Guiding Children’s Health Additional Concerns

Splinters Use sterilized tweezers to remove them. Sterilize in alcohol or boil them for 10 minutes to sterilize. Wash area with soap and water. Remove at same angle it entered skin. Cover with a bandage, don’t put anything on it such as an ointment.

Insect Stings For children who are allergic to them, they can be fatal within 2 hours. Scrape the stinger away with your fingernail, then watch for allergic reactions. Avoid using tweezers, they could squeeze the stinger and release more toxins into the skin. Swelling and a rash are mild reactions. Going into shock is a severe reaction.

Choking Avoid small parts with children under 4 years of age. Have children sit when eating and eat a small amount at a time. Staff members should be trained in this area. Treatment is different for different age children and for conscious and unconscious children.

Dental Emergencies Apply ice to injured area for cut or bitten lip, tongue, or cheek. Apply pressure if you see blood. Contact parents if bleeding does not stop within 15 minutes. For a knocked out tooth, find the tooth and pick it up by the crown. Place tooth in container of cool milk and call the child’s parents and dentist immediately.

Dental Emergencies (cont.) If a child breaks or chips a tooth, report it to parents. Clean area with warm water. Use a cold compress to reduce swelling. For a toothache, help the child rinse the area with water. Apply cold compresses if it is swollen. Urge parents to take child to the dentist.

Head Lice Small insects that live on people’s head and scalp. They are about one-tenth to one-eighth of an inch in length. They don’t fly, they produce small round eggs that look like sand. Can crawl from person to person, usually through bedding, hats, combs, and brushes.

Symptoms of Head Lice Constant itch of the scalp, behind ears and base of scalp. Often scratches become infected. A magnifying glass will reveal small, silvery eggs attached to individual hairs. Lymph glands may swell in severe cases.

How to get rid of head lice.. Seek medical help, usually prescribe a medial shampoo or lotion. Boil, soak in bleach, or dry clean hats, furry toys, bedding, combs, brushes, clothing. Items that can’t be dry cleaned, store in a plastic bag for 30 days. Vacuum all furniture.

Caring for ill children.. Only provide sips of water, even if the child requests food and a drink. Record all information for parents. Take temperature, digital thermometers are preferred. Follow instructions whether taking orally, under the arm, or in the ear. Temperatures vary due to time of day, activity level, and presence of infection.

Allergies Reactions include: sneezing, runny nose, itchy or watery eyes. Always ask parents to list any allergy concerns.

Asthma Chronic inflammatory disorder of the airways. Symptoms include coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness. Ask parents what triggers their child’s attacks.

Diabetes The child’s body cannot properly control the level of sugar in the blood. They do not produce insulin and many should be monitored throughout the day. They must balance food choices, intake, and activity levels.

Epilepsy When a person has periodic seizures. Contact parents after any seizure. Grand mal seizures consist of repeated convulsions and jerking of the body. Petit mal seizures consist of a few muscle twitches and some confusion. Protect children from injuring themselves during grand mal seizures.

HIV This breaks down the body’s immune system and eventually leads to AIDS. Children with HIV can attend centers/schools if they don’t have open sores, uncontrollable nosebleeds, bloody diarrhea, etc.