How to bandage a child’s wound during a day hiking accident

When children suffer cuts and scrapes during an day hiking accident, the wound will need to be bandaged. This could be as simple as simply applying a lone adhesive bandage. For deep or long cuts, however, that a single adhesive bandage won’t cover, more is required.

Before bandaging any wound, ensure that it the bleeding has stopped and that the wound has been disinfected.

Begin the bandaging by lining up the cut’s edges. Then, from the wound’s center, apply adhesive bandages so that they cross-cross one another. Do this for the length of the cut. Always try to push up the edges of the cut against one another.

Next, cover this pattern of adhesive bandages with a sterile wrap. This helps ensure the adhesive bandages remain over the wound.

Whatever you do, don’t try to stitch the wound with a needle and thread unless you are a medical professional and have the proper tools. Stitching in the wilds almost always results in a poorly healing cut and greatly raises the risk of infection.

In dire emergencies, some people have used superglue to hold wounds together, but there should be no need for the drastic solution. Adhesive bandages and sterile wrap ought to be part of your first-aid kit.

Skin needs about 72 hours to close up beneath a bandage. During this time and for a few days after, check the cut to ensure that bleeding does not begin again or that an infection has not set in. If either occurs, immediately seek medical attention.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

How to disinfect a wound while day hiking with children

Should day hiking children be wounded from a fall or other accident, you’ll almost certainly have to treat the injury. That almost always requires disinfecting the wound.

A wound typically is any severe cut of the skin. Internal parts of the body may be exposed. Disinfecting this wound is vital, for the real threat beyond blood loss is an infection setting in.

Stop the bleeding
The first step is to stop the bleeding. This should be done by applying a sterile compress (You should have one in your first-aid kit.) directly to the wound. If the compress soaks through with blood, simply apply another compress directly over it.

If the wound is deep and won’t stop bleeding – this usually is the case when stitches are required – don’t worry about disinfecting the wound. Instead, try to at least slow the bleeding and seek immediate medical attention. The hospital staff applying the stitches will disinfect the wound.

Presuming stitches aren’t needed, once the bleeding is under control, gently remove the compress. If the bleeding resumes, reapply sterile compresses, get the bleeding under control again, and seek immediate medical attention.

Should the bleeding not resume, flush the wound with clean water. Your goal is to get out sand, dirt and debris (such as tiny bits of leaves and dirt) from the wound. Hydrogen peroxide is nice but not necessary for flushing a wound.

Antiobiotic and dressing
Next, apply a triple antibiotic ointment (which also should be in your first-aid kit) to the wound.

Finally, apply clean dressing to the wound. This is best done by applying adhesive bandages in a cross-cross pattern over the length of the cut; be sure to push the wound’s edges together. Then place a sterile wrap over the adhesive bandages.

Keep a close eye on the cut as it heals over the next several days. You don’t want it start to bleeding again, and you don’t want it to become infected. Should either occur, have it looked at by medical professionals.

Find out about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.

Treating children's cuts, wounds on hike

Image courtesy of africa / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Avoid cuts and wounds by following the same principles of safety to avoid falls. In addition, don’t go off trail through vegetation or climbing on rocks.

To treat a cut or wound, with an antiseptic clean the opening of sand, dirt, gravel and other debris. A cotton swab works well. To irrigate deeper cuts or wounds, a disposable syringe can be used. After drying it, apply an antibiotic ointment and then an adhesive bandage. If a wound, don’t use an adhesive bandage but cover it in gauze dressing and get medical attention immediately.

Never apply insect repellent to cuts or wounds (or to irritated skin, for that matter).

Related articles:
g How to prevent and treat hypothermia in children
g Avoiding and treating child dehydration on the trail
g How to avoid and treat nosebleeds
g How to avoid and treat hiking kids' muscle cramps

Read more about day hiking with children in my guidebook Hikes with Tykes.