While scraped knees are uncomfortable for kids, scientists have found that they are vital for developing resiliency, learning to cope with stress, and growing into strong adults. So, although as a caretaker you might feel you want to wrap your child in bubble wrap, resist the urge! Let your child skin their knees, and they will grow up stronger and healthier as a result.
A skinned knee is one of the most common childhood injuries at home and at summer camp. With how common they are, it’s important to learn how to treat a skinned knee effectively. Without proper treatment, you risk infection and worse. Whether you’re a parent or a summer camp counselor, it’s important to learn how to do it right.
Read on for our guide to scraped knee treatment!
Attitude
Often, kids learn how to react to situations by watching adults. If their caretakers start panicking, they mimic that behavior and start to panic too. Don’t blow the situation out of control; stay calm and collected.
Soothing behavior is fine, but catastrophizing should be avoided. For instance, it’s okay to offer your child a lollipop while you work on their knee or let them watch cartoons to distract them.
Cleaning the Wound
Before touching the wound, wash your hands with soap and water to remove any bacteria.
First, gently wash the scraped knee with soap and water. If the area is too sensitive to touch, use a spray bottle filled with water. Remove any small pieces of gravel or dirt as well.
Don’t use hydrogen peroxide, as it will sting and irritate the wound. Simple soap and water are exactly what to use on a scraped knee. After cleaning the wound, apply a bit of antibiotic ointment.
Cover the Wound
After the wound is clean, cover it. If it’s small enough, you can use a bandaid, but if it’s bigger, you might have to use a bit of gauze and tape.
Change the dressings every day, and gently clean the wound every time you do.
Monitor the Wound
Generally, skinned knees don’t have any long-term complications, but still, monitor your child for signs of an infection.
Look out for sore joints, a fever, or tender, inflamed skin around the knee.
Summer Camp Injuries
Skinned knees, bug bites, and sprained ankles are the bread and butter of summer camp nurses. If you work at a summer camp, it’s important to know how to treat every common summer camp injury.
In addition, you should check out this link for summer camp insurance to make sure your camp is covered in the event of any possible injury.
Take Good Care of a Skinned Knee
This article will have given you a good basis for how to treat a skinned knee. Usually, you can treat a scraped knee at home, but if the wound is deep, there are signs of infection, or it doesn’t seem to be improving, visit a doctor. The next time your child scrapes a knee, use this guide as a reference to take care of it!
If you enjoyed learning about treating a skinned knee, we have many tips and how-tos on our blog. Check it out for more!
