Concerns and action steps after a dog bite

Pediatrician Tamiko Jordan, MD, shares advice for parents on how to treat your child after being bitten by a dog depending on the severity of the bit and the age of your child
Pediatric First Aid - Dog Bites In Children
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Concerns and action steps after a dog bite

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If a dog bites your child, the first thing you do is take them to a safe place away from the dog so no one else can get hurt. Also if it's possible, isolate the dog so if anyone needs to examine the dog, examine their records, or talk to their owners, this can be possible after you've seen to your child's injury. You want to look for any breaks to the skin. This would be an automatic trip to the doctor. If your child is an older, there's maybe a minor abrasion, no breaks in the skin, they seem to be able to move just fine, you can probably just watch that. If you have a young baby or toddler, your doctor should probably take a look at that child even if the skin is not broken. A dog can damage structures underneath the skin that are not visible to you. You want to make sure that your child's tetanus shots are up to date and that the dog has had their rabies shots.

Pediatrician Tamiko Jordan, MD, shares advice for parents on how to treat your child after being bitten by a dog depending on the severity of the bit and the age of your child

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Tamiko Jordan, MD

General Pediatrician, Children's Hospital Los Angeles

Dr. Jordan was born in Riverside, California and received her medical degree from Saint Louis University School of Medicine.  She completed her pediatric residency at Cedars Sinai Medical Center and has since worked in many different settings.  Currently she is an attending pediatrician at the Altamed General Pediatric Clinic at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles where she teaches pediatric residents and sees her own patients in private practice.  She has been featured on ABC7 and FOX11 news as well as the Patt Morrison Show on 89.3 KPCC.  Her latest project is the asthma clinic at Altamed, where she can spend more time educating patients and parents about optimizing their asthma care and minimizing ER visits and lost school days.  

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Transcription: 
If a dog bites your child, the first thing you do is take them to a safe place away from the dog so no one else can get hurt. Also if it's possible, isolate the dog so if anyone needs to examine the dog, examine their records, or talk to their owners, this can be possible after you've seen to your child's injury. You want to look for any breaks to the skin. This would be an automatic trip to the doctor. If your child is an older, there's maybe a minor abrasion, no breaks in the skin, they seem to be able to move just fine, you can probably just watch that. If you have a young baby or toddler, your doctor should probably take a look at that child even if the skin is not broken. A dog can damage structures underneath the skin that are not visible to you. You want to make sure that your child's tetanus shots are up to date and that the dog has had their rabies shots.