Taking care of your child at home
Most soft tissue injuries are mild and can be cared for by parents, coaches, teachers or other caregivers. In very mild cases, it may be OK to continue the activity that caused the injury.
To decide if it is safe to return to activity, a parent or responsible caregiver should check your child's injury. They should also tend to the injury later.
Ideally, tending to the injury will:
- relieve discomfort
- keep the joint stable
- minimize swelling
After an injury, the swelling of the injured body part may interfere with healing.
How to tend to an injury
- Rest and keep the injured area still. If the area is very painful, use splints, slings, dressings or crutches as directed by your health-care provider.
- Use ice, or cold packs, in the first 48 hours after an injury. Do not apply ice directly to the skin; wrap it in a thin cloth first. You can also use a bag of frozen vegetables or crushed ice; it will shape itself to the injured area. Apply the cold pack for up to 20 minutes every two or three hours or as directed.
- Use compression or elastic dressings to help reduce swelling when your child is up and moving around, but do not rely on them to provide support. Your child should remove them when resting and before going to sleep. If the area near the dressing becomes numb, loosen the dressing, as it may be too tight.
- Elevate (raise) the injured area as much as possible above the level of the heart in the first day or two after the injury. This will help reduce swelling. For example, if your child injures their leg, they can use cushions or pillows as props to keep it raised when they are sitting or lying down.
- If needed, your child may take medicine such as ibuprofen to decrease any pain and inflammation. Use according to the package directions or as instructed by your health-care provider.
When can my child return to regular activity?
Your child's health-care provider will talk to you about your child's gradual return to activity based on the type of injury. For mild to moderate injury, early movement and light activity will help your child get better faster. More severe injuries may take as long as four to six weeks to heal, and activity may make the injury worse.
