Dear Mommas, OK. Probably a no brainer for most of you, but here goes:
My son scraped his chin at the playground. We don't know how it happened as the scrape appeared at dinner, and he did not cry or indicate discomfort at the playground.
Questions:
1. I washed with water and cetaphil and put on some neosporin. Anything else to do?
2. Now that we are in extra sunny season. should I put sunblock on the scab to prevent scarring?
3. As my son still drools a bit and food falls on his chin, should I put on a bandaid or just leave it alone?
3. I think my son got the scab climbing on a high ladder to a high slide, pulling himself over. Is it OK to keep letting me climb this? (I spot him of course by climbing up behind him etc...)
Any other tips to help it heal?
Thanks, Jilly
neosporin should take care of it. It has already sealed over by now, so I doubt it needs a bandaid.
I have no idea about the sunscreen.
He's a toddler.
This happens.
They get scrapes.
Can't be avoided even if you are right there.
It is scabbed over. Its fine. Its no longer an open wound.
Sure, put sunblock on it if you want.
Scarring will happen. It will go away in time.
Just, as I heard, put neosporin on it. To help healing.
My kids, get scrapes/bruises almost everyday. They don't even know how they got it many times. Kids.
They are fine.
Boys/kids/Toddlers, like to climb.
Just supervise him.
Sure, he can keep climbing it.
Just be there next to him. Spot him.
He's fine! Just dab it every now and then with Neosporin. You don't have to fuss over it unless it shows signs of infection (becomes hot, full of pus, angry red, he becomes fussy). If you fuss over it, you might cause an infection and teach him that tiny unimportant scrapes are something to get upset over so that when he gets bigger worse scrapes/injuries he'll panic.
In other words, take your cues from your son on this one.
tea tree and lavender
Littles heal amazingly quickly. Soap and water is almost always the best first aid, then allowing the wound to scab over. IF dirt or grit has gotten into the wound, or if it begins to show any unusual swelling or redness, or begins leaking pus, THEN Neosporin is a good idea, but usually, additional medication won't be needed.
My 5yo grandson did a faceplant in a driveway one evening a couple of months ago, and it was so awful (along with a head-jarring thud) that his parents took him to the ER. He had scraped a huge patch of skin off one of his cheekbones, plus had a couple of smaller, deeper gouges from rocks on cheek and eyebrow. They cleaned him up and sent him home. Neosporin kept the wound from scabbing properly, so my daughter finally gave that up except to soften areas that cracked from a too-thick scab.
And the healing was spectacular. Within 10 days the scab was gone, and fresh new pink skin was covering the scraped area. There's only the slightest hint of "serious injury" now, and in a few more months, no one will be able to tell.
I hope you'll trust your son's healing ability – I think you'll be impressed. Adding sunblock may only irritate the wound – every sunblock I've ever tried makes my skin sting. A hat with a brim might be a good idea.
Just Chill, Momma, you are doing the right thing, keeping the site clean and please stay guilt free. Focusing on guilt will instill worry in your child. He's fine.
You are a Mother, so that gives you many Blessings...Be well and enjoy every day with your child.
S.
Cover it during the day, so to keep it clean. You dont' want to deal w/an unnecessary infection so close to his brain.
Keep it uncovered at night so it can heal and breath.
I have put sunblock on my kid's scabs before. It stung a little but it never killed him.
Unnecessary infection so close to his brain? It's a scrape, not a gaping wound. I think that's a little dramatic & might needlessly cause the OP to get scared.
There's really not much you can do, especially because of the location of the scrape. Rather than over treat it, I'd leave it alone, so it can scab over & completely heal. Don't worry, a scrape is a common little kid injury & is nothing to worry about.
