How to Fix Skinned Knees

It's an inevitability of childhood. At one time or another all children will come home with skinned knees. Whether they are proof of being able to ride a new bike or the result of a playground scuffle, it will be up to you to fix your child's skinned knees, just as you fix all his other hurts. It's a simple fix, relying more on sympathy than first aid skills. Read on to learn how to fix skinned knees.

Things You'll Need

• Clean cloth
• Bandages
• Antibiotic ointment/liquid bandage
• Soapy, warm water

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Instructions

• 1

  Comfort your child, speaking in a calm and measured voice, hugging him and drying his tears. Though not a serious injury, skinned knees can be very painful and frightening to a child. It's much easier to fix the skinned knees of a calm child than it is to fix the skinned knees of a distraught child.

• 2

  Apply pressure to scrapes that are still bleeding. Use a clean paper towel or a sterile gauze bandage to press gently but firmly against the scrape until the bleeding stops.

• 3

  Flush out any foreign debris that may be lodged in the scrape. Often, glass or gravel may remain and will need to be removed by running lukewarm water over the area. You may need to use tweezers to remove smaller pieces that aren't dislodged by the water.

• 4

  Wash the abrasion gently with warm water and soap, using a washcloth. If your child refuses to let you near her skinned knees, run her a bubble bath and wash off the wounds while she plays.

• 5

  Apply an antibiotic ointment or apply a liquid bandage. Liquid bandages promote new cell growth by keeping the area moist, which is one of the purposes of applying antibiotic ointment under a standard bandage. A liquid bandage won't seal effectively over antibiotic cream.

• 6

  Bandage skinned knees loosely to keep bacteria out of the scrapes. Keep the bandage on until a scab has formed, but once you have removed the bandage, discourage your child from picking at the scab and reopening the wound.

• 7

  Ease any lingering pain by allowing your child to hold an ice pack on his knee, or by giving him acetaminophen or ibuprofen if the pain persists.

• 8

  See a doctor if the scrape doesn't seem to be healing properly. If the area is red, warm or oozing pus, it may be infected and further treatment may be necessary.