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In addition, those who reside in certain areas of the U.S. or in Australia must be on the lookout for lizards. For instance, the southwest American desert is home to a dangerous lizard known as a Gila monster. While it is not poisonous, there are deadly bacteria in its mouth to aid in the digestion of food. Death could occur should these bacteria enter your child’s bloodstream, since there is no antibiotic or other known way to battle these bacteria.
In the Midwestern portion of the U.S., it is possible that your child could encounter a snapping turtle when near a body of water; this animal is quite dangerous. Snapping turtles can be large and their bite is so strong that it could easily bite off a finger.
If you are sure that the snake is not poisonous, the snake bite should be washed with water. If poisonous snakes are indigenous to your area, learn how to identify the various snakes and make sure that your children can do this as well. This is imperative. Should your child be bitten by a poisonous snake, seek emergency medical care right away. Hospitals can administer the antidote for the venom.
2. Children often received cuts and scratches during the course of play. Children receive cuts and scrapes as a result of falling from trees and bicycles, as well as from tripping and falling while running around. Scratches are minor wounds that only break the skin and do not pierce the muscle tissue below the skin. Scratches and scrapes are best treated by using lots of soap and water to clean the area, and then applying rubbing alcohol or tea tree oil with a cotton swab.
You can either have a serious or minor cut. Some cuts are only slightly deeper than scratches and can be treated similarly. Soap and water should be used to clean larger cuts. Then rubbing alcohol or tea tree oil should be applied before covering them with a bandage. For more serious cuts, it may be necessary to visit the emergency room for stitches.
3. Kids often get burned. The severity of a burn is rated by the degree. A burn of the first degree is the most mild and least damaging, and is the most common. A first degree burn is painful for a short time and the it is treated by immersing the affected area in cold water.
More serious second degree burns harm a deeper layer of the skin and cause blistering. Cold water should be used to treat this type of burn as well, but the victim should also see a doctor.
The most severe type of burn is the third degree burn, which affects muscle tissue as well as the skin. In extreme cases, third degree burns can lead to amputation of the affected area. If you believe that your child has third degree burns, transport him/her to the emergency room right away.
4. Choking is a always a hazard for children. Make sure that your older children know how to perform the Heimlich maneuver. When the Heimlich maneuver is performed, air is forced into the lungs, thereby dislodging the object (candy, food, toy) from the trachea. This can be a lifesaver. It is vital to know how to perform the Heimlich maneuver because choking is a primary cause of death in children.
