to thnk that actually a green paper towel dipped in water does not make a graze or a bump better.

[AtYourCervix]

it was crap when i was at school and is still crap now.

doesn't work.

A drink of water cures all ills in my secondary classes.

As a TA, I swear by the damp green paper towel. All is needed is a bit of attention. If bones are sticking out through the skin, maybe a sterile swab and micropore tape? Ice packs also go down a treat.

DD (2.9) is absolutely convinced of the power of the 'compresssss' (every letter clearly ennunciated).

Whatever happened to the evil smelling poultice :o

I tell anyone who hurts themselves not to worry, I'll just chop off the bit that hurts and them it will be fine.

Or I tell them that if their leg/finger/arm falls off not to worry, I'll stick it back on with glue.

That usually works.

At the first school I worked at children who felt travel sick were made to sit on a piece of newspaper and they never threw up.

my aspiration as a child was to have an injury that required a ..... sling! gasp. asked everytime I hurt my arm or wrist but nothing warranted it.

StepAway, me too, and I got one at 11. I had broken my arm, but in a way which really didn't hurt. People were lovely to me in shops shops and gave me free stuff. It was awesome.

Ooh I always wanted a broken arm, all that attention and everyone writing on your cast.

Just to add, that feeling has passed, it would be a right pain in the arse to break an arm now.

My kids love the wet paper towel they get at school because it is infinitely better than the TCP they get at home.

Absolutely right AYC

As the first aider in a secondary school, I was always amazed at how many of the other (usually also first aid trained) staff would come up to me with an injured child, who they had already been into the first aid room with and given a wet paper towel.

Yes, a damp, slightly tepid paper towel is really going to do little Freddie's sprained ankle a load of good

They're not even bloody sterile, they've probably been handled by another child's grubby hands as they flap about in the paper dispenser. Just get a sterile wipe out of the first aid box - the box which is closer to the first aid room door than the sodding tap anyway!

TongueTwisted If you are a trained first aider, then nearly all of the things you have been told there are rubbish.

You ARE allowed to put plasters on cuts - although if you can get the patient to do it for themselves then that is better as helping themselves physically can help them mentally too and stop them worrying/panicking.

You ARE allowed to use non-alcohol antibacterial wipes. Preferably the individually wrapped ones, not the ones that come in a big pack like baby wipes.

You can use wipes (as above) or a sterile gauze pad with water on to clean blood.

The cold and pressure helping to alleviate swelling/bleeding is right though

Ah yes - the Cold Compress.

'Oh, are you hurt Mummy. Would you like a cold compress?'

Followed by a soggy piece of kitchen towel being carried to me, dripping, from nearest tap.

Sweet, but messy.

Many, many entries in the nursery/school accident book under my daughters name: 'a cold compress was applied and the pain appeared to diminish.'

It's a miracle!!

Placebo effect?

DD used to go to the nurses several times a day. She had tiger balm (or white monkey in a peach tree balm) applied and it was magic.

I should add, this was when we lived in Bangkok and the balm was used for everything from mozzie bites to tummy ache.

Is tiger balm the one that you must never ever mistake for lube?

[yep] although at the age she was, it's unlikely......................

Horopu, our school does the newspaper for travel sickness thing.

Apparently it had always worked, without fail, up until last spring when ds1's year had a vomit fest on the way home from from a school trip. They actually had to stop the coach three time to slop it out. Eew!

We have green paper towels, ds2 needs them on a daily basis, sometimes several times a day. He is wholeheartedly unimpressed by them and says they don't help at all.