Most cuts and grazes are minor and can be treated easily at home. To treat a cut or a small graze, just run it under the cold tap for a few minutes to clean thoroughly before applying a plaster or a small dressing. You don't need to use an antiseptic, as this can slow down the healing.
If your child's cut keeps bleeding, you need to press firmly, using a clean cloth, for up to 10 minutes. If you don't have a cloth that you can use to stop the bleeding, apply pressure using your fingers around the wound until bleeding stops. Don't tie anything around your child's cut because this can stop the circulation.
To help stop the flow of bleeding, you can raise the limb above the level of the child's head. But if you think they've got a fracture, please don't do this. If your child's wound is painful, you can give them paediatric ibuprofen or paediatric paracetamol.
They can't have aspirin until they're 16 years old. If your child has cut themselves, the wound or graze should heal within a few days. If it doesn't heal or it's gaping or it looks infected, or you think that there might be a foreign object in that wound, do take your child to a GP or to your nearest A&E.”
About video: Watch this film to find out how to deal with cuts and bleeding. Health visitor Naresh Lane describes how you can deal with cuts and bleeding.
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