While the tears and shrieks that accompany minor injuries may cause you moments of terror, your childs reaction will most likely be far more severe than the injury. In the vast majority of these cases, the treatment will require nothing more than cleaning and bandaging the injury and plenty of reassurance.

However, there are certain circumstances that require urgent care. Based on your childs symptoms, you may need to contact a medical professional for advice. Timely treatment of illness or injury can prevent a situation from becoming an emergency. A true emergency is when your childs injury or illness may be life-threatening or may cause permanent harm. Many emergencies involve unexpected injuries including:

Poisoning

Burns or smoke inhalation

Falls

Bicycle or car crashes

Choking

Near drowning

Electric shocks

Other emergencies requiring immediate medical attention include:

Difficulty breathing

Bleeding that doesnt stop

Skin or lips that appear blue or gray in color

Seizure

Unconsciousness

Loose or knocked out teeth

Severe persistent pain

Deep cut or large burn

Headache, nausea, or loss of consciousness resulting from a head injury

In case of a true emergency:

Stay calm

Start CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) if need

Call local emergency ambulance service or pediatricians office

Apply continuous pressure to bleeding

Although children need you in case of an emergency like fire, injuries, or sickness, they need you for play, too. The good baby-sitter is a good player. Here are some things children play at and dangers to watch for.

The infant is discovering his body. He likes to throw, hold, drop, tear, grab, roll. Some dangers - puts things in his mouth, helpless in water, and can easily smother.

Toddlers are getting into everything. The toddler likes to bang, push, pull, put in, take out, jump, draw, and color. Some dangers - swallowing things, falling, matches and lighters, heaters, poisons, and the stove.

From the age of three on, children like active physical games, arts and crafts, blocks, pretend, games of skill, and reading. Some dangers: street dangers, falls, stoves, heaters, matches and lighters.