What Do You Do When Your Child Suffers a Serious Injury?

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Like any parent, the well-being of your child is going to be your number one priority. As you know, when it comes to kids, accidents can happen. When they first start walking, they’re prone to falling; when they first learn to walk; when they first ride a bike; when they run, when they think it’s a good idea to jump from heights like from trees. Children are very accident-prone, and they eventually learn what’s safe and what’s not safe; it’s just a part of nature; all animals go through something similar. 

While accidents like knee scrapes and sprained ankles can be pretty common, it turns very serious when a bad injury happens, a serious one. It’s a position no parent wants to be in, but sadly, it is common. So, every parent needs to know what to do, so here’s everything you need to know when your child is suffering from a serious injury. 

Stay Calm and Assess the Situation

While it’s way easier said than done, you’re absolutely going to have to stay as calm as you can during this situation. No matter what the situation is, and no matter how bad it is, you’re going to need to be calm so you can think with a level head. So, go ahead and take a deep breath, assess the situation, and determine the severity of the injury.

Get Medical Assistance

If the injury is severe or potentially life-threatening, do not hesitate to call emergency services immediately whatsoever.  If it’s not bad to the point where paramedics need to come for your child, then you’re going to have to drive them either to Urgent Care or the Emergency Room. Usually, you might need to do some first aid beforehand, so be sure that you have a basic grasp of that. Additionally, you’re going to want to stock up on supplies to keep your child comfortable and make everyday tasks a little easier for the duration of your child’s recovery. If your child needs a cast, make staying on top of hygiene a priority and make things easier by investing in a waterproof arm or waterproof leg cover for shower time.

Keep a Record of Everything That Happened

It’s not ideal, but it depends on the accident itself and what happened (such as who is at fault); you might need to contact a legal team, so you and your child can get assistance, especially if this personal injury is costly, like medical bills. So, since there’s a chance that this might be necessary, it’s going to be for the best that you go ahead and keep a record of everything that happened, and you keep all medical records, too. 

Meaning, that you’ll need to keep a record of your child’s medical information, including diagnosis, prescribed medications, and any recommendations for follow-up care. This record will be valuable for continuity of care and may be needed for insurance or legal purposes. It’s a lot of work, but do it!

Seek Support and Be Support

This is going to be such a scary time for your little one, and they’re going to need all the love and support that they can get. But of course, you deserve love and support, too, for being so strong to get them through this situation safely. For both of you, this injury is going to take an emotional toll. Encourage your child to express their feelings and reassure them that it’s okay to be scared or upset. Be reassured yourself, too; look into getting a counselor for them, or even let them (and yourself) speak with friends and family if you’d like.