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According to Safe Kids Worldwide, falls are the leading cause of accidental injury for kids – making up more than half of non-fatal injuries in children.

And every year, more than two million children end up in hospital emergency rooms for injuries following a fall.

Often those injuries are to the head or face, leading parents to wonder: does my child need stitches, and will they leave a scar?

Three-year-old Zyan is such a case. He was running around at home and ran into a sharp corner.

The ensuing cut on his eyebrow is small, but deep.

“When you see a cut, you have to decide whether it will require stitches,” says Dr. David Goo, with Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta. “One of the things that we look at is, does it gape open? And when [Zyan’s] mom looked at it, and cleaned it up, it did fall apart or open up. So, lacerations that gape open or that are long or that might cause significant scarring should be sutured.”

The doctor uses a topical painkiller and absorbable stitches – that will dissolve as the wound heals over the next several days.

“And then he’ll have no scar and it’ll be right in his eyebrow,” says Dr. Goo. “ He won’t have to come back. So that saves a parent time, it saves a child pain – and it saves everybody a little bit of money.”

The doctor says parents should use sun block on the wound to prevent sunburn, as well as vitamin E oil to reduce scarring.

And, Dr. Goo says, parents should be patient.

“We tell parents not to look at the scar in terms of the final, cosmetic result for at least one year – because it takes a long time before the pigment or the coloring comes back, and before the wound heals up. The scar formation happens fairly quickly – within the first six weeks. But the actual, final cosmetic outcome takes a lot longer before it completely heals.”

By then Zyan’s cut, along with the stitches and the scar, should all be a distant and fading memory.

What We Need To Know

• Some cuts and wounds on a child’s face require more than first aid at home. Contact your doctor if those cuts or wounds bleed heavily and do not stop bleeding after five to 10 minutes of direct pressure; if the cut is deep or longer than an inch; if the cut or wound involves the eye or eyelids; if it is a puncture wound caused by a dirty, rusty object; if it is caused by a human or animal bite or if it is showing signs of infection. (Children’s Hospital Boston)




• Watch your child closely after any injury involving the head. Your child may cry after an accident because they are scared or in pain. If the crying lasts more than 10 minutes, contact a doctor. Some signs of a more serious head injury are a constant headache that doesn’t get better, dizziness, slurred speech, abnormal behavior, vomiting, drowsiness, unequal-sized pupils, or convulsions. (American Academy of Pediatricians)




• Superficial cuts on a child’s face can be treated at home. In those cases, calm your child and let them know you can help. Apply direct pressure with a clean cloth or bandage to the cut for several minutes, to help stop the bleeding. Wash your hands thoroughly, and protect your child’s eyes from any soap or antiseptics you may use on the wound. Avoid blowing on a cut or abrasion – this can spread germs. Cover the wound with a clean bandage. (Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin)

Resources

• Safe Kids Worldwide
• University of Maryland Medical Center
• American Academy of Family Physicians

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