Kids will always be kids. No matter how vigilant and extra careful we are about their safety, accidents are inevitable. Boo-boos, scrapes, and cuts are part of childhood, but I’m sure all of you can relate, each of them gives me a heart attack!
Gwen is growing up and every day, she tries to learn new things. She’s learning how to ride a bike, and even if she’s wearing knee pads, she would end up having scratches at the end of a ride. One time, she and her cousins we’re playing tag and running so fast, and I’m sure you know what happens next, nadapa! She came home crying with a wounded knee, and we had a hard time cleaning it up because she wails whenever we touch her knee.
Malayo sa bituka yan!
That’s what I always hear way back my childhood days whenever I come home crying because of a wounded knee. My nanay would chase me right then and there because she will pour alcohol on the wound to kill the bacteria. Those were the days, and you know what? We’re doing it all wrong! Using antiseptic such as alcohol or hydrogen peroxide (agua oxigenada) might do more harm than good. I came up with a list of some common mistakes about wound care, it really helps to learn something new each day.
4 Common Mistakes About Wound Care
- Using alcohol or hydrogen peroxide on the wound. Using these two will do more harm than good (later on you’ll find out why). According to this site, hydrogen peroxide also destroys the healthy cells that helps in wound healing. Just use soap and water to clean the wound.
- Blowing the wound. Moms usually do this, right? Thinking that it will alleviate the pain, but it’s wrong. It will make it dry and possibly bring in more germs. Wounds should always be kept moist.
- Scabbing is not a sign of healing. Scabbing means that the wound has dried up when you need to keep it moist all the time. Scabs can also collect and trap unwanted bacteria from the inflammatory processes involved in healing, which can lead to a greater chance of infection.
- Leaving the wound uncovered. My Nanay is guilty of this! She always said something like, “Wag mong takpan para makahinga yung sugat”… She’s one of the few who thinks that when a scab is formed, it means that the wound is healing. BUUUT, we should always cover the wound to keep it clean and protected. Covering the wound will also accelerate healing.
It was a a very enlightening and learning experience for me and other mommy blogger friends during the Fucidin® event arranged by PurpleBug® (the digital marketing partner of LEO Pharma™) as we listen to the doctors about wound care and how to avoid infection and fight against Staphy.
What is Staphy?
Staphylococcus aureus or Staphy for short, is one kind of bacteria that lives in the skin as well as in mucous membranes (e.g. nose). It is present even in healthy skin. While it is normally found in skin, it may be considered harmless as long as there is no wound. Staphy is one of the main bacteria that is most commonly involved in children’s wound infection.
Staphy may look cute but he can’t go near Gwen’s skin!
Staphy is bad news and knowing this, we must fight against wound infection.
So if your child comes home with wounds, here’s what you need to do.
Wound Care 101
- STOP the bleeding. Apply a steady but gentle pressure with a sterile bandage to stop further bleeding. Elevate the wounded area, be it his arm, hand, knee, or leg, if necessary.
- CLEAN the wound. Wash the wound and the area that surrounds it with soap and clean water to prevent further contamination.
- PROTECT against wound infection. Cleaning wounds may not be enough to fight bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus or Staphy. Staphy is a specie of bacteria that’s responsible for children’s wound infection. To fight this and help your child’s skin’s natural healing process, apply a thin, even layer of Fusidic acid/Fusidate sodium (Fucidin®) on the surface of the wound to keep it moist.
- COVER bigger wounds with bandage. Covering the wound aids in more efficient healing, decreases the chances of infection, and offers extra comfort and protection until the wound is healed completely.
- CHANGE the dressings. If your child has a deeper, bigger wound that requires dressings, make sure to change it whenever the bandage becomes dirty or wet.
- OBSERVE for infection. Signs of infection are redness, increasing pain, warmth or swelling around the area, and pus oozing out of the wound. When these occur, it’s time to consult a doctor.
- CONSULT your doctor.
Wound Care Kit Essentials
We all have a first-aid kit at home but is that complete with wound care essentials? If not, it’s best to have a separate kit for wound care. This wound care kit was given to us during the Fucidin® bloggers’ event.
Wound Care Kit Essentials, don’t forget Fucidin
A wound care kit must have cotton balls/cotton swabs, gauze pads, plastic strips, surgical scissors, ethyl alcohol, medical tape, and Fucidin® to fight against wound infection or Staphy.
Fucidin Ointment vs. Fucidin Cream
When to use Fucidin® ointment or cream? I learned a cool ACRONYM from the speakers during the event: MCDO. This means, Moist = Cream / Dry = Ointment. So if the wound is moist, use cream, if the wound is dry, use an ointment.
I have a 5-gram box of Fucidin® ointment given to us and I opened it just to see how it looks like.
The ointment is a clear gel, it’s unscented which is a good thing as fragrances might affect the wound. The good folks at Leo Pharma™ assured us that it is safe to use for children and that it is a fast-acting deep-penetrating antibiotic cream/ointment. If the wound is not that serious, one application per day is enough.
Fucidin Prices at Mercury Drug
- Fusidate sodium (Fucidin® Ointment) 5g – Php 347
- Fusidate sodium (Fucidin® Ointment) 15g – Php 619
- Fusidic acid (Fucidin® Cream) 5g – Php 347
Now that we are all armed about wound care, let’s all join the fight against wound infection. Say #NoToStaphy, use #Fucidin!
To know more about Fucidin®, visit www.notostaphy.com.ph, follow them on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Fucidin® is distributed by LEO Pharma™ Philippines, a Division of Zuellig Pharma Corporation.
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