Baby First Aid: Choking, Falls, Burns + First Aid Kit

The mere thought of any injury befalling one’s baby has got to be any parent’s worst nightmare, with any fall, cut, or bump causing worry and fear.

Your baby’s first instinct to roll over by about 3 months of age will be the beginning of a never-ending game of exploration, as things previously unattainable are seemingly within reach all of a sudden.

It’s no wonder that your baby’s first steps are often met with excitement and worry. Though accidents are by nature unpredictable, they can still be adequately prevented.

Dr. Sylvia Bernardino, a pediatrician and lecturer at St. Luke’s Medical Center College of Medicine, says, “Knowing the key developments that characterize the particular life stage your baby is currently in is the first step in anticipating and pre-empting any possible dangers.”

She goes on to discuss the most common baby injuries, plus best ways to deal with them in easy-to-remember steps.

 

Common Injury #1: Inhalation/swallowing of foreign objects 

Between 3 and 5 months old, babies begin discovering the use of their arms and hands and, as a result, begin putting many things into their mouths.

Another common incident with very young children is having items stuck in their orifices or openings (e.g. nose, ears).

Kids like to experiment and see what happens if they put a certain object into these openings. Sometimes older kids experiment, too, often using younger kids as guinea pigs.

Airway obstruction injuries (choking, suffocation, and strangulation) are a leading cause of accidental death in children under age 14. Common signs of choking are difficulty in speaking and breathing, lips or skin turning blue, or gasping and signaling toward the throat. Babies may also lose consciousness shortly after if they swallow a foreign object that is too big to go down the throat, thus blocking the airway.

 

Prevention Tips:

• Common objects children experiment with include small toys, toy parts, and ballpen and marker caps.
• Be careful when buying toys with screws, buttons, or beads that can be bitten off and accidentally swallowed.
• Look for labels on toy packages that read “Not suitable for children under 3 years” and “Contains small parts.”
• Do not leave a baby in the watch of another child, no matter how much older. Adults should always be the primary caregiver,” says Dr. Bernardino.

 

For quick extraction:

• Use a hook if object is round. “Try unraveling a plastic coated paperclip to create a makeshift hook,” suggests Dr. Bernardino.
• Use tweezers on flat pieces. Tweezers work best for objects with irregular shapes.
• Seek professional help if you are in too much of a panic and doubt that you can handle the “de-clogging.”

 

Click here to read more about the cause and first aid treatment when an infant or kid is choking.

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What to do if a kid is choking: Figure out what’s causing the problem.

• If the child is gagging or coughing, the airway is only partially blocked. In this case, let her continue to cough; this is the most effective way of removing the blockage.
• If you see no change in your baby, this means she cannot clear her airway on her own. Call a doctor immediately, or be on your way to the emergency room as you begin the next step.

 

For infants, give back blows and chest thrusts.

• Lie baby face down on your thigh, carefully supporting her head and neck. Using the end of your palm, give her 5 back blows between the shoulder blades to try to free the object. After, carefully turn her over. Place 2 or 4 fingers on the center of your baby’s breastbone and give 5 chest thrusts, each about 1/2 to 1 inch deep.
• Continue the series of back blows and chest thrusts until the object is dislodged and she begins to breathe on her own. She will cough, then spew out the foreign object. If the object comes out but your baby is still not breathing, check her pulse, and start rescue breathing or CPR. 

 

For toddlers and preschoolers, administer the Heimlich maneuver or give abdominal thrusts.

• Clench one hand into a fist and rest it against the child’s abdomen, just over the navel. Put your other hand over the first one and quickly thrust upward several times. Continue until the child starts to breathe or cough.
• If the child is unconscious, place her on a lying position and kneel at her feet. Put the heel of your hand on the abdomen between her navel and breastbone. Thrust gently but quickly, inward and upward 5 times.
• If the object remains stuck, open her mouth to look inside. Tilt her head backward while holding her jaw with your fingers and holding her tongue down gently with your thumb. If the object is visible, use your finger to try to sweep it out of the way. If you can’t see the object clearly, do not attempt to do this. You could end up pushing it further down her airway.

 

Click here to read more about falls, prevention tips and first aid measures for it.

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Common Injury #2: Falls

At age 6 months and on to the first year, babies start creeping, crawling, and making initial attempts to stand on their own.

By age 3 to 5 years, they go outside and explore, running around, climbing trees and bars, thus becoming susceptible to falls. 

 

Prevention Tips:

Dr. Bernardino says, “Though babies’ bones are pliable and not really susceptible to fractures, a fall from [3 feet] or higher may be harmful. Parents [mustn’t] leave babies unattended even if they are in a seemingly safe place such as a high chair.”

When sleeping, keep crib railings up. “If your baby sleeps on your bed, do not let her sleep on the edge, or leave her baby carrier on tabletops where it could fall or be knocked over,” she adds.

 

What to do after a fall: Assess baby from head to toe.

If a cracking or snapping sound accompanied the fall, check for open fractures or joints that are protruding or obviously out of place.

 

Ascertain the extent of the injury.

• Is the baby conscious? Sometimes it may be better if the baby cries—it is an indication that the fall was not serious enough to knock her unconscious.
• Feel the baby’s entire body for any bumps. Check for bruises and bleeding. Inspect the bruised area and see if it is tender or if the baby refuses to have it touched.
• Can the baby move her limbs?  Babies’ movements are usually asymmetrical ones, i.e. they always move in tandem so check if your baby can move only one part or side of her body. If your baby is older and can already walk, see if the fall has affected or hampered her walking.

 

Observe the following in the next 48 hours:

• Abnormal sleeping pattern
• Increased irritability. This may indicate that baby is still in pain.
• Seizures or convulsions and throwing up, in which case baby should be brought to the doctor immediately.

 

Click here to read more ffall injuries like cuts, bruises, and burns; their causes, prevention tips and first aid measures.

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How do I treat common fall injuries like cuts and bruises?

• Bruises:  Some bruises don’t appear until after a few days. If there are areas that are tender to the touch or that baby doesn’t want to be touched, that may be a bruised area. Applying a cold compress to affected area can alleviate pain.
• Cuts: Apply direct pressure with clean cloth or towel and press down on the spot with your hand or thumb (depending on how big the cut is) to induce blood clotting. It is important to stop the bleeding right away to avoid further loss of blood. If bleeding continues for more than 10 minutes, then the cut may be deep and child may need stitches.

 

Common Baby Injury #3: Burns

Younger children have thinner skin, which means they burn more easily. In only a matter of seconds, exposure to hot tap water (60°C) can give a baby a 3rd degree burn. Dr. Bernardino shares, “Most burn cases I’ve treated [involved] water being heated for baby’s bath. The kettle gets knocked over accidentally and then spills on the baby. Sometimes, caregivers leave sterilizers with hot water still inside, forgetting there’s a toddler exploring the space. The toddler pulls on the cord, [tipping] the sterilizer pot over.”

 

Prevention Tips:

• Don’t let water kettles—even if they are already emptied of their contents—obstruct walkways leading to bathing area as kids may accidentally walk, run, or trip on it.
• When cooking, keep pot handles turned in or facing inwards.
• Keep electrical extension cords tied together and out of reach of children so they are not tempting for kids to pull on.

 

What to do in case of a burn:

 

Minor burns

• Apply cold compress.
• Hold the affected area under cold water for at least 10 minutes, or until the pain subsides.
• If the burn is more than 20 percent of your baby’s body, put dry towel to stop heat production.

 

2nd Degree Burns

•  “Burnt and blistered skin should not be popped!” warns Dr. Bernardino. “This will make the affected area prone to more infection. Let the wound pop on its own.”
• Cool the burn immediately under running water for at least 10 minutes.

 

3rd Degree Burns

• 3rd degree burns may cause fluid loss. Bring baby to a doctor or the emergency room immediately. Professional medical attention is still the best way to treat all types of burns.

 

What NOT to do:

• Use lotions, ointments, and creams
• Use adhesive dressings
• Break blisters

 

Click here to learn more about what to put in a baby's first aid kit.

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Baby’s First Aid Kit

First Aid Kit contents:

1. Thermometer
2. Rectal thermometer
3. Rubbing alcohol
4. Calibrated cap to administer medicine or syrups
5. Petroleum jelly to treat diaper rash
6. Cotton, gauze bandages, and tape
7. Cold pack or cold compress
8. *Paracetamol for pain or fever
9. *Saline drops and or smelling salts to loosen mucus
10. *Hydrocorte-zone to relieve swelling and itching due to insect bites
11. *Antiobiotic ointment to prevent infection in wounds

 

* Consult your pediatrician before stocking up on these items.

 

• Make sure your First Aid Kit is located in an easy-to-find spot, and that the people in your household know its location. 
• Update contents every 6 months to make sure that medicine has not expired, and that quantities of items commonly used, such as adhesive bandage or gauze, are sufficient.