Minor Injuries Overview

Children's days are filled with running, jumping, bicycling, sports, and other fun activities that keep them active and on the go from morning until night. Along with the fun comes an occasional cut, bruise, or tumble. Luckily, most of these injuries are not serious. They can be handled with some simple first-aid treatment at home. However, there are times when a healthcare provider's care is needed.

Woman talking on phone.

Specific treatment for skin wounds and injuries will be determined by your child's healthcare provider. In general, call your child's healthcare provider for skin injuries that are:

  • Bleeding heavily and do not stop after 5 minutes of direct pressure

  • Deep, or longer than 1/2 inch

  • Located close to the eye

  • Large cuts on the face

  • Caused by a puncture wound or dirty or rusty object

  • Embedded with debris, such as dirt, stones, or gravel

  • Ragged or have separated edges

  • Caused by an animal or human bite

  • Extremely painful

  • Causing numbness of the skin, or inability to move a body part, such as a finger and or toe

  • Showing signs of infection, such as fever, warmth, redness, swelling, or fluid leaking at the site of the injury

Also call your child's healthcare provider if:

  • Your child has not had a tetanus vaccine within the past 5 years, or if you are unsure when your child's last tetanus shot was given.

  • You are concerned about the wound or have any questions.