Let’s be honest, us parents would do whatever it takes to keep our children safe from all potential dangers be it outdoors, or at home where they spend most of their time in. But unfortunately, no matter how careful we are, accidents may still happen.

But instead of panicking and being clueless about what to do, wouldn’t it be great if we had an idea on how to handle certain accidents and be hands-on ready to come to their first aid?

We’ve put together a list of potential accidents and spoke to Dr Mohammed Ridzuan Abdul Razak, Senior Resident Medical Officer, Emergency Department, Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur on how we should handle certain situations.

My baby rolled off the bed and knocked his head!

Accidents like these do happen when you least expect it. If it does happen, here’s what you’ll need to do.

1. Notice if your baby cries immediately. Crying is a good sign that your baby is conscious.
2. Pick him up and console him.
3. If his nose bleeds, stop the bleeding immediately by pinching his nose.
4. If swelling occurs, add some ice cubes into a cloth and place it on the affected area.
5. Monitor your baby for 24 hours and look out for signs that are out of the ordinary, such as vomiting, drowsiness, fits or fever.

If worried or uncertain, always seek medical attention at the nearest clinic or hospital.

My child burned himself with boiling water!

Safety and prevention is of utmost importance when it comes to situations like these. Make sure your child is nowhere near your cooking stove, and ensure that your hot drinks or soup are out of reach. But if it does happen, follow the steps below.

1. Remove your child from the heat source to prevent further injury
2. Cool the burn with cool running water for 10 minutes – do not apply any creams or greasy substances like butter or toothpaste
3. Remove any clothing or jewellery that’s near the burnt area of skin, including babies’ nappies, but do not move anything that’s stuck to the skin
4. Cover the burn with sterile dressing or plaster
5. Don’t break any blisters

Please seek immediate medical attention if the burn covers a large area, affects the face, hands or feet, genital region or joint area. Cover with a clean cling film temporarily. If a burn appears infected, seek help.

My child is having a fever with seizures!

Febril Seizures are convulsion or fits that can happen when a young child has a fever over 38 degrees. The seizures usually last for a few minutes and stop on their own, but can be prevented by keeping your child’s fever down and administrating paracetamol on time, especially on the first two days of fever. If your child gets a fit:

1. Gently lay your child down on a flat surface
2. Maintain their safety – remove any objects from around them to prevent injury
3. Cushion their head using a blanket or pillow, but do not restrain them
4. Make sure their airway is open
5. Once seizure stops, check their breathing, pulse and whether they can respond to you.

It is possible that they may bite their lips or tongue during the seizure, but do not be tempted to put any items into the child’s mouth when they are having a fit.
– Dr Mohammed Ridzuan Abdul Razak

Get emergency medical care if your child:

• Has a febrile seizure that lasts longer than 5 minutes
• Has trouble breathing or turns blue
• Isn’t responding normally
• Has another seizure within 24 hours
• If you are worried for any reason

In any situation where you are worried or unsure what to do, always call for help using one of these emergency numbers.

Agency	Emergency Numbers
Police & Ambulance	99
From Mobile Phone	112
Fire	994
Civil Defense	991
Traffic Police	03 2072 9044

Also Read: First Aid Guide: Burns & Bleeding

Disclaimer: This article was produced by Lily Shah for Parenthood Magazine in collaboration with Pantai Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Information published in this article and website are for educational purposes only and should not be considered as medical advice. We do not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, functionality, usefulness or other assurance to the content in this article. Thebuxombabe.com disclaims all responsibility for any losses, damage to property or personal injury suffered directly or indirectly from reliance on the information provided.