This booklet is about the use of EMLA Cream and the cream is used to numb an area of the skin that is called local anesthesia. It can be used before taking blood with a spine or putting a drip, or before a small surgical process that can be painful. This booklet has been written for parents and caregivers about how to use this medication in kids. Please read this booklet carefully. Keep it in a safe place so you can read it again.
Why Is It Important to Use This Cream?
The cream can help reduce any distress or pain your child may feel during a minor process, such as when blood is drawn or a cannula is placed, or during a small surgical process like removing a lump. Whether the cream is not applied, the process may have to be canceled or delayed, or your child may feel discomfort or pain during the process.
When Should I Use EMLA Cream?
EMLA cream should be applied at least 1 hour before a needle processor 2 hours before a surgical process like a skin graft. The person who gives the cream will tell you when to apply it and where to apply it to your child’s body. You will probably be asked to apply the cream to more than one site. If the formula is delayed and the effect of the cream has disappeared, consult your doctor or nurse before continuing to apply.
How Much EMLA Cream Should I Use?
Your doctor will tell you how much EMLA Cream you should apply: this is the right amount for your child. You may be instructed to apply a full tube of cream at each site, more than one tube or part of a tube. It is important that you follow the doctor’s instructions about how much to use. Check here!
How Should I Give It?
Squeeze the cream from the tube over the area of the skin that will go numb. Do not rub it. Place a waterproof dressing over the cream to keep it in place. They will give you these with the cream. Wash your hands properly with soap and water as soon as you finish applying the cream. Take away the cream after 4 hours whether your child has not had the planned process. If your baby is less than 3 months old, you should take away the cream after 1 hour.
Take off the bandage and clean any cream with a tissue. The cream may have soaked all the skin. Don’t apply the cream on skin that has eczema or rash or is sore, bleeding or has a scab. The cream should not be applied to the eyes, nose, and ears, inside the mouth or near the posterior or genital passage.
Is There Any Possible Side Effect?
We use medications to improve our children, but sometimes they have other effects that we don’t want. If your child has a rash, swelling or feels weak, dazed or breathless after applying EMLA cream, they may be allergic to it. Clean the cream and take your child to the hospital immediately.
If you think someone may have swallowed some EMLA cream, contact your doctor immediately. Do not apply the cream anywhere inside the body, inside the mouth or in the ears, eyes, genitals or the posterior passage as it can enter the body from here. It should only be used on the skin. Check out this site: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10632688