First Aid
Bounce Back From Bumps
Cope With Cuts and Grazes
Burnt Bits
Fight Those Bites
Kit Yourself Out


School's out, and it will be a lucky parent who doesn't have to deal with a bumped head or cut knee during the summer holiday. Fortunately most minor mishaps can be easily dealt with by a quick dip into the family first aid box. So brush up on your skills and you'll soon be able to turn off the tears!


Bounce Back From Bumps 

A bump on the head is a routine part of growing up for most kids and generally the only treatment that's needed is a cold compress and dab of arnica cream on the bumped area to help reduce the pain and swelling – and a reassuring cuddle. A badly bumped head can be more serious though, so watch for after-effects and if there are any signs of dizziness, nausea, drowsiness, headache, vomiting or blurred vision, seek medical help immediately.


Cope With Cuts and Grazes 

Most small cuts and grazes don't cause serious medical problems. If a cut is bleeding freely, cover it with gauze or a clean handkerchief and apply direct pressure for at least five minutes - don't use cotton wool because the fluffy fibres will stick to it. When the bleeding has stopped, gently clean the wound to remove any dirt or grit and cover the area with a clean dressing or plaster. If a cut is deep, dirty or ragged, seek medical attention.


Burnt Bits 

Get too close to the barbecue and it could be more than your burger that ends up flame-grilled! The best way to treat a burn resulting from a close encounter with the barbecue is to cool it in cold tap water. Keep the tap running over it for at least 10 minutes, then cover with a dry dressing – don't use cotton wool or sticking plasters. You can use a special burn spray, which you can get from your pharmacy, to ease the pain but never put butter or any other sort of grease on a burn. Painkillers such as aspirin or paracetamol can also be taken - but don't give aspirin to children under 12 years. Any burn that's bigger than a 50 pence piece should be seen by a doctor. 


Fight Those Bites 

Insect bites and stings can really irritate and they're often painful too, so it's worth using insect repellents to avoid being bitten in the first place. Wasps don't leave stings but they can sting again, so move well away from an angry one that's already stung. Soothe a wasp sting with a dab of vinegar, lemon juice or witch hazel. Bees do leave stings and the sting needs to be removed with a pair of clean tweezers, taking care not to squeeze the poison sac so that you don't force the rest of the venom into the wound. For both bites and stings a cold compress will help to relieve pain and a sting relief cream can be applied to reduce any itching and swelling.

Some people have allergic reactions to stings; symptoms include nausea, breathlessness and facial swelling and if this happens, you must seek medical help immediately.


Kit Yourself Out 

There's nothing worse than having to search the house to find all the things you will need to put your first aid skills into practice. So save yourself the aggravation and make up a basic kit where you can keep a few essential items together. Some things you might want to include in your first aid kit are: 
Assorted plasters, crepe bandages and sterile dressings. 
Scissors, safety pins and tweezers. 
Thermometer or fever strip. 
Adult and junior painkillers. 
Insect repellent and sting relief cream. 
Eye lotion and eye bath. 
Witch hazel and arnica cream.
Don't forget to take your kit with you when you go on holiday. And if you're going abroad, ask your pharmacist about other items that could be useful, such as anti-diarrhoeal treatments, rehydration sachets, travel sickness remedies - or if you're going to one of the more exotic destinations, needles, syringes and suture kits.