• Ronan O'Sullivan, Ed Oakley, and Mike Starr.
• Emergency Department, Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria.
• Aust Fam Physician. 2006 Jul 1;35(7):476-9.

BackgroundMinor injuries in children are extremely common in the general practice setting.ObjectiveThis article describes a systematic approach to the assessment and treatment of wounds in children.DiscussionWound management goals are to avoid infection, minimise discomfort, facilitate healing and minimise scar formation. The care of the patient as a whole should be the first management priority. Successful examination requires gaining the child's trust, relieving pain early, and using a flexible and creative examination technique. Superficial abrasions and lacerations can be safely cleaned with good quality water, and all foreign material removed. Deeper wounds with suspected damage to nerves, tendons or circulation need formal exploration under general anaesthetic. Good local anaesthesia can be produced by topical preparations, and many wounds can be closed with tissue adhesives with an excellent cosmetic result. All children with injuries should be checked for adequate tetanus cover for prrophylaxis.

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