Hello!

Sometimes when my kids fall over and scrape their elbows and knees or get a giant bruise, I wonder if I should give them pain medication. What would other mums do?


Want more real mum questions sent to you?

You'll need to check this email to complete your signup.
  • Personally I wouldn’t give my kid pain relief for minor issues as it could lead to overuse. Most pain from falling/tripping for young people should be gone or mild in about 10 minutes time, if not and you are unsure what to do I suggest calling nurse on call or seeing your doctor to ask them for their medical advice. Obviously if your child is distressed by pain the hospital may be the appropriate option.


  • WEll i never did. They only got pain meds if they were complaining of really being in pain later that night.


  • No I don’t .
    First thing I do with bruises and bumps is offer ice and then apply as soon as possible Hiridoid cream. Hiridoid cream works wonders..
    Funny enough the opposite – applying heat – can work as well. You can apply heat to boost circulation and increase blood flow.
    Adding Compression can help too. Wrap the bruised area in an elastic bandage.
    And so does Elevation.


  • I would only give paracetamol and would see a GP if pain persists.


  • A hug is the best medicine and rubbing the affected area. Antibiotics is unnecessary and can lead to an increase in antibiotic resistance. I agree with the previous comments about Panadol.


  • I only gave them Panadol when they were sick and had a fever. I found a kiss and a bandaid (after using antiseptic) followed by a big cuddle worked for my boys.


  • I wouldn’t either. I like Sudocrem for scrapes, wounds, scratches etc or some similar cream.


  • Uhhh no way! I only give them panadol when they are really sick or screaming from teething


  • No, I don’t.
    I have a nice calming cream though, which I often put on.


  • No, I wouldn’t be giving them medication simply for grazed knees/elbows or bruising. Medication such as Paracetamol etc do state for pain, but they actually mean the pain caused by fevers etc, or, perhaps broken bones, not everyday injury. If I’d given my children/grandchildren pain relievers every time they fell over and grazed their knees/elbows they would have gone through a bottle a day.
    Instead of paracetamol or other oral pain relievers, if bruising occurs cover the area with a cloth and apply an icepack. As I come from Canada I used witch hazel (yes the facial treatment), applying it to the site of injury as long as there was no broken skin immediately after. Result NO BRUISING!!! I know it sounds incredible but witch hazel is widely used in Canada to prevent bruising. Soak a pad of cotton wool in it and apply to area (or goose egg), keeping it there as long as possible.
    I used it when my daughter was hit by a falling branch and a ‘goose egg’ began to sprout on her forehead. Despite her then boyfriend claiming it wouldn’t do any good, the swelling diminished almost immediately and there was no bruising afterwards. Of course, the skin wasn’t broken and I’d already determined that there were no other injuries caused.
    It is a fallacy that there are some who believe life should be totally pain free, there is no way of preventing all pain (unless one is dead). It is far better to teach your child how to manage their pain, than to seek to obliterate it.


  • Generally I have never given pain medication for everyday bumps and scrapes. If it was significant and needed medical attention it was different e.g stitches, broken bone. For skin knees my kids used to break off a bit of aloe vera, we used to call it the healing plant, and they would rub on their sore bits. A cuddle and clean up were often enough to help ease the pain. Sometimes I would use aromatherapy and breathing exercises to help. Works for emotional distress too!


Post your reply
Add a photo
Your MoM account


Lost your password?

Enter your email and a password below to post your answer and join MoM:

↥ Back to top

Thanks For Your Star Rating!

Would you like to add a written rating or just a star rating?

Write A Rating Just A Star Rating
Join