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The No-Panic Guide to Kids' Health Emergencies

Expert-approved first aid solutions for everyday accidents (12 Photos)

Norine Dworkin-McDaniel on Feb 27, 2012 at 1:50PM

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The No-Panic Guide to Kids' Health Emergencies

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OMG! Crisis: Your child stuck something metal in an electrical outlet

As scary as electric shock sounds, this is usually a “pretty mild injury,” assures Charles Shubin, MD, medical director of the Children’s Health Center at Mercy Family Care in Baltimore. “You may get some burns on the hand and fingers, but they’re unlikely to be severe.” Still, if your child doesn’t seem like himself after the shock, phone your doctor. “If he’s acting normally, then there’s no problem. But if he’s less responsive or less active, he needs to be evaluated immediately,” Dr. Shubin says.

First-Aid Fix: See some hotspots? Cool your child's skin and stop the burning with cold water. Don’t use ice -- that can further injure the skin by freezing it. If the skin’s merely red, you don’t need to do much more than cool it down, says Dr. Shubin. But if the burned area blisters within a few minutes, see your pediatrician. He may want to drain the blisters (before your kid breaks them open himself) then dress the burn with antibiotic ointment and a bandage to prevent a bacterial infection.

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