Summer vacation is here! When children go out to play, be careful of these accidents...

Summer vacation is here, and children have more free time, which increases the risk of accidental injuries. July and August are the peak months for various types of accidental injuries to children, with drowning, skin damage, heat stroke and other incidents occurring frequently.

The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine introduces several common accidents that may occur to children and their emergency response methods to help parents respond quickly when accidents occur and protect their children's safety.

Drowning

As the temperature rises, many children like to play in the water, and drowning has become the most common accidental injury to children in summer. Drowning can occur in swimming pools, rivers, lakes, beaches, and even in bathtubs and basins at home.

Emergency treatment

1. Call for help immediately

If you find a child drowning, you should immediately shout for help.

2. Provide prompt rescue

Rescue drowning children to shore as soon as possible while ensuring your own safety. If you cannot swim or are unsure of the water conditions, do not rush into the water and use floating objects for rescue.

3. Check breathing and heartbeat

Lay the drowning child flat on the ground and check his/her breathing and heartbeat. If there is no breathing or heartbeat, perform CPR immediately.

4. Chest compressions

Place your hands on the center of the drowning child's chest and perform compressions at a frequency of 100-120 times per minute and a depth of 5-6 cm. After 30 compressions, perform artificial respiration twice, then continue with 30 chest compressions and 2 artificial respirations, and repeat this cycle.

5. Artificial respiration

Open the airway of the drowning child by tilting the head back and lifting the chin. At the same time, remove oral secretions, pinch the child's nose, blow air into the mouth twice for 1 second each time, and observe whether the child's chest rises and falls.

6. Stay warm

If the drowning child resumes breathing but is still unconscious, keep the child warm to prevent hypothermia. Cover the child with a towel or clothing.

7. Send to hospital for treatment

Even if a drowning child regains consciousness, he or she should be taken to the hospital immediately for a comprehensive examination to prevent delayed complications.

Skin damage

During the summer vacation, children are prone to falling or being scratched by sharp objects when playing outdoors, resulting in abrasions or cuts. Children wear less clothes in hot seasons, with more exposed skin, and prolonged exposure to the sun can also easily lead to sunburn or sunburn.

First aid for scrapes and cuts

1. Clean the wound

Rinse the wound thoroughly with clean water or saline to remove dirt and foreign matter. Avoid using harsh cleaning agents.

2. Disinfection

Dip a cotton swab in alcohol or iodine or other disinfectants and gently apply it around the wound to disinfect the wound and avoid infection.

3. Bandage the wound

Use clean gauze or a band-aid to bandage the wound and keep it clean. Do not bandage it too tightly to avoid affecting blood circulation.

4. Observe the wound

Check the wound regularly. If there are signs of infection such as redness, swelling, increased pain, or pus discharge, seek medical attention immediately.

Emergency treatment for sunburn

1. Cooling treatment

Gently apply cool water or a cold compress to the sunburned area to relieve pain and redness. Apply the cold compress for 10 to 15 minutes at a time.

2. Apply ointment

You can use aloe vera gel or another sunburn repair cream to help your skin heal. Be gentle when applying it to avoid further irritation.

3. Stay hydrated

Drink plenty of water to keep your body hydrated and drink beverages containing electrolytes in moderation.

4. Avoid sun exposure

Avoid further exposure to the sun until your skin has recovered. Wear sun-protective clothing and sunscreen when you go outside.

Heat stroke

In the summer, the temperature is high and children spend a long time outdoors. Their bodies cannot dissipate heat effectively, which can easily lead to heatstroke.

Emergency treatment

1. Move to a cool place

Immediately move children suffering from heat stroke to a cool, ventilated place to avoid further exposure to high temperatures.

2. Cooling treatment

Undress the child and wipe the body with a wet towel or cold water, especially the forehead, neck, armpits and thighs, to help cool down. You can use a fan to blow air to accelerate heat dissipation.

3. Stay hydrated

Give children with heat stroke cool water or drinks containing electrolytes to help restore fluid balance. Avoid drinking ice water or alcoholic drinks.

4. Rest in bed

Let children with heat stroke lie down and rest with their legs raised to promote blood circulation.

5. Observe the condition

Closely observe changes in symptoms of heatstroke in children. If they develop severe symptoms such as persistent high fever, vomiting, convulsions, confusion or coma, they should be sought medical treatment immediately.

Insect bites

Children wear less clothes in the summer and are more likely to be bitten by mosquitoes, bees, lice or other insects when they are outdoors.

Emergency treatment

1. Cleaning

Wash the bite area with soap and water to reduce the risk of infection.

2. Ice

Apply an ice pack or cold compress to the bite to reduce swelling and pain. Keep the ice on for 10-15 minutes at a time.

3. Apply ointment

You can use anti-allergic or anti-itch creams to relieve itching and redness.

4. Avoid scratching

Remind your child to avoid scratching the bite to prevent infection.

5. Observe symptoms

If your child has a severe allergic reaction, such as trouble breathing, a rash, or swelling all over the body, see a doctor right away.

How to prevent accidental injuries among children in summer?

1. Stay alert

Parents should always pay attention to their children's activities, especially when they are near water or in high temperature environments, and must fulfill their supervision obligations.

2. Dress appropriately

When engaging in outdoor activities, children should wear appropriate protective equipment, such as sun-protective clothing, hats, sunglasses, etc.

3. Educate your children

Parents should teach their children basic safety knowledge, such as not playing in the water, not exposing themselves to the sun for long periods of time, and obeying traffic rules.

4. Prepare a first aid kit

Parents can carry a first aid kit with them, which contains emergency items such as Band-Aids, disinfectant, gauze, painkillers, etc.

Hunan Medical Chat Special Author: Xun Chunzheng, First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine

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(Edited by YH)