Cuts, Scrapes, Splinters and Nosebleeds: Kids' First Aid

Scrapes and small cuts

1. Wash your hands, then press with a clean cloth or gauze to stop bleeding. Most small cuts stop within a few minutes.
2. Rinse under cool running water and clean around the wound with mild soap. Gently remove dirt; a clean washcloth helps with gravel.
3. Skip hydrogen peroxide and rubbing alcohol; they sting and slow healing.
4. Cover with petroleum jelly and a bandage. Moist, covered wounds heal faster and scar less.
5. Change the bandage daily or when wet or dirty.

Does it need stitches?

• Edges gape or don't come together easily, or the cut is deep enough to see fat or deeper tissue.
• It's on the face, lips, or over a joint, or it's longer than about 1/2 inch (1 to 2 cm).
• It keeps bleeding after 10 minutes of steady pressure.
• It's a puncture from something dirty, a bite, or has something stuck in it.
• Stitches, glue or strips work best when done within a few hours, so don't wait until the next day to decide.

Infection and tetanus

• Some redness right at the edge is normal. Spreading redness, warmth, swelling, pus, red streaks or fever are signs of infection.
• Tetanus protection comes from routine childhood vaccines. If your child is behind, a dirty wound is a good reason to check.

Splinters

• Wash the area. If the end sticks out, pull it out with clean tweezers at the same angle it went in.
• Tiny shallow splinters often work their way out in a few days. Don't dig deeply.

Nosebleeds

• Common in young children, especially with dry winter air, colds, allergies and nose picking.
• What to do: sit your child up and lean them slightly forward. Pinch the soft part of the nose firmly for 10 minutes by the clock, without peeking. Let them breathe through the mouth.
• Don't tilt the head back or lie down; blood runs down the throat and can cause vomiting.
• A cold cloth on the bridge of the nose can help comfort.
• Prevention: a cool-mist humidifier, saline spray, a thin layer of petroleum jelly inside the nostrils, and short nails.

Things in the nose

• A smelly, one-sided runny nose in a toddler often means something is stuck inside. Don't dig; see your pediatrician, who can remove it safely.
• A button battery or magnet in the nose is an emergency; see the button batteries guide.

When to check in

• See a clinician the same day for a cut that may need stitches or shows signs of infection.
• Mention frequent nosebleeds, easy bruising or bleeding gums at a checkup.
• If bleeding spurts or won't slow with firm pressure for 10 minutes, keep pressing and call 911.