Parent Teaching For Infant Car Seat Safety
At home
•Put a pillow under the casted arm or leg while the child is resting
•Before shower: wrap the limb & cast in 2 layers of plastic bag (like the picture)
•Have child to move all other body parts to allow movement.
• If cast gets wet, dry in cool, low setting with blow dryer
Check Casted limb
Circulation: Pulse
Movement: Of fingers/toes
Sensation: Feel the fingers or toes being touched
Skin Care
· Do not pull padding out of the cast or push anything into it.
· Check the skin under the edges of the cast daily. If you see persistent redness, broken skin or sores, call your doctor.
· To relieve itching under the cast, blow cool air into it with a hair dryer. DO NOT shake powder into the cast or stick any objects into it.
· Do not cover the cast with plastic bags for any extended period of time. Your skin needs to breath.
***Check fingers and toes daily
Applying the cast
Plaster cast: When placed, it will feel warm at firstnormal
· Cast will feel solid in 10 to 15 minutes and (2 days) to dry
· Plaster casts are not waterproof or water resistant.
Fiberglass casts: are water resistant not waterproof
· Can take up to two hours.
Cast care (Mayo Clinic,2020)
1. Keep it clean.
2. Keep away from dirt and sand inside of your child’s cast.
3. Keep away from powder, lotion, or deodorant inside the cast.
By: SAMPLE
Skin: Check your child’s skin at edges of the cast.
• Do not try to remove the cast with scissors
• Do not put anything under the cast to scratch, like pens
Compartment syndrome: 5’Ps (ATI, pg.120)
Follow-up Care
• Doctor will be providing cast removal with a cast cutter.
• This is not painful, but it is noisy.
•Your child’s skin may be dry and scaly. Do not try to scratch or pick the skin.
• Soak the child’s limb in warm water and then apply non-scented lotion after cast has been removed.
References: On the next page
**Notify Doctor: Call doctor immediately if the child feels :
Pain or tightness on casted limb
Numbness or tingling on casted limb
Burning or stinging under the cast
Swelling under the cast
Cannot move the toes or fingers of casted limb
If Change of color happens:
Fingers or toes are blue or cold
Red or raw skin around the cast
Develops a crack, warm soft spots, or a foul odor in the cast
