Treating common types of wounds and injuries

Confusion: A blunt blow can rupture capillaries beneath the skin, causing blood to leak into the tissue. This process results in bruising.

Treatment: Cool the area down using an ice pack or a bag of frozen peas, for example. Place the ice inside a tea towel or piece of clothing so as not to cause skin damage.

Abrasion: A wound caused by friction, scraping a part of your body across a rough surface.

Treatment: Clean the area carefully with a saline solution or water without causing further damage to the skin. Cover it with a sterile dressing to keep it from infection.

INCISION: A cut that has a clean edge; an incision isn’t caused by scraping. This is a wound resulting from an incident with a sharp-edged object like a knife, a razor, or a piece of glass.

Treatment: Sit or lay the child down, apply direct pressure to the wound for 10 minutes, and cover with a suitable sterile dressing. Consider bringing the child to hospital to have the wound stitched.

LACERATION: This is similar to an incision, but it isn’t as clean. The wound has jagged edges, causing an irregular break in the skin.

PUNCTURE: A wound caused by an object or something passing through the skin or impaling. The gravity of this injury stretches from minor to life-threatening.

Treatment: Call 999 for emergency medical assistance. Keep the injury as still as possible and control the bleeding with minimal movement of the affected area. This can be done by applying pressure to either side of the puncture wound. Try to reassure the child and keep them as calm as possible until help arrives. NEVER TRY TO REMOVE THE OBJECT; THIS COULD RESULT IN FURTHER INTERNAL DAMAGE OR BLEEDING.

Gunshot: This type of wound is caused by a bullet or missile being driven into or through the body, causing serious internal injury. Some bullets are designed to ricochet through the body, so the exit wound isn’t always directly opposite the entry wound. Exit wounds can also be larger than the entry wound.

Treatment: Call 999 for emergency medical assistance. Try to control the bleeding by applying pressure. Remember, there is likely to be an entry-and-exit wound.

AMPUTATION: The loss of a distinct body part, such as a limb, finger, toe, or ear. Often very severe, with heavy bleeding. In the case of limb loss, this is a medical emergency.

Treatment: Call 999 for emergency medical assistance. Lay the child down and apply pressure to the affected area. If possible, try to gather the missing body part and place it in a plastic bag or cling film. Place this in a bag of ice or the freezer until help arrives. Do not let direct skin come into contact with the ice.

DEGLOVED: loss of skin involving variable amounts of deep tissue loss through trauma. The skin has been torn from the bone.

Treatment: Call 999 for emergency medical assistance unless someone can safely and quickly get the child to A & E. Sit or lay the child down. If possible, and if it doesn’t involve causing severe discomfort to the child, try to place the torn skin back on the body. Apply a sterile dressing and apply pressure to the area until help arrives.

The types and severity of bleeding and the effect it has on an infant and child

Identifying and taking note of the amount of blood being lost from a child is very important. Our bodies can withstand losing 10% or 20% of our blood volume, but as soon as this gets closer to 30%, our bodies begin to shut down.

Blood is carried around our bodies in three ways:

Arteries: blood being pumped from the heart under pressure

An arterial bleed is the most serious and has the potential to be life-threatening in a very short time. Blood will'spurt' out of the wound.

Veins: blood returning to the heart under less pressure

Venous bleed: veins carry darker blood and are under less pressure. Blood will ‘ooze’ from a venous bleed.

Capillaries: are much smaller blood vessels that carry blood between the arteries and veins.

Capillary bleed: blood would ‘trickle’ from the wound. These are less serious than the other two.

Internal Bleeding

Internal bleeding is very serious because you may not notice any blood loss externally. Blood is lost from the blood vessels, and shock can therefore develop. It may follow an injury such as blunt trauma, a fracture, or a penetrating wound. It can also result from an underlying health problem.

You should suspect internal bleeding if a child has signs of shock with no obvious blood loss.

Recognising internal bleeding:

Pale, cold, clammy skin.
Rapid, weak pulse.
Fast, shallow breathing
Nausea or vomiting
Dizziness.
Sweating.
Blue lips.
Feeling faint.
Bleeding from body openings (orifices)

Important: Call 999/112 for emergency help. While you are waiting for the arrival of emergency services, treat the child for shock.

First Aid for Wounds and Injuries

Unii's Paediatric First Aid Journey tells you how to cope with serious wounds and injuries.