How to stop bleeding in children
Emergency treatment is needed if a cut is deep and may have penetrated through the skull. Call911or other emergency services immediately and:
- Do not apply pressure if the skull is deformed. Signs of deformity may include sunken areas (other than the normal soft spots), bone fragments, or exposed brain.
- Do not attempt to stop the blood or clear fluid drainage from the nose or ears.
- Do not remove an object that penetrates the skull.
The following steps will protect the wound and protect you from another person's blood if emergency care is not needed.
- Before you try to stop the bleeding:
- Wash your hands well with soap and water (if available).
- Put on latex medical gloves before applying pressure to the wound. If gloves are not available, use many layers of fabric or plastic bags between your hand and the wound.
- Use your bare hands to apply pressure only as a last resort.
- Have the child lie down.
- Remove any visible objects from the scalp or wound but do not remove an object that has penetrated the skull. Do not attempt to clean out the wound.
- Remove or cut clothing from around the wound. Remove any jewellery from the general area of the head or neck.
- Press firmly on the wound with a clean cloth or the cleanest material available. If there is an object in the wound, apply pressure around the object, not directly over it.
- Apply steady pressure for a full 10 minutes.
- Use a clock to time the 10 minutes. It can seem like a long time.
- Resist the urge to peek after a few minutes to see if bleeding has stopped.
- If blood soaks through the cloth, apply another one without lifting the first.
- After 10 minutes of steady pressure, if minimal bleeding returns when the pressure is released, reapply direct pressure to the wound for another 10 minutes.
- Direct pressure may be applied up to 3 times (total of 30 minutes) for minimal bleeding.
- If moderate to severe bleeding has not significantly slowed or stopped after 10 minutes, continue to apply firm pressure and elevate the area that is bleeding.
Watch for signs of shock.
| Author: | Sydney Youngerman-Cole, RN, BSN, RNC | Last Updated: September 15, 2006 |
| Medical Review: | William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics Thomas Emmett Francoeur, MDCM, CSPQ, FRCPC - Pediatrics | |
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