18 Oct To Go or Not To Go ER

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A veteran shares the tips to spare you her headaches and heartaches.

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‘Kay, Tita Kay?

A veteran shares the tips to spare you her headaches and heartaches.

When it comes to your kids, I would say it is perfectly normal to leave room for panic in dealing with any emergency. But we should all maintain our wits and logic. I remember once, my brother shot me in the eye with a toy rubber arrow. My mom was a screaming mess as she pointed to my “tears of blood”, only to find out later that the blood was actually from an earlier cut on the top of my head suffered after that same brother hit me with a hard plastic toy. Ah, sibling love!

Now that you’re a parent, you can be forgiven for the same panic in similar situations. Just don’t get overwhelmed by them and try to keep your cool as much as possible. Sounds easy, I know.

1. Falls and trauma

When kids fall—from a bed or the top of the playground slide—you will know about it. More serious incidents include car accidents, even if your child is safely in his car seat. Howls should soon ensue, and that’s a good thing. Screaming and crying in pain or fear is a common and welcome response.

The scary part is when your child does not stop crying for 15-20 minutes, has no response at all or worse, is unconscious. Also watch for unsteadiness and blood in urine. This may signal internal bleeding or a concussion. Only then should you go to emergency.

2. Burns

Imagine hot scalding liquid such as coffee or tea on a precarious tabletop. Now imagine your child knocking it off and spilling it all over herself or siblings. First lesson: do not leave hot beverages on vulnerable tabletops again. Second lesson: Know well beforehand what to do in case of similar future incidents.

First, see how much liquid spilled, and where. Does it cover a large part of her body? Her face? Hands? Feet? Genitals? Unless it’s boiling water drawn for a bath, it’s unlikely that it will be a 3rd degree burn.

Second, get the hot liquid off her body fast by ripping off clothing or dousing her in cold water to wash it off.

Third, keep cold water running over the affected area. This eliminates pain and further damage. Keep it there until the area feels cool to the touch. Avoid “home remedies” such as butter, oil, mayonnaise that just seals the heat in.

Fourth, examine the area. If it’s red, it’s a 1st degree burn. If it has blisters, 2nd degree. Cover with an antibiotic cream and bandage after cooling. You can also give non-prescription pain medication if needed. A cooling pack should also stay on the area.

If the affected skin blisters further, bursts, or flays away, it’s a 3rd degree burn and it’s time to go to the ER.

3. Bites

Every neighborhood has them, the playground biter who can’t seem to resist the reaction he or she gets by biting other children. If your child is the latest victim, again keep cool, resist the temptation to bite the biter in retaliation, and examine the wound.

If the skin is unbroken, you have nothing to worry about. If it is, it’s time to call your pediatrician. He or she may direct you to the ER, but before doing so, you should wash the wound well with warm water and soap, apply antibiotic cream and bandage.

4. Bees

In spite of a falling global bee population, there is still a fair share of bee stings on curious children every year. If your kid is stung, the key consideration is whether he or she is allergic or not. If you do not know the answer to this question, you soon will by the presence or absence of a specific allergic reaction such as difficulty breathing, wheezing, difficulty swallowing, face swelling or other skin reactions. If that’s the case it’s ER time.

If not, your kid is still in terrible pain and it’s time to get that sting out—remember it’s still pumping in venom. Get it out as fast as you can with your fingers, tweezers, or by scraping it out with a knife or credit card.

5. Hives

Rashes and hives are terrible, worrisome things especially to concerned parents. However they come and go rather quickly but can run a course of weeks. It is usually an allergic reaction to viruses, temperature changes, exposure to allergens, and others.

Your pediatrician can recommend the right antihistamine to take, but if the hives progress to more serious conditions similar to bee stings such as difficult breathing and swelling, it’s time to head to the ER.

6. Bleeding

If your child is injured during play, gets hit in the eye or is bleeding from a bit tongue, examine him or her closely. For eye injuries, look for impaired vision or any inability to move the eye. Bit tongues are a little bit more serious only because of the tongue’s enormous store of blood vessels. All that blood may feel frightful but as of yet no child has ever died of a bleeding tongue. That’s because of measures like applying a cold wet towel to the affected area for at least 15 minutes, calming your child, and allowing for the tongue’s amazing ability to self-heal in minutes.

Your child can also take great comfort in the amount of ice cream in the coming days to heal the area.

7. Alcohol

If your child accidentally ingests your cocktail or beer, remember that it takes a lot less alcohol to affect a smaller person. Remember also to NEVER leave alcohol or other adult substances within a child’s reach. For reasons of their smaller tolerances and greater sensitivity, children should be taken to the ER for ingesting any amount of alcohol or substances.

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