Head and Face Injuries in children: Response & Precaution

Bumps in the head are quite common in young children and may scare you too. Usually they look serious and can be. But often, they are not. If your child’s head is bruised, hold a cloth wrung out in very cold water or an ice pack wrapped in a damp cloth over the bruise. This… [ Continue Reading ]

Finger and Toe Injuries in children

Fingers and toes pain a lot when hurt. That is because they are supplied with a rich network of nerves which transmit messages of pain to the brain making the child acutely aware of them. Apart from tiny burns and cuts on the fingers, the most usual injury involves bruising under the nail. Fingers could… [ Continue Reading ]

Burns and Scalds on children: Response & Precaution

Burns affect more than what is visible. The heat penetrates into blood vessels below the skin, dilating them, thus making the plasma (the colourless part of the blood) escape. In a minor burn, the escaped plasma gets trapped in a blister. In a burn that removes the skin altogether, plasma bleeds from the raw area…. [ Continue Reading ]

What to do when a child is in Shock

A reaction to any severe injury, shock is a life threatening state of collapse when blood pressure falls dangerously low. The brain has overall control of all bodily functions, including the heart and lungs. Its functioning is dependent on an adequate supply of sufficiently oxygenated blood. In the case of a shock, blood supply to… [ Continue Reading ]

Bleeding in children: Response & Precaution

Although you may get very scared and your child petrified by the sight of blood, it is actually quite useful if is oozing or dripping out of a wound. It washes away a lot of dirt and germs that would be difficult to clean otherwise. Heavy bleeding: Blood flowing incessantly from a wound takes a… [ Continue Reading ]

Fractures in children: Response & Precaution

Babies usually do not break bones since their bones are not hard enough. They bend rather than break. Occasionally, they may bend and crack like a green twig rather than rather than snapping like a dry one. This is what is called a greenstick fracture. There are no sharp ends of bone inside the limb… [ Continue Reading ]

Avoid Smoking during pregnancy

Smoking is harmful, particularly during pregnancy. Here are a number of reasons to make you discontinue smoking: Excessive smoking causes a feeling of nausea. It slows down the baby’s growth. It can also increase the chances of a miscarriage, or may even lead to stillbirth. The carbon monoxide, nicotine and cyanide from cigarettes put the… [ Continue Reading ]

Bruises on children: Response & Precaution

A bruise appears when blood vessels under the skin are crushed or broken and the blood escapes into the tissue. The area looks red at first and then turns bluish black. As the escaped blood is broken down and reabsorbed, the area looks greenish-yellow. Trivial bruises: These are a normal part of life and need… [ Continue Reading ]