The Best Way to Treat Toddler's Sunburn

What's the best way to treat my toddler's sunburn?
Give your toddler plenty of fluids, to help him heal and replace lost fluids from being out in the sun. To soothe the sunburned area, soak a clean, soft washcloth in cool water, wring it out, and gently place it on his skin for ten to 15 minutes a few times a day, making sure your child doesn't get chilled.

He might also appreciate a cool bath; to make it more soothing, add baking soda or an oatmeal-based bath treatment. like Aveeno Pat your toddler's skin dry (don't rub!) and apply a water-based (nonalcohol) moisturizing lotion or an aloe vera gel to relieve itching, which can increase if the burn starts to peel.

Ask your doctor if it's okay to give your toddler some children's acetaminophen or ibuprofen to ease the pain. (Stay away from aspirin, as it can put your child at risk for Reye's Syndrome.)

Dress your child in loose clothing that won't irritate his burned skin, and make sure you keep him out of the sun until he's completely healed, because it will be very easy for him to get a second burn now.

Why is a sunburn so serious?
A sunburn is literally burned skin. Your toddler's sunburn might be a first-degree burn, which would cause redness, mild swelling, and pain. A second-degree burn, which is more serious, would be more painful, with much swelling, redness and blisters.

A first-degree burn usually heals in two to five days, while a second-degree burn can last for a couple of weeks. And if your toddler's spent too much time in the sun, he may also be in danger of heat stroke.

Your toddler's sunburn may not peak for a day or two, so keep an eye on his symptoms for at least that long.

When should I call the doctor?
If it's a mild sunburn and your child's skin is just a little pink and tender, you don't need to call the doctor. But do call your child's doctor if your child:

• starts to blister in the first 24 hours

• has swelling on his hands or face

• has signs of an infection (there may be pus or red streaks).

• is running a fever or has chills.

• has a headache.

• seems to be in extreme pain or just doesn't feel well.

• vomits or faints.

A few don'ts

• Don't put petroleum-based products like Vaseline on your toddler's skin. These prevent heat and sweat from escaping and can worsen a burn. The same goes for butters and oils.

• Don't use first-aid sprays or ointments that contain benzocaine, which can irritate your child's skin or cause an allergic reaction.

• Don't put ice or ice water on your toddler's skin.

• Don't pop any blisters; these have formed to protect your child's underlying skin and breaking them open can lead to infection. If they do break, gently trim off the dead skin and apply an antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin.

Source: http://www.babycenter.com/

Bites and Stings -- Ticks

Some ticks transmit bacteria that cause illnesses such as Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain spotted fever. Your risk of contracting one of these diseases depends on what part of the United States you live in, how much time you spend in wooded areas and how well you protect yourself.

If you've received a tick bite:

1. Remove the tick promptly and carefully. Use tweezers to grasp the tick near its head or mouth and pull gently to remove the whole tick without crushing it.
2. If possible, seal the tick in a jar and keep it for a week or two. Your doctor may want to see the tick if you develop symptoms of illness after a tick bite.
3. Use soap and water to wash your hands and the area around the tick bite after handling the tick.
4. Call your doctor if you aren't able to completely remove the tick.

See your doctor if you develop:

• A rash
• A fever
• Muscle aches
• Joint pain and inflammation
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Flu-like symptoms

If possible, bring the tick with you to your doctor's appointment.

Call 911 or your local emergency number if you develop:

• A severe headache
• Difficulty breathing
• Paralysis
• Chest pain or heart palpitationssouess

source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/
pic: www.allcountyhomeinspections.com

Bites and Stings -- Insect

Signs and symptoms of an insect bite result from the injection of venom or other substances into your skin. The venom triggers an allergic reaction. The severity of your reaction depends on your sensitivity to the insect venom or substance.

Most reactions to insect bites are mild, causing little more than an annoying itching or stinging sensation and mild swelling that disappear within a day or so. A delayed reaction may cause fever, hives, painful joints and swollen glands. You might experience both the immediate and the delayed reactions from the same insect bite or sting. Only a small percentage of people develop severe reactions (anaphylaxis) to insect venom. Signs and symptoms of a severe reaction include facial swelling, difficulty breathing and shock.

Bites from bees, wasps, hornets, yellow jackets and fire ants are typically the most troublesome. Bites from mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies and some spiders also can cause reactions, but these are generally milder.

For mild reactions:

• Move to a safe area to avoid more stings.
• Scrape or brush off the stinger with a straight-edged object, such as a credit card or the back of a knife. Wash the affected area with soap and water. Don't try to pull out the stinger; doing so may release more venom.
• To reduce pain and swelling, apply a cold pack or cloth filled with ice.
• Apply 0.5 percent or 1 percent hydrocortisone cream, calamine lotion or a baking soda paste — with a ratio of 3 teaspoons baking soda to 1 teaspoon water — to the bite or sting several times a day until your symptoms subside.
• Take an antihistamine containing diphenhydramine (Benadryl, Tylenol Severe Allergy) or chlorpheniramine maleate (Chlor-Trimeton, Teldrin).

Allergic reactions may include mild nausea and intestinal cramps, diarrhea or swelling larger than 2 inches in diameter at the site. See your doctor promptly if you experience any of these signs and symptoms.

For severe reactions:

Severe reactions may progress rapidly. Dial 911 or call for emergency medical assistance if the following signs or symptoms occur:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of your lips or throat
• Faintness
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Rapid heartbeat
• Hives
• Nausea, cramps and vomiting

Take these actions immediately while waiting with an affected person for medical help:

1. Check for special medications that the person might be carrying to treat an allergic attack, such as an auto-injector of epinephrine (for example, EpiPen). Administer the drug as directed — usually by pressing the auto-injector against the person's thigh and holding it in place for several seconds. Massage the injection site for 10 seconds to enhance absorption.
2. After administering epinephrine, have the person take an antihistamine pill if he or she is able to do so without choking.
3. Have the person lie still on his or her back with feet higher than the head.
4. Loosen tight clothing and cover the person with a blanket. Don't give anything to drink.
5. If there's vomiting or bleeding from the mouth, turn the person on his or her side to prevent choking.
6. If there are no signs of circulation (breathing, coughing or movement), begin CPR.

If your doctor has prescribed an auto-injector of epinephrine, read the instructions before a problem develops and also have your household members read them.

source: http://www।mayoclinic।com/

If Your Tooth is Knocked Out

If your tooth is knocked out, get emergency dental care. It's sometimes possible to remedy tooth loss by successfully reimplanting permanent teeth that have been knocked out. But this is an option only if you act quickly.

• Handle your tooth by the top only, not the roots.
• Don't rub it or scrape it to remove dirt.
• Gently rinse your tooth in a bowl of tap water. Don't hold it under running water.
• Try to replace your tooth in the socket. Then bite down gently on gauze or a moistened tea bag to help keep it in place.
• If you can't replace your tooth in the socket, immediately place it in whole milk, your own saliva or a warm, mild saltwater solution (1/4 teaspoon salt to 1 quart water).
• Get medical attention from a dentist or emergency room immediately.

If you participate in contact sports, you can often prevent tooth loss by wearing a mouth guard, fitted by your dentist।

source: http://www.mayoclinic.com/

How To Treat a Sunburn

Sunburns are caused by UV radiation rather than heat (we can get sunburns on snowy days). Sunburns destroy skin, which controls the amount of heat our bodies retain or release, holds in fluids, and protects us from infection.Using sunscreen will help prevent burns. Remember always, if you think a burn of any type is significant, do not hesitate to call 911 immediately.

Make sure to know sunscreen myths versus facts when out in the sun.

Difficulty: N/A

Time Required: Up to several days

Here's how to treat:

1. Get out of the sun. Staying in the sun after the burn is present will make it worse.
2. Look for blisters. Blistering means the skin is completely damaged and complications are likely. If the area with blisters is bigger than one entire arm or the whole abdomen, seek medical attention by calling 911 or visiting the emergency department.
3. Take a cool shower or bath to soothe the pain.
4. Apply aloe or another cooling agent. Whatever you use - DO NOT APPLY BUTTER OR OIL TO ANY BURN!
5. Over the counter pain relievers like ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be used for the pain of a sunburn। If stronger pain relief is needed, contact a physician or go to the emergency department.

Tips:

1. Burns cause swelling. Burns of the face and neck can sometimes swell enough to cause difficulty breathing. If that happens, call 911 immediately.
2. Burns that completely circle the hands or feet may cause such severe swelling that blood flow is restricted. If swollen or tight hands and feet become numb and tingly, blue, cold, or "fall asleep," then call 911 immediately.
3. While the burn is healing, wear loose natural clothing like silks or light cottons. Harsher fabrics will irritate the skin even more.
4. Too much sun can also cause heat illness. Learn how to recognize and treat heat exhaustion and heat stroke.

source: http://firstaid.about.com/

Basic of First Aid

Fundamental of First Aid

1. Safety First
2. Determine if the Victim is Awake
3. ABC's stand for Airway, Breathing, Circulation.
4. While Waiting for the Ambulance

1. Safety First

Professional rescuers practice universal precautions when providing medical care to victims. Universal precautions are steps used to reduce the potential for victims to infect rescuers. Practicing universal precautions requires personal protective equipment such as gloves or eye protection.

To better protect yourself, you should make sure your first aid kit is adequately stocked with personal protective equipment necessary to practice universal precautions.

Staying Safe

Safety is an ongoing concern that must never leave your thoughts.

There is a primal instinct in many people to dash to the rescue of those in need. Regardless of the dire circumstances of whatever terrible accident or injury you may witness, it's urgent that you keep your wits about you and stay safe.

Safety is an awareness of your surroundings and a healthy fear of unstable situations. By it's very nature, an emergency is an unstable situation. If everything were truly under control, nothing bad would've happened in the first place.

If, for example, you see a person struck by a car in a crosswalk, do not rush headlong into the street to see if they're injured. You will no doubt find yourself lying next to them after being struck by the next car barreling down the road.

2. Determine if the Victim is Awake

Probably the biggest indicator of a serious medical emergency is an inability to wake a victim.

If the person you are trying to help does not respond to you as you attempt to wake him or her, then you should call 911 immediately.

If you are out of the house or office and using your cell phone, make sure you know how to call 911 on a cell phone.

If a person is responding to you but is confused, you should still call 911.

Remember: When in doubt, call 'em out!

3. ABC's Stand for Airway, Breathing, Circulation.

After caring for your own safety, checking for responsiveness and calling for help, it is important to check ABC's.

Airway

Checking the victim's airway depends on whether the victim is conscious or unconscious.

If a victim is conscious, ask him or her to speak. The ability to speak directly corrolates with an airway. If a person's airway is blocked, he or she can't speak.

Unconscious victims, on the other hand, require a closer inspection. Put your ear close to the victim's mouth and listen for breathing. Feel for air on your cheek and look at the chest to see if it or the abdomen is rising with each breath.

Breathing

If you do not see, hear or feel normal breathing: start CPR immediately! If the victim is breathing normally, place him or her in the recovery position.

Possible causes of unconsciousness or confusion:

• Diabetes
• Seizures
• Alcohol or drug intoxication
• Poisoning
• Overdose
• Dehydration
• Illness or infection

Circulation

Circulation is the last of the ABC's of first aid. After you have determined if the victim is responding and is breathing, you must determine if the victim has adequate circulation.

Look at the victim's color and feel his or her skin temperature to see if he or she has signs of circulation. If you do not think the victim has circulation and is not responding to you, start CPR.

If the victim is bleeding, follow the steps to control bleeding and wait for the ambulance.

4. While Waiting for the Ambulance

As the ambulance is responding to your emergency, there are some things you can do to help emergency crews find you. Make sure to try to do as many of these things as possible to prepare for the ambulance's arrival:

• Lock up the dogs or other pets
• Turn on the porch light
• Gather the victim's personal medical information
• Send someone to meet emergency crews and guide them to the victim
• Move cars & furniture out of the way to allow access with a gurney
• Don't forget to keep an eye on the victim

Resource: http://firstaid.about.com/

Feel Better with Baking Soda

Baking soda has many ways of making us feel better. Soothing, cleansing and relief are words that describe it very well.

1. Soothe bee stings and other insect bites with a paste of baking soda and vinegar.
2. Anti-acid - mix 1/2 teaspoon in 4 ounces of water and drink. It will cause you to "burp," as it neutralizes stomach acid.
3. Put sunburned kids in a cool (not cold) baking soda bath for half an hour. Also works for chicken pox and mosquito bites.
4. Relieve itch from poison ivy by making a paste with water, spreading it on the affected area and letting it dry.
5. It's said that if you put a small amount of baking soda in glass of water and drink it, it will clean out your kidneys. (Note: Be aware that if your diet is salt restricted, you should not use baking soda for any internal reason, other than normal cooking.)
6. My optometrist told me to gently rub my soft contact lenses with a cream made with baking soda and water. I do this every other month. It "sweetens" them, removing the impurities.
7. From another reader: When my son was a baby he got heat rash on his face. My doctor told me to sprinkle baking soda on his sheets and it would keep him from lying in his drool - worked!
8. From the same reader: The doctor also told me it was better than baby powder to use on babies - keeps them drier and cuts sour smells from burps.
9. My two year old ran through a huge fire ant nest, and ants covered her feet. Both feet turned bright red, I grabbed a bowl of water and box of soda, we soaked her feet in it and you couldn't tell she had ever been stung.
10. Apply that and water paste to jellyfish or sea nettle stings to remove the burn.
11. I mix a teaspoon of baking soda and a teaspoon of epsom salt in a glass of water to akalinize my entire body and clean my blood stream.
12. To relieve an upset stomache put a pinch of baking soda and a pinch of salt into a cup of mint tea. It's not the best tasting thing in the world but it will ease and relieve an upset stomache.
13. When I get a minor burn from ironing or while baking, I take baking soda and water and make a thick paste to apply to the burn; leave on until it dries. It takes the pain away.
14. Another excellent use for baking soda is for mouth ulcers and cold sores. Simply mix a teaspoon of baking soda with 100mls of water and use as a gargle. For cold sores use the same solution. Dab directly onto the cold sore using a cotton bud. Do this at least twice a day.
15. I use baking soda to remove splinters. Make a paste of baking soda and water, and place the paste on a plastic bandage Apply the bandage to the splinter and leave for a full day. When you remove the bandage, the splinter will be sticking above the skin and can be pulled out easily. I once got a shard of glass in my toe that was so deeply imbedded that I couldn't even see it. It took three days and three changes of the baking soda bandage, but it came out. I was amazed to see that the shard was about 1 cm long!

Resource: http://frugalliving।about.com/
pic: www.fromnaturewithlove.com

Having a First Aid Kit for Infant

Having a First Aid kit specifically for infants can be a lifesaver. First Aid kits for infants should be carried in diaper bags, cars and placed in the home where there is an infant or small toddler. The First Aid kit will help reduce stress in case of an emergency.

There are many different infant and toddler First Aid kits available. If you do not have time to put one together, you can consult your pediatrician about purchasing one.

Make sure that the First Aid kit items are in a sturdy, water proof container. You will want to keep this kit out of reach of siblings and other children. In the event of an emergency, provide basic first aid to the infant but it is vital to take the infant to a licensed health care provider.

Check infant First Aid Kits often to make sure that none of the products have expired. You do not want to use medicines, ointments or creams that are out-dated. Replace the items as needed to ensure safety and usability.

Infant First Aid Kit Paperwork Items:

• List of emergency numbers, names and addresses. If you're not used to getting to the new pediatrician's office keep a map from Mapquest with this list as well.
• Insurance card and information
• List of all current prescriptions the baby or child is taking for each child in the family

Infant First Aid Kit Medication Items:

• Pain and Fever Medication (such as infant Tylenol or Advil)
• Allergy Cough and Cold Medicine (such as generic Benadryl)
• Mix for Gastrointestinal Medicine (such as Electolyte Mix)
• Syrup of Ipecac

Infant First Aid Kit Ointments and Creams Items:

• Hydrocortisone Cream
• Triple Antibiotic Ointment
• Diaper Rash Cream
• Aloe Vera Cream

Infant First Aid Kit Dressing Supplies Items

• ¾ inch by 3 inch Band-Aids (qty 5)
• 1 inch by 3 inch Band-Aids (qty 10)
• 2 inch wide Gauze roll
• 3 inch by 3 inch Teflon Non-Stick Pad
• 4 inch by 4 inch Gauze Dressing Pads (qty 4)
• 3 inch elastic Ace type bandage
• Alcohol Wipes Pads (qty 10)
• Povidone Iodine (betadine) swabstick
• Povidone Iodine (betadine) pads (qty 3)
• Hand Sanitizer Wipes (qty 10)
  

Infant First Aid Kit Instruments Supplies

• Flexible Digital Thermometer (for oral and rectal use)
• 3" Needle Nose Metal Tweezers
• 5" Metal Bandage Scissors
• Instant Cold Pak
• 5 ml Medicine Dropper
• Easy Grip Tick Remover
• Tick Identification Card
• Infant fingernail clippers
• Toys and books for siblings

Resource: http://www.associatedcontent.com/