An abrasion is a minor injury, which needs to be cleaned properly to remove dirt, a possible source of infection.
Put the injured part under running tap water or pour water from
a glass. Wash your hands and clean the wound with soap and water. No medicine is needed for a clean wound, nor the
use of spirit, iodine or red medicine (mercurochrome).
If the child’s booster dose of DPT (triple antigen) or
dual antigen (DT) is due, give it now. If he is about 10,
give him an injection of tetanus toxoid. A fully immunised child
does not need an extra dose of tetanus toxoid. For instance, if he has been given DPT (which contains tetanus toxoid) at the
age of 2 and meets with an accident at 3 years, there is no
need to give tetanus toxoid.
Dressing Or No Dressing?
I personally believe that a dressing is not needed.
However, if you feel that the wound might not remain clean or that it may
attract flies, cover it with a sterile piece of gauze,
available from the chemist. Keep it in place with a clean bandage
or a clean piece of cloth. Check the wound daily and change
the gauze. If the gauze or bandage is stuck to the wound,
pour boiled and cooled water to remove it.
If the wound is oozing from the beginning, apply an antibiotic skin ointment on it and then put the gauze
over it. If the ointment is not easily available, just sterile gauze
will serve the purpose. Once the scab is formed, there is no need to cover the wound.
