As parents, you and your partner want to do everything you can to keep your children safe from any harm. No matter how old they are, they’re still your babies. Here’s a list of some common injuries and illnesses that children may experience and how to prevent them.
Colds
Unless your child has more serious underlying conditions or is a newborn, you shouldn’t be worried about colds. Many things can cause colds, but the usual culprit is the rhinovirus. Colds are quickly passed on from one person to another. Your child could have gotten it from a classmate or touched something that classmate owns. Don’t worry if it’s the common cold: it usually disappears between four to ten days.
Symptoms of the common cold include a runny nose, sneezing, a tired feeling, and generally not feeling good. Antibiotics cannot help cure a common cold. You can protect your child by making sure they wash their hands before they touch their faces. Keep them away from people who have a cold.
Sore Throat
As the name suggests, a sore throat is when your child’s throat feels painful and uncomfortable. If you look at your child’s throat, it will be red and swollen. Your child will also have a hard time swallowing. It’s common, especially during the cold season. A viral or bacterial infection can cause a sore throat. The treatment for sore throat will depend on the cause. If it’s viral, there’s no real cure for it. However, you can help your child feel comfortable by treating the symptoms. For example, you can give them cold medicine or lozenges. Make sure they don’t drink anything cold or sweet to avoid making the sore throat worse. To prevent your child from getting a sore throat, again, keep them away from sick people. Make sure they wash their hands and get plenty of fluids and rest.
High Fever
If your child has a high fever, it usually means they are fighting an infection. The body heats itself up to make it more difficult for the bacteria and viruses causing infections to survive. Take note, though, that the more severe cases of fever are generally rare.
If your child has a fever, make sure they stay hydrated. Give them a lot of cold water to drink to keep their liquids up. If your child is breastfeeding, make sure they drink plenty of breast milk or formula. It is essential to make sure they consume, even if they are not thirsty. If they feel heated up, place them in an airconditioned room or put a cold compress on their forehead. If you want to help the fever disappear faster, or at least reduce it, you can use medicines. Use children’s ibuprofen or paracetamol, but not at the same time. You can also try painkillers that are safe for children.
Diarrhea
Diarrhea happens when the body is removing germs from itself. The stool of your child is loose and watery. Your child might also find themselves having to go to the bathroom more than usual. Diarrhea episodes usually range from one to two days. Any more than and it could be more serious. This condition can come with fever, nausea, and dehydration.
There are many causes of diarrhea, like bacterial or viral infections. It can also be because of food intolerance, like not being able to digest milk. To treat diarrhea in a child, make sure to keep them hydrated. Dehydration is the primary thing to prevent while they have diarrhea. You can make them drink glucose-electrolyte solutions. These have the right balance of water, sugar, and salts to replace any lost fluids while sick. Some are even available as popsicles and may be more appealing to your child. Make sure they avoid drinking sugary drinks, as that might make the condition worse.
Sports Injuries
Sports are fun but can also be a source of injury for children. After all, many things can happen while playing physical games. Kids younger than eight may be prone to injury, mainly because of slower reaction times. At the same time, older kids also can be injured more also, because of the force involved. For example, hard fouls in basketball between two big kids might result in one of them being seriously injured.
Getting your child the right equipment will prevent sports-related injuries. For example, if your child will play football, they must wear helmets and mouth guards. Make sure also that playing areas are well-maintained and that there is adult supervision at all times.
Burns
When a child gets burns, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they were being irresponsible and playing with anything flammable. Burns can quickly come from exposure to the sun. And because children tend to pay less attention to other things while playing, they are vulnerable to sunburn. When that happens, make sure to remove your child from where the burn occurred immediately. Cool the affected area with ice or a cold compress to relieve the pain. Don’t apply anything else to the injury. And if your child has a blister, make sure not to break it. To prevent sunburn, sunscreen is critical. Keep your child from playing outside when the sun is high in the sky.
Other things in your house can cause burns to your children, such as hot water and freshly cooked food. Here are some things you can do o prevent injuries:
– Keep children from touching hot food or any other devices that heat up.
– Check the water temperature before letting children bathe.
– When it comes to electrical outlets, cover them if they’re not being used.
– Don’t let your child play with any exposed wires.
– Try to buy your child some heat-resistant fabrics as well. It might help.
What’s the best way to keep your children safe and well?
As always, prevention is always better than cure. However, sometimes you will have done all you can, but an injury or illness will still occur. Home care and over-the-counter medicine might suffice for fevers, headaches, and other sicknesses. Home treatment might also suffice for less severe injuries. But if the situation seems more serious, it is time to seek the help and expertise of healthcare professionals. Bring your child to one of the best urgent care for kids in New Jersey. And if you need urgent care in Union City, NJ, Diligent Urgent Care is the place to go to.
Diligent Urgent Care Hospital brings hospital emergency room expertise to anyone who walks through our doors. If you or your loved one is in need of immediate medical treatment, we’re here for you. We want you to get same-day treatment, which is why we’re open for extended hours, even on weekends and holidays. Medical directors and nationally recognized emergency room physicians oversee our operations so you can be sure of top-notch care.
The best part is that you will never need an appointment for any of our comprehensive health care services. Feel free just to walk in, especially if it’s an emergency. Visit us today and experience fast, easy, and professional healthcare service without the long wait or expensive bills.
