Kids love playgrounds and participating in sports. There’s something about the lack of structure and being in the fresh air that draws kids in. Exercise is important for children and teens, but it does come with its fair share of injuries. As the kids head back to school, it’s important to know how to handle injuries and scars in kids as a result of playground or youth sports injuries.
Here’s how to handle common playground and sports injuries so they don’t develop into a scar.
Cuts and Scrapes
Did your little one get a cut from another child’s helmet, or in a fall from the swings? First, to get the bleeding under control, apply pressure to the area until it stops. Rinse the area with soapy, warm water. Stay away from hydrogen peroxide, which tends to slow down healing. Put some antibiotic ointment on it, and cover the wound with a bandage. Once a scab forms, after a couple days, you can leave the bandage off.
Apply Scarfade twice a day for several weeks to ensure a scar doesn’t form. Tell your child never to pick at the scab.
Split Lip
These are pretty common in collisions with other players or in a bump down the slide. Don’t be alarmed if you see a lot of blood. Mouths and scalps tend to bleed a lot. Rinse the area and apply pressure to stop the bleeding with a clean cloth. Gently wash with soap and water to remove dirt. Hold a cold pack to the wound to minimize swelling.
Friction Burns
Friction burns, also known as road rash, can occur in many different ways, from falling on a clay track to skidding across the field in soccer. This injury can be very uncomfortable. Clean the area with soap and water, checking for any debris in the raw skin. If you find pebbles or black turf pellets, remove them with sterilized tweezers.
Apply antiseptic and a bandage, and check it daily. Call the doctor if you see signs of infection. Once the wound starts to heal, apply Scarfade twice a day.
Lacerations
These are deeper cuts that need special attention. You may have to have your child get stitches to close the wound and ensure it doesn’t scar. Clean the wound as gently as you can and seek medical attention. Once the stitches have come out, you can start gently massaging Scarfade into the area daily.
Pick up Scarfade as Part of Your Back to School Routine
Anticipating playground and sports injuries is part of being a responsible parent. Pick up a tube of Scarfade today so you’ll be ready when those cuts and scrapes happen.