Burns
Minor burns (small area, red skin, no blisters):
- Run cool (not ice-cold) water over the burn for at least 10 minutes
- Cover loosely with a clean, non-stick bandage
- Give age-appropriate pain relief if needed
When to go to the emergency room:
- Burns larger than your child's palm
- Burns on the face, hands, feet, or genitals
- Blistering burns
- Electrical or chemical burns
Never apply ice, butter, toothpaste, or any home remedy to a burn.
Choking
For babies under 1 year:
- Lay the baby face-down on your forearm, supporting the head
- Give 5 firm back blows between the shoulder blades with the heel of your hand
- Turn baby face-up, give 5 chest thrusts (two fingers on the breastbone, just below the nipple line)
- Alternate back blows and chest thrusts until the object comes out or the baby starts crying/coughing
For children over 1 year:
- Stand behind the child
- Make a fist and place it just above the belly button
- Wrap your other hand around the fist
- Give quick upward thrusts (the Heimlich maneuver)
- Repeat until the object is expelled
If the child becomes unconscious, call emergency services immediately and begin CPR.
Fever
What's actually a fever:
- Under 3 months: 38C (100.4F) or above — see a doctor immediately
- 3-36 months: 38.5C (101.3F) — monitor closely, seek help if it lasts 24+ hours
- Over 3 years: 39C (102.2F) — treat with medication, seek help if it persists 72+ hours
Managing fever at home:
- Give paracetamol (acetaminophen) or ibuprofen at the correct dose for weight
- Keep your child lightly dressed — don't bundle them up
- Offer small, frequent sips of water or oral rehydration solution
- A lukewarm (not cold) sponge bath can help if the temperature is very high
Warning signs that need immediate attention:
- Stiff neck, sensitivity to light
- Rash that doesn't fade when pressed (do the glass test)
- Difficulty breathing
- Extreme drowsiness or confusion
- Seizure
Falls and Head Injuries
Most falls result in bumps and bruises. Apply a cold compress for 10-15 minutes.
Go to the emergency room if your child:
- Lost consciousness, even briefly
- Vomits more than once after the fall
- Seems confused or unusually drowsy
- Has unequal pupil sizes
- Has clear fluid draining from nose or ear
- Has a seizure
- Was under 1 year and fell from more than 60cm
After a head bump, watch your child closely for 24 hours. Wake them once during the night to check they respond normally.
Cuts and Wounds
- Apply firm pressure with a clean cloth for 10 minutes
- Rinse with clean running water
- Apply antiseptic and cover with a sterile bandage
- Change the bandage daily
Needs medical attention if:
- The cut is deep, gaping, or longer than 2cm
- Bleeding doesn't stop after 10 minutes of firm pressure
- The wound has dirt or debris you can't rinse out
- It's on the face (scarring concern)
- The wound edges are jagged
Allergic Reactions
Mild reaction (hives, itching, mild swelling):
- Give antihistamine (cetirizine or chlorpheniramine — age-appropriate dose)
- Monitor for 2-4 hours
Severe reaction (anaphylaxis) — call emergency immediately:
- Swelling of lips, tongue, or throat
- Difficulty breathing or wheezing
- Dizziness or fainting
- Vomiting with hives
If your child has a known allergy and carries an epinephrine auto-injector, use it immediately and call emergency services.
Nosebleeds
- Sit the child upright, leaning slightly forward (not backward)
- Pinch the soft part of the nose firmly
- Hold for 10 full minutes without checking
- If still bleeding after 10 minutes, pinch for another 10
See a doctor if nosebleeds happen frequently or don't stop after 20 minutes.
Your First Aid Kit
Keep these at home and refresh every 6 months:
- Adhesive bandages (various sizes)
- Sterile gauze pads and medical tape
- Antiseptic solution
- Digital thermometer
- Paracetamol and ibuprofen (child formulations)
- Antihistamine syrup
- Oral rehydration sachets
- Cold pack
- Tweezers and small scissors
- Emergency numbers written down (not just in your phone)