arnica. Leave it uncovered and keep an eye on it. The injury should start to improve within the hours that follow. If a small pocket of blood has formed, pierce it with a sterilised needle. This relieves the pain more quickly. |
| Bump or bruise | To limit a bruise or the pain, use an Arnica-based cream. To prevent swelling, combine the Arnica with Apis Mellifica granules. You can also apply a little ice, wrapped in a towel. Do not leave it in place for more than 5 minutes. |
| Nosebleed | Start by pinching the nose for about 3 minutes, or apply an ice cube wrapped in a towel to the bridge of the nose. If the bleeding persists, insert a haemostatic compress into the nostril. Above all, do not tip the child's head backwards, as this makes them swallow the blood. |
| If your child is in pain | When they are hurting, give them a little paracetamol, a small sweet, a kiss and a big cuddle. These small gestures help the release of endorphins, which will make them forget the pain fairly quickly. It is important that you keep your composure. It will give them courage and stop them panicking. That way the child will avoid a breath-holding spell, which reflexively blocks their breathing when they are frightened or in pain. |
