What to Do in an Emergency

Your kid will run with scissors or stick a fork into an outlet. Your spouse probably will grab that pan without a potholder. Accidents and health emergencies are inevitable.   Can you keep cool in a crisis to deal with these injuries?

Basic first aid knowledge and a well-stocked emergency kit can handle most mishaps. Nemours KidsHealth offers easy-to-follow articles, videos, animations, and health instructions for parents and kids, including printable first-aid advice. Review it before you need it, as there are many preventative measures you can take to avoid needing first aid at all.

What cut needs a stitch? When does a burn require professional care? Every parent or caregiver has seen their share of bruises, cuts and minor burns, but you need to know when an injury is serious enough to head to the emergency room or doctor’s office. 

Get medical help right away when the burn comes from a fire, an electrical wire, a socket, or chemicals. Get help if the burn is on the face, scalp, hands, genitals, or on skin over a joint, or if it covers a large part of the body; even a burn that looks minor requires attention when it’s 2 to 3 inches wide.

Some cuts obviously need a stitch, for instance if it’s gaping open or you can see yellow fat or red muscle under the skin. But what else requires immediate care?  

Take your child in for medical care if you can't stop the bleeding after 15–20 minutes of pressure, if there’s dirt or something else stuck inside the wound, if the cut was caused by an animal or human bite, or the cut is on the face, ear or neck. Puncture wounds and deep wounds should be professionally cleaned and checked for nerve or tendon injury. If you have any doubt about whether a cut needs stitches, medical glue, or another kind of repair, call your doctor immediately. Delay can result in infection or unnecessary scarring. Call 911 for any cut that is bleeding heavily or that occurred with a severe head or neck injury. 

Take advice from the Boy Scouts and ‘Be Prepared’ for the infinite number of minor injuries the average family can suffer each year with a well-stocked first-aid kit. Having the right supplies ahead of time can help you handle emergencies at a moment's notice. Here’s a guide to stocking kits for your home and car.

Know the difference between an insect bite or sting and the signs of allergic reaction? For most bites and stings holding a cool washcloth over the washed wound will calm the area while there’s Calamine lotion or anti-itch creams and over-the-counter antihistamines for the itching.  

Get medical care if the sting is anywhere near the mouth as severe swelling can block airways, or if a large rash develops of the pain and swelling lasts past three days; it could be a sign of infection. Always call 911 if you see any signs of a serious or potentially life-threatening allergic reaction, such as swollen lips, tongue, or face, wheezing or trouble breathing, tightness in the throat or chest, dizziness, or nausea. 

Summers are getting hotter, do you know the difference between heat exhaustion and heatstroke?

Heat exhaustion can happen when you haven’t been drinking enough liquids in a hot environment. Symptoms can include increased thirstiness, dizziness, cramps, headache, nausea, heavy sweating and cool clammy, skin. Take heat exhaustion seriously; find a cooler place to rest, remove excess clothing, apply cool cloths or water to your child’s skin and try to get them to drink water or cool liquids containing salt and sugar, such as sports drinks. Call your doctor for advice; get IV fluids.

A heatstroke is a life-threatening medical emergency where the body can no longer regulate its own temperature. Kids are at risk for heatstroke if they overdress or engage in intense physical activity without drinking enough liquids. Heatstroke can also occur when a child is trapped or left in a hot unventilated space or hot car; the temperature inside a car on a 93-degree day can reach 125°F in just 20 minutes. Body temperatures of 106°F can lead to brain damage or even death, so quick medical care is needed to bring the body temperature under control. Call for emergency medical help if your child shows one or more of these symptoms - severe headache, confusion, nausea, rapid breathing and heartbeat, loss of consciousness, seizures, flushed, hot, dry skin with no sweat or a temperature of 104°F or higher. First aid while you wait for help includes undressing your child and sponging them with cool water. Never give fluids to a child who isn’t awake, alert, and acting normally. 

What if you or a caregiver are the victim?  Have you taught your young children how and when to call 911 in an emergency?  It’s more than punching numbers! Kids can be afraid or overwhelmed by calling and they have to know how to give information to the dispatcher. Nemours can help you explain 911 and how to make an emergency call.    

Too much to take in? Consider taking a first aid course, even if you’ve already learned the basics. CPR is performed differently for young children and choking victim maneuvers are also changed for smaller bodies. The American Red Cross has a variety of course available, online and on site. Your local hospital or health department may also offer low- or no-cost classes.         

Babysitters and caregivers can learn basic first aid, including CPR, and basic childcare, such as feeding, child behavior, diapering, picking up a child safely, and more through courses offered by the American Red Cross. Developed by child health experts, the online and in-person courses are available to those ages 11 and older.