How To Treat Your Little One's Cuts And ScrapesCuts and scrapes and little ones go hand in hand. It is inevitable. The good news is that most cuts and scrapes can be treated at home. If your little one has a scrape, the first thing to do is to wash your hands. If there is a lot of bleeding, then you can apply gentle pressure by using a clean cloth, tissue or piece of gauze. Leave it on for about 20 minutes and no peeking. Lifting up the covering can cause the scrape or cut to continue bleeding. The next thing to do is to clean the wound. It is best to keep it simple. Cool water is best to clean a scrape. It is recommended NOT to use soap because soap can irritate the wound. (However, it you feel more comfortable using soap, feel free.) If debris is still in the wound, then you can take it out by using sterilized tweezers. Applying a thin layer of antibiotic cream (I like Neosporin) is a good idea to help speed up the healing process. Then apply a bandage to the wound and you are done! That's it. You have successfully treated your little one's cuts or scrape. The key thing to remember is to look out for infection. If you see that the injury is not heeling, OR if it is red, swollen, warm, or has a thick, grayish fluid coming out of it, call the pediatrician. It is also best to call your little one's pediatrician if: If you feel more comfortable using a more natural approach, instead of using an antibiotic cream, you can use aloe vera. Some mothers also use lavender oil and tea tree oil. However, they stung when I put it on my little one's cut. I like aloe vera more because if soothes as it heals.
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