Children will be children and it doesn't matter how hard you try to protect them, they may still become injured while playing outside on a jungle gym. In this newsletter we discuss how to reduce the risks of injury and how to cope with the most frequent playground injuries, should they happen.
How To Avoid Serious Playground Injuries
Obviously, the first priority in any playground is to prevent injuries, and safety starts with building and designing a playground that will limit injuries. Make sure that your outdoor play equipment is designed, built and installed to SA National standards using SABS approved materials. We presented a list of questions to consider when assessing the safety of a jungle gym design in a previous newsletter.
Secondly – make sure that you maintain your playground equipment. See our Jungle Gym Maintenance Checklist post.
Thirdly - have rules in the playground to ensure that equipment is used safely – see our playground safety tips.
Even after taking all of these precautions, children are unpredictable, and some injuries may still occur on the playground.
What to do if there is an injury
The key is to relax, take deep breaths, and keep calm. If you are panicking you will not be able to think rationally which will impair your ability to offer the right help in good time.
Assess the injury and talk to the child so they know what you are doing to help them
Call for additional help if necessary
Provide first aid while you wait for help to arrive
Here are some first aid treatments you can do while you wait
Black Eye
It’s normal to see some discoloration, swelling, and bruising. There can be temporary visual impairment. The child may also experience headaches and neck aches.
To Treat: Wrap ice in a clean cloth and put it on the eye for only 15 minutes in every hour. Keep their head elevated above heart level to drain the blood and reduce the bruising.
Check with a medical professional whether you can give painkillers.
Seek immediate medical attention if these symptoms persist:
There is a deformity in the eye or the face
The child becomes dizzy
Clear fluid is leaking from the ears
When there is a change in behaviour
Broken Bones
Children's bones are more supple compared to adults' bones. Bones can split, crack or bend. A fracture is when the bone breaks or cracks. You will notice swelling, bruising and difficulty in moving. The limb could look twisted or bent, have a grating noise or lose strength.
To Treat: Get a pad and cover the injured limb and try to immobilise it – either with a triangular bandage if its an arm, or by tying the injured leg to the other leg, if it’s a leg. Tell the child to keep still to ease the pain. If it’s an open fracture and you can see a bone protruding or there is a wound, you need to control the bleeding. Get a sterile cloth and cover the wound. Be sure not to put pressure on the bone. Don’t move the child while waiting for medical assistance.
Split Lip
To Treat: Find the source of the bleeding. Stop the bleeding by getting a clean cloth and putting it over the injured lip. Do this for five to seven minutes until the bleeding stops. Use a cold compress if there’s swelling. Call for medical assistance for a deeper cut and if the bleeding doesn’t stop after seven minutes.
Cuts
To Treat: You may use
a towel and apply pressure on the wound for at least 5 minutes and elevate the area. When the bleeding stops, wash it with water and cover the wound with a plaster. Clean cuts can be easily managed. It may be advisable to get a tetanus shot – check with your GP.
Call for help if:
• It bleeds for longer than 10 minutes
• The cut is deep/large and may require stitches
• There’s debris in the wound
• There are signs of infection (increased swelling, redness, pain or pus)
Friction Burns
Assess the burn. If it’s on the top layer of the skin, it’s considered a minor burn.
To Treat: Do NOT apply ice/ ice water. Carefully remove any debris with sterilized tweezers. Apply antiseptic and wrap it loosely with gauze making sure to leave some space for the wound to breathe.
Seek immediate medical attention if:
• There is severe damage to the outer layer of the skin
• The burn is more than 3 inches in diameter
• The burn is in a sensitive area
• The area becomes infected
Knocked-Out Tooth
To Treat: Apply a cold piece of cloth if there is bleeding. If the child is old enough, let them bite on the gauze. You can also get them an ice pop. If this is a permanent tooth pick up the tooth by the crown (the normally exposed part) and rinse the root off with water if it’s dirty. Don’t scrub or remove tissue. Try putting the tooth back in place. If this is not possible, place it in a small container of milk and see a dentist a soon as possible. Teeth are more likely salvageable if reinserted within 1 hour of being knocked out.
If the tooth is broken, rinse their mouth immediately with warm water and call the dentist to discuss options.
Head Injuries
To Treat: Get immediate help and while you’re waiting, check if the child is breathing, if not, do Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Check for any signs of bleeding. If there is an object stuck in their head, don’t pull it out, get a clean cloth and cover it. Don’t shake or move your child unless you need to get them somewhere safe.
Nosebleed
To Treat: Ask the child to sit and lean slightly forward. Don’t lay them down as blood could block the airway. Pinch the soft part of the nose and ask the child breathe through their mouth. Keep the pressure on the nose for ten minutes. Don’t let them blow their nose or rub it to avoid further irritation. Seek immediate medical attention if:
the bleeding doesn’t stop after two tries of applying pressure, ten minutes each.
there is bruising
the child is feeling dizzy or weak.
Splinter
To Treat: Don’t touch the splinter with your bare hands. Use tweezers. Gently pinch the splinter at the base near the skin and pull it out at the same angle that it went in. If you were able to remove it, squeeze the skin and let it bleed. This is to flush out any particles left in the wound. Wash the wound with soap and water and put a plaster over it. Watch the injury for signs of infection over the next few days (redness, warmth, pus).
If you cannot remove the splinter yourself after 5 minutes of trying or if it breaks off seek medical help to avoid traumatising the child and the wound.
Children at play run the risk of injuries but by following the preventative measures above and applying timely first aid in the event of an accident, these injuries can be successfully managed and children can get back to the healthy business of playing.
Sources: https://playgroundprofessionals.com/playground/playground-safety/treat-playground-injuries?
https://health.clevelandclinic.org/treat-10-common-playground-injuries/