Does it seem like your toddler is just an accident waiting to happen? Fortunately, most little kid cuts and scrapes can be treated at home with some extra cuddles and tot-friendly bandages. Sometimes, though, a bleeding cut needs first aid from a pro.

Here’s what you need to know if your toddler’s cut won’t stop bleeding and how it’ll likely be treated when you see the doctor.

How long does it take for a cut to stop bleeding?

Most typical toddler cuts will stop bleeding on their own, but if your kid’s scrape won’t stop after five to 10 minutes of applying direct pressure or if the wound is spurting blood, then it’s time to get to the emergency room.[1]

You should also seek medical care for the following: 

  • Wide, deep or gaping cuts, which may require stitches 
  • A wound on your toddler’s neck or face or near the eye or lips
  • Bleeding cuts filled with glass or other debris (dirt, pebbles, twigs) that can’t be flushed away or cleaned with soap and water after 15 minutes
  • Skin that’s scraped deeply or a scrape that’s spread over a large area
  • A cut from an animal or human bite, a burn, a puncture wound (like a nail) or an electrical injury

First aid steps if your child gets a cut

Whether you’re treating a minor cut to stop the bleeding at home or you’re on the way to the doctor or ER with a bigger injury, it’s important to keep your cool. Remember, if you remain calm, your child is more likely to follow suit. Here’s more about each scenario:

First aid for minor cuts at home

  1. If you have them, wear clean Latex or rubber gloves.
  2. Once the bleeding has subsided, thoroughly flush the cut with tepid water and gently wash the area around it with mild soap.
  3. Dry the wound, dab a bit of antibiotic ointment and then wrap the cut with gauze or apply a bandage.[2]

First aid for cuts on the way to the doctor, urgent care or ER

  1. Apply steady, direct pressure on the bleeding cut with a clean dry cloth, replacing it with a new one as needed.
  2. You can also give your toddler children’s acetaminophen for the pain.

When you get to the ER, urgent care or doctor's office, a nurse will assess the injury and will likely ask whether your tot has had the DTaP vaccine. (Among other things, this shot protects kids from the tetanus bacteria — found in soil, dust or feces — which can get into a cut and cause an infection.)[3]

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You’ll also be asked whether your toddler has any allergies to medications. (It’s possible your child may need an anesthetic if the doctor gives her stitches.) If the cut won’t stop bleeding, your child will be brought directly to an exam room. Otherwise, the nurse may have you sit in the waiting room.

How are cuts that don’t stop bleeding treated?

The doctor will stop the bleeding by applying continuous pressure on the cut and then examine the gash to determine if it needs stitches. If so, treatment for a bleeding cut will likely include one of the following:[4]

  • Steri-Strips (also called butterfly bandages). These small, sticky strips are mostly used on minor cuts to keep the skin together.
  • Classic stitches. Old-fashioned stitches are still the most common way to sew up a wound. The doctor will clean the injury and apply an anesthetic and then you may help hold your child still during the stitching. After five to 12 days of healing, the doctor will take the stitches out.[5]
  • Absorbable stitches. These stitches are often used on the mouth, lips and face and aren’t removed — a plus if your toddler has trouble sitting still or is afraid of medical procedures.
  • Skin glue. If your tot’s cut isn’t too deep or wide, the doctor may opt for glue to close it up. The pros: Glue goes on quickly and falls off on its own, but you don’t want to use it in a spot where your child can pick it off easily.
  • Skin staples. These surgical fasteners, which are typically for scalp cuts, sound scarier than they are. After the doctor applies a numbing cream, skin staples go in quickly and painlessly. After the wound has healed, the staples will need to be removed by your pediatrician. Many scalp cuts can also be closed using something called the “hair apposition technique,” which uses the patient’s own hair and skin glue to close the wound.

Caring for your child's cut at home

The pediatrician or urgent care/ER doctor will send you home with wound care instructions on how to keep the stitches dry (for at least 24 hours) and how to spot signs of infection, which include redness, swelling, pus discharge or fever.

Before you leave, be sure you know when your tot’s stitches will need to be removed. Stitches can be harder to take out when they’re left in too long, so be sure to follow up with your pediatrician as instructed.

A toddler cut that won’t stop bleeding can be a little scary and definitely stressful, but these occasional boo-boos are par for the course when you have a busy toddler. Keep a cool head as you follow the steps outlined above and your tot will soon be on the mend.