A little one sustaining an injury is a worst nightmare for any parent. However, sometimes the inevitable can happen, so it’s always best to be prepared. Injuries can happen for all kinds of reasons and in a variety of environments; your little one could be hurt at home, school, at the park, or somewhere else entirely. Being prepared for the worst will help you get through any unforeseen difficult times; you’ll be less stressed, which can also help your child to stay calm and even have a speedier recovery. Here are some top tips on what to do if your child is unexpectedly injured.
Tip #1. Know First Aid:
As a parent, the best thing that you can do to prepare yourself for any accidents or injuries is by learning basic first aid. When you have the skill and the know-how to treat an injury quickly whilst waiting for the emergency response to arrive, you will be more in control and will likely find yourself feeling a lot calmer about the situation than you would if you had no idea what to do. There are many places where you can sign up for first aid classes and get a certificate, or, you can find plentiful first aid tutorials and guides available for free online.
Tip #2. Hospital Visits:
Certain childhood injuries such as scrapes, cuts and bruises can easily be cared for at home with some antiseptic solution, a band-aid, and plenty of tender loving care. However, in more serious cases, a hospital visit may be required. For example, if your child breaks a bone, they’ll probably need to go and have it x-rayed and further examined before having a cast put on. Understandably, this can be a very stressful and frightening experience for a little one. The best thing to do in this situation is to try and remain as calm as possible – if your child sees that you are stressed, this will likely worry them even more.
Tip #3. Recovering from Trauma:
If your child sustains a serious injury or is involved in a horrific accident such as a bad road collision, it may take a while for them to heal psychologically, long after the physical injuries have gone. As a parent, seeing your child in emotional distress due to an injury or accident can be awful to go through, however, there are a few things that you can do to help them get back to normal. Encouraging them to speak about their experiences and the fears that it caused can often help – a good pediatric therapist can help with this.
Tip #4. Making a Claim:
If your child was injured and another person was at fault, then you might be considering making a claim. If this is the case, you should make sure that your child is checked by a medical professional as soon as possible to get everything on record; it’s also a good idea to keep a diary of their progress as it may be needed in court. Personal injury law can be tricky, so be sure to have a good lawyer by your side.
Do you have any tips to add? Let us know in the comments.