BRUISING
When your child falls over or knocks himself against something, the skin may become bruised. Bruising is very common in children, especially over the area of their shins, due to the rough and tumble nature of their play. Bruising is due to bleeding into the skin from blood vessels which have been damaged. Any bruising which cannot be explained by the normal activities of children, should be looked at by your doctor. Certain patterns of bruising may be found in children with a bleeding tendency, although it must be emphasised that this is rare.
Treatment
Ice packs applied to the bruise immediately for 10 minutes can help to ease the bruising and the pain. Bruises take 7-10 days to disappear, changing colour as they heal.
CALLUSES
Calluses are areas of hard skin, caused by thickening of the layers due to prolonged pressure or rubbing. They commonly appear on the hands or the feet and are not painful. They actually provide a protective layer, and occur commonly in children who run around barefoot. No treatment is necessary. If you wish to soften the callus, wet it and pare it down with a pumice stone which you can buy from the chemist. Occasionally cracks or splits appear over callused areas. These should be softened by rubbing with sorbolene with 10% glycerol cream which is available from any chemist. Exposure to the air can aid rapid healing. If cracks persist or are painful, consult your doctor.
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