Minor cuts need little treatment. Bleeding carries germs out of the wound and seals it as it clots.
Put the injured part under cold running water. Do not use antiseptic. If it is strong enough to kill germs, it will damage cut tissue too. Don’t use ointment. It will delay formation of a protective scab.
Cuts and Grazes []
Cuts on the face should be seen by a doctor if they have damaged more than the top layer of skin. Even if the wound is trivial, stitches may be required to reduce scarring. But, if it is the knee instead of the face, and you do not want to inflict your child with the trauma of stitching, clean the wound under running water, put gauze over it and paste adhesive plaster to hold the edges of the wound together. A scarred knee is not so bad as compared to a scarred face.
Gaping or ragged cuts must be seen by a doctor.
A puncture cut, like one formed when a child steps on a nailis likely to get infected because it is deep for its size. Any germs that have been carried into the tissue will not be carried out again as there is not enough bleeding to do so and you cannot reach the bottom of the wound with running water. Such a wound will require an anti-tetanus injection.
If it is a glass splinter that has got embedded in the child flesh, see a doctor immediately. Do not try to remove the splinter yourself. Thorn and needle punctures do not need medical attention.
Grazes are usually more painful, although trivial, because a large area of raw tissue is exposed. If the graze has dirt embedded in it, remove what you can with moistened gauzeunder a runnign tap. AN older child may want to do this himself. If the surface has pockets of skin with dirt beneath them, get it cleaned and dressed by a professional. Do not allow the pockets to heal with dirt trapped inside. Any graze on the face with dirt on it will leave a scar.
Remember, the graze needs protection from friction. But it needs air to heal fast. Cover it with non-stick gauze taped to the skin.
