Soft Tissue Bruise (Child)

Home care

Follow these guidelines when caring for your child at home:

• Your child’s health care provider may prescribe medicines for pain and inflammation. Follow all instructions for giving these to your child.

• Have your child rest as needed. You may need to restrict your child's activities for a few days.

• Protect the area with a soft towel or a pillow, if advised by the child’s provider.

• Use cold to help reduce swelling and pain. For babies and toddlers, wet a clean cloth with cold water, then wring it out. For older children, use a cold pack or a plastic bag of ice cubes wrapped in a thin, dry cloth. Apply the cold source to the bruised area for up to 20 minutes. Repeat this a few times a day while your child is awake. Continue for 1 or 2 days, or as instructed.

• When the swelling has gone away, start using warm compresses. This is a clean cloth that’s damp with warm water. Apply this to the area for 10 minutes, several times a day. Be sure to first test the cloth temperature on yourself, to make sure it doesn't burn.

• Follow any other instructions you were given.

• Keep in mind that bruising may take a few weeks to go away.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child’s health care provider, or as advised.

Special note to parents

Health care providers are trained to see injuries such as this in young children as a sign of possible abuse. You may be asked questions about how your child was injured. Providers must, by law, ask you these questions. This is done to protect your child. Please try to be patient.

When to get medical advice

Contact your child's health care provider right away if your child:

• Has pain or swelling that doesn't improve or that gets worse.

• Has new symptoms.

• Develops bruising without trauma.