What should you do if a child falls and gets hurt?

When a child falls and gets hurt, assessing the injury and providing comfort is essential for several reasons. First, it's important to quickly evaluate the extent of the injury to determine if it’s minor or requires more serious attention. This involves checking for visible signs of injury, such as swelling, bleeding, or if the child is favoring a limb.

Providing comfort is equally vital, as young children may feel frightened or upset after a fall. Comforting a child helps to reassure them and can prevent panic, making it easier for them to communicate how they feel about their injury. Responding with calmness and empathy can also strengthen the caregiver-child relationship, which is important for emotional security.

The other options fail to adequately address the child's needs. Ignoring the situation until the child cries could lead to increased fear and anxiety, and may worsen any potential injury by not providing immediate care. Immediately calling the parents may not always be necessary unless the injury is severe, as it could also escalate the situation unnecessarily. Telling the child to "walk it off" dismisses their feelings and may encourage them to ignore real pain, potentially leading to further injury. Therefore, assessing the injury and providing comfort is the most appropriate response.