Seeing your precious angel in distress is heartbreaking. Thus, it is important that you know what to do in order to alleviate your toddler’s discomfort. Here are some techniques parents swear by to soothe an injured child.
Stay Calm
If your toddler is hurt, remain calm and confident as much as possible. If you panic or become hysterical, your little one will feed off your emotions and become frightened as well, making the situation even worse. But, if you stay composed and grab a bandage if he scrapes his knee, your toddler will see that the bandage will cure the wound, which will stop the tears from flowing.
Run A Bath
Your injured toddler can find comfort by taking a warm bath. Run tepid water in the tub and let your little one sit on it for at least 10 minutes. This will help ease his anguish. It will also help eliminate any dirt present in his wound without having to forcefully rub the injury. Then, once he is done taking a bath, cover his small injury and he will be all better.
Have A Steady Supply of Colorful Bandages
Bandages can cure minor cuts and scrapes. The key is to buy tons of colorful bandages or Band-Aid’s with a cartoon character print. Have him pick the bandage he likes, help him put it on and commend him for a job well done. Also, let him remove it once the bandage is ready to come off.
Give Lots of Kisses
A parent’s touch is very magical for a toddler. So see to it that you give your toddler a teddy bear hug and shower his boo-boo with lots of kisses. The tender and healing touch of a parent is probably the fastest way to sooth a toddler’s owie and put that smile back on his face.
Use A Fun Icepack
A plain looking icepack is okay, but using it on a toddler is not a very good idea. Keep it exciting by buying a cute looking icepack. You can choose from a colorful cold pack, Elmo cold pack, Football Boo Boo Buddy or a Boo Bunnie Ice Pack. Just keep it in the freezer and get it out to relieve a bump. The adorable designs will keep your toddler so happy that he will want it on his owie for a long time.
Provide A Distraction
When treating his injury, redirect his attention by talking about something else. Think of a topic your toddler is interested in or have him recount his favorite scene in the PB&J Otter show. Sing a funny children’s song (e.g. The Wee Song, Shake Your Sillies Out). Count to 10 together. Make silly faces and loud smacking sounds.
Ignore It
This is for minor injuries. If your toddler hurts himself yet he does not cry, do not overdramatize it. Instead, pick him up and encourage him to try again. Most likely, his attention will be so focused on finding a solution on how he can try again without hurting himself that his small injury will be forgotten.
It is normal for children to suffer some cuts and bruises. The tips mentioned above can do wonders to soothe a toddler in pain.