Cuts and Scrapes

How did you treat your toddlers’ cuts and scrapes?

Our Mommy MD Guide’s reply: I always keep a few washcloths on hand that are a dark color, such as maroon or navy. When a child is bleeding, using this washcloth will help to camouflage the blood and assuage their fears.

When my kids were toddlers, I explained to them that bleeding is how our body cleans out wounds. It helps remove the dirt and germs from our cuts. Then I explained that the scab is your own natural bandage.

—Jennifer Hanes, DO, a mom of a six-year-old daughter and a three-year-old son, an emergency physician, a certified forensic physician, and the founder of Empowered Medicine, PLLC,
in Austin, TX