First Aid Treatment For Bites With Teeth
Bites, cuts, and scrapes in preschool children are going to happen. Children are rough and tumble sprites with no concept of accident, consequence, or forethought. Most times, they present injuries that are a minor boo-boo and only last a few days before healing.
Alas, there is always one child who likes to be the exception to the rule and one child who bites everything that goes into their mouth. Then there is the family pet who might take a nip or two at a toddler trying their patience. When children are injured, it is important to know how to treat them yourself or assess if they need to see a doctor.
https://aci.health.nsw.gov.au/networks/eci/clinical/clinical-tools/bites-and-stings
Call 000 If Any Of The Following Occur:
· Blood is spurting out
· A cut is bleeding severely
· If, after 10 minutes of firm and steady pressure, the bleeding will not stop
· The child loses consciousness
· The child stops breathing and responding
In a fit, healthy, well-nourished child, a cut that needs sutures should be repaired within 6-12 hours of the injury. The exception is cuts to the face and scalp, which generally can be repaired up to 24-36 hours after the injury.
First Aid For Bites, Minor Cuts And Lacerations
Stop The Bleeding: Apply direct pressure over the area and hold until the bleeding stops and the wound naturally forms a bloody crust.
Clean, Protect And Cover: Clean the wound site with warm water and disinfectant. Carefully remove any dirt, gravel or foreign bodies that do not belong.
Apply an antibiotic or antiseptic product to reduce the chance of infection.
Put a sterile bandage on the area and keep it covered for 24 hours. After that, remove all dressings and inspect the wound for any sign of infection. Leave the wound uncovered and allow the sunlight and air to harden the wound crust. This will prevent the wound from infection.
https://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid/first-aid-cuts/basics/art-20056711
When You Should Call The Doctor
There are few instances where a doctor is required to treat a minor injury. They can typically be treated at home or at the school using basic First Aid supplies and knowledge. If, however, the wound is:
· Deep or over a joint
· You cannot get the cut or laceration clean of dirt and debris
· The area of damage is extensive and will require pain relief before treatment can begin.
· If the injury is a deep puncture wound
· The child/person has not had their tetanus shots. (Booster shot for adults.)
· The cut is from a human or animal bite
Do Humans Need A Tetanus Shot If Bitten
Yes. If you have not had a tetanus shot in the last five years, if you are bitten by anything with teeth, you should see your doctor and get a tetanus shot as soon as possible. Saliva, and the mouth cavity in animals, contain a host of bacteria that can cause infections and diseases. To prevent both, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics as a precaution for human bites, and depending on where you live in the world, a rabies shot might also be given to prevent the person from contracting rabies from an infected animal bite.
· See a doctor if the cut doesn’t heal or shows signs of infection, including redness, swelling, pus, or excessive pain.
Applying Basic First Aid For Wound Care Management
Steps for treating surface animal or human bites are similar as recommended for cuts and scrapes where the bite has not deeply punctured the skin. Children’s bites, while painful, tend not to last longer than two days. Animal bites from dogs, cats, rodents and pets with teeth that puncture can inflict serious bite injuries, and a close eye should be kept on them after the initial treatment as above in case follow-up medical assessment and procedures are required.
Seek medical treatment for any animal bite that is more than a superficial scratch or if the animal was a wild animal or stray. It doesn’t matter if the injury doesn’t seem that serious. The risk of infection from bites both human and animal is high. Bites that penetrate the skin require prophylactic antibiotics, even if only as a precautionary measure.
If the animal’s owner is available, find out whether the animal’s shots are up to date. Give this information to your doctor.
If the animal was stray or wild, call the local health department or animal control immediately to have the offender located and removed.
First Aid Course Experts
FACE is an Australian-owned, nationally recognised RTO. We offer a range of options for you to gain or renew your First Aid certification. While visiting our website, check out our Blog page and take the Quiz for fun.
