SickKid.Net - A Parent's Guide to Minor Illnesses and Injuries, Page 1

SickKid.net is your health information network with resources and directories. Our pediatric boy’s, girl’s height weight growth charts and articles on minor illnesses, first aid and nutrition help you with your sick childcare needs, when you need it most.

If this is a possible life-threatening illness or injury, call 911 immediately.

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Care for an Injury with R.I.C.E.!

If your child has a minor strain or sprain, it can be painful, but you may not need to head to the emergency department immediately. Instead, try R.I.C.E.

Rest - As soon as your child complains of pain, make sure he or she rests the injured joint or muscle.

Ice - To avoid swelling, apply ice (wrapped in a towel to avoid frostbite) to the injured area in 20-minute sessions every 3 to 4 hours for the first 24 hours.

Compression - Wrap the injured area firmly with an elastic compression bandage, found at your local drugstore.

Elevation - Raise the injured area on pillows or cushions to prevent swelling.

A Parent's Guide to

Minor Illnesses and Injuries

Sometimes it may feel like parenthood is about navigating your child through a course of bumps and bruises and tummy aches and fevers. Being informed about the most common illnesses and injuries and how to care for your child in an emergency will make that course a little easier.

There's no substitute for the expertise of your child's doctor, and you should always seek his or her advice when it comes to treatments and diagnoses for your child's specific illnesses and injuries. Check out the information below to help you decide what's normal, what's not, and when to pick up the phone to call your child's doctor.

Ronald A. Christensen, M.D., Medical Advisor

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