Bumps, bruises and boo-boos are all a part of growing up, and as much as parents hope their children will never hurt themselves, it’s good to be well prepared for the occasional ouchy and the possibility of even more serious mishaps.

Here are six common kid-related first-aid kills you should know.

1. Cuts and scrapes

From falling off a bike to accidental cuts from learning to use knives, most cuts and scrapes can be easily treated at home with a first-aid kit (and lots of cuddles and kisses). Seek medical attention, however, if the wound is deep, gaping, won’t stop bleeding, or is located around sensitive areas.

Otherwise, follow these steps:

• Clean the wound with cool water and apply a gauze or clean cloth over it.
• Stop the bleeding by applying slight pressure, and elevate the area where the wound is. If the bandage soaks through, do not change it – simply place another one on top.
• Treat the wound by applying an antibacterial cream.

2. Fractures

Children often grow from being curious little climbers to older active runners, which, unfortunately, leads to the possibility of a fractured bone or two. No matter how small it may seem, such injuries need medical care, and the only way to confirm it’s a fracture or break is to have it x-rayed.

When in doubt – remember, even though your child might be able to move their limb or stand on it, the bone may still be fractured. Get the injury checked out.

In the meantime, here’s what you can do:

• Apply an ice pack wrapped in cloth to the area.
• Support the limb above and below the injury to prevent it from moving, but don’t reposition it in any way. Use a simple splint – makeshift ones using cardboard, folded-up newspapers, or elastic bandage and tape can work.
• Make sure to seek medical care.

3. Febrile seizures

Most parents would have experienced that dreaded high fever that stubbornly refuses to subside, and subsequent spikes in the night.

Some children experience seizures caused by fever, also known as febrile seizures. Contrary to popular belief, these are different from epilepsy and do not lead to brain damage.

In the event your child experiences such seizures, here’s what you should do:

• Keep your child safe on the floor and away from things they may knock against.
• Do not restrain, slap or shake your child, or force anything into their mouth – placing spoons in the mouths of anyone having a seizure is just a myth!
• Take note of the duration the fit lasts for. Call an ambulance if the convulsion doesn’t stop after five minutes.
• Roll your child onto their side once the fit has ended. If there is food in their mouth, do not remove it; simply turn their head to the side.
• Once your child has stabilised, get him or her checked by a doctor.

4. Choking (in a conscious individual*)

*If the individual is unconscious, start CPR.

If you’ve ever dug out little knick-knacks out of your tot’s mouth, you’re not alone. Despite your best efforts at child-proofing your environment and preparing kid-friendly meals, it’s best to know what to do if choking occurs.

• Check the mouth

Remove the object with your fingers if you see something obvious. Never put your fingers down a throat or finger-sweep the mouth – you may end up pushing the obstruction further down.

• Five back blows

For a baby: Place your baby across your forearm and support them below the chin. Give up to five firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the flat of your hand.

For a child: Kneel down behind and bend your child over at the waist until their upper body is parallel with the ground. Give up to five firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand.

Check between each back blow to see if the object has cleared. If the object is still stuck, move on to the next step.

• Five chest thrust (children below age 1)

Lie your baby on their back and give five firm chest thrusts. Place two fingers in the centre of the chest, just below the nipple line, and push down hard and fast, roughly one third of the depth of their chest.

• Five abdominal thrusts (children above age 1)

Perform the Heimlich manoeuvre. Place a fist slightly above the navel and grasp your fist with the other hand. Place the thumb side of your fist just below the ribcage (about 5cm above belly button). Give five sharp and quick thrusts inwards and upwards.

Alternate between five back blows and five chest/abdominal thrusts if the object has not been dislodged, until help arrives.

What should you do if your child swallows a battery?

Here’s some useful advice if your child ends up swallowing (but not choking on) batteries:

• Seek medical help immediately. Batteries that get stuck in the oesophagus will cause internal chemical burns.
• On your way to the ER, give two teaspoons of honey every 10 minutes for children above 12 months old to coat the battery and delay burns to the tissue.
• Don’t make your child vomit.
• Don’t give your child anything to eat or drink.

5. Burns and scalds

If your young one ends up with a first-degree burn, for instance by spilling some of your hot coffee on themselves, here’s what to do:

• As soon as possible, place the burn area under running cool water for at least 20 minutes.
• Don’t try to peel away clothing that is stuck to the skin; cut the cloth surrounding it instead. Seek medical assistance to remove the stuck fabric.
• Antibiotic cream and a clean gauze could do the trick for first-degree burns. Do not put ice, butter or grease on the burn. Second- and third-degree burns require immediate medical attention.

6. Bumps on the head

Whether it’s the first time your baby falls off the bed, or the hundredth time your active child has had a fall, light bumps to the head are usually not an issue. If your child merely develops a slight bruise or a goose-egg but doesn’t lose consciousness, monitor them over the next few days. Contact your paediatrician if you have any concerns.

In the interim, these steps could help:

• Apply a cold compress for up to 20 minutes to reduce swelling and pain. Do not put ice directly onto the injury.
• Monitor the signs. The size of the bump does not correlate to the severity of the injury.
• Seek medical attention immediately if your child is unusually drowsy, can’t be woken up from sleep, is vomiting, has a headache, is generally disoriented, or displays any other unusual and concerning behaviour.

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This article was written by Elaine Yeoh for makchic, a Malaysian-based online site for chic, curious, and spirited parents. makchic has been providing trustworthy and authentic family-related content since 2013. For diverse stories of parenthood that inform, support, and uplift all families, visit makchic.com and follow them on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.