| ASK
THE EXPERT: CARE OF HIV-POSITIVE CHILDREN
 I
am doing home-based care and looking after HIV-positive
orphans. I know that one must be extra careful
about germs and keeping clean so that the children
do not pick up extra infections. What should I
do if they get burns, cuts, bruises or broken
skin?
Noreen Ramsden of the Children's Rights Centre
offers the following advice:
HIV attacks the cells in the blood that fight
infections and diseases. So, it is very important
to keep the home as clean and germ-free as possible.
Each child should have his or her own toothbrush
and cloth or towel to use for washing. Cloths
should be cleaned and dried every day - germs
love damp cloths! Keep the children's fingernails
clean with gentle scrubbing and try to make sure
that their fingers stay out of their mouths!
If the child's skin is burnt, bruised, broken
or cut, watch out for redness and swelling around
the hurt, for red lines spreading up the arm or
leg, and for pain under the arm or in the groin;
these are signs of infection and the need for
treatment. When tending to the child, first cover
your own hands with gloves or plastic bags.
For burns, cool down the burnt area with cold
water or ice for at least 20 minutes, then cover
the burn with a clean damp cloth. DO NOT use ice
if the burn is bleeding or covers a large area
of the body - take the child to the clinic immediately.
For cuts, gently press a clean, folded cloth
onto the wound to stop the bleeding. Tie on a
bandage or use a plaster to cover the wound, then
soak the bloodied bandage in Jik for some hours
or overnight, or burn or bury it.
For nose-bleeds, firmly press both sides of the
top of the nose, or hold any cold object, like
a key, to the face or neck, to stop the bleeding.
If clothing gets bloodied, soak it immediately
in salt water and then in soapy water overnight.
Apply lotion or cream to cracked skin, and get
treatment for insect bites and rashes that do
not heal.
Babies should not sleep with a bottle of milk
or juice, as this feeds germs in the mouth. Children
should brush their teeth after each meal, and
you should wipe babies’ teeth with a soft,
wet cloth.
Keep drinking water clean: if you cannot boil
it for a few seconds to kill germs, put it into
a clear plastic or glass bottle, keeping the lid
on, and put it in the full sun all day (12 hours)
to help kill germs. Prepare and store several
bottles of water cleansed in this way to use on
a cloudy day.
Useful Contact:
Children's Rights Centre: 480 Smith Street, Durban
4000. Tel: (031) 307 6075. Fax: (031) 307 6074.
Email: info@childrensrightscentre.co.za
<<Back
|
