My son smashed his finger the other day and I kissed it, put ice and a Band-Aid on it. The area surrounding the nail is red and sensitive now, and there's a yellow crusty on the side of the nail itself.
I've been cleaning it and using neosporin on it, and putting on another Band-Aid, but it is still red, painful, with yellow crusty stuff covering the nail.
Should I be doing something different, keep doing what I'm doing, or take him to the doctor? I hate to take him to the doctor only to be told to keep it clean, use neosporin and bandage it up.
If he does go see the doc, how do they treat cuts or breaks in the skin that have developed infection? Do they prescribe a stronger antibiotic ointment?
Answer:
Just keep putting the neoporin on it and keeping it dry. You may want to do a once over with peroxide. Try wrapping it in gauze instead of just a bandaid. Sometimes the air and water get under and doesn't help in the healing process. Just make sure you watch out for any streaking or redness creeping anywhere up his finger or hand.
You need to take him to a docter because it could be a flesh eating virus.
try leaving the band aid off for a day so that the cut can air out/dry out. Keep putting neosporin on it. But keep a close watch on it, you dont want it to turn into STAF
they usually do the same as you are ===sometimes they might give an antibiotic=if it is still this way tomorrow ,give the Dr a call
Back hand it repeatedly for not playing safely.
i'd say keep using neasporin and cleaning it well.. if it doesn't get better or gets worse in a week call the dr.
They MAY prescribe oral antibiotics, but it sounds like you're doing the right thing. Maybe (if you can get him to) soak it in warm water for a bit, or let him play in the tub with the bandaid off to clean it out bertter. Then, make sure it's dry before applying neosporin, and bandage it but not too tight. You want some air circulation in there. If it's still not looking better in a couple of days, or if it looks worse at all...then I'd take him to have it looked at. Good luck!
put a bandaid on it duh.
soak it in peroxide then neosporin and wrap it , do that three times a day
you might want to put a bit of pressure on it to release the puss. Or prick the spot with a sterile needle if there is puss under skin. A dr. will probably lance the infection.
he needs and oral antibiotic. These symtoms are sighns of an infection not a " minor one". This could get systemic and he could become very sick.
Soak his finger in warm salt water 1-2 times a day for about 15-20 minutes it will kill the infection.
Infections require antibiotics. There are topical antibiotics like Neosporin, but infections are not to be avoided nor do they rarely go away. Consult a physician. Its your son and if you have doubts as to his condition, as you do, always consults a physician. NOW.
These days your never safe .I think you souled call his Doctor and ask may be you need to go better safe then sorry.
Yes, take him to the doctor. It has been too long %26 if neo-sporin hasn't helped yet your needs something stronger.
Hurry before some nut has child services take him for you.
God Bless
If you have tried antibiotic ointment and it is not working he could have a tuft fracture of his finger and also an infection under the nail. It would be a good idea to see your Pediatrician for oral meds and an x-ray.
keep doing what your doing but possibly go to a doc to just to see if it`s real bad and if he needs a certain treatment orif it`s just minorinfection
From what you described...
The reason you take him to the doctor, and risk having the "trained professional" tell you what you already know, is...
He's a "trained professional..."
Better "safe-and-financially-put-out" than "sorry" when it comes to a little kids' "future use of his finger...!"
I know what you mean, though...it's a "pain-in-the-*** (huh...finger...!)
You would "really" hate yourself if it turned out to be worse...
An infection needs anti-biotic . Infections are potentially dangerous ; and in this day %26 age with all these skin-eating bacteria and staff infections - better to be safe than to loose a limb-or worse . Don't delay .NEVER STICK A NEEDLE IN AN INFECTION !! Good luck .
I'm a nursing student so my experience is limited, but my advice would be to take him to the doc because infection can get ugly fast (especially if the symptoms arent changing), you would hate for it to become something bigger than it has to be, prevention is key!
I know he's 5, but if you can get him to sit still, have him soak the finger in a solution of clean, warm water with some salt in it. (If you can get sea salt it's best, but table salt will do.) Make it about 1:8, have him soak until he gets pruny, or as long as possible. That softens the area and saline solution (the stuff you're making with water and salt) helps clean bacteria and flush out the crust. Then dry him off gently and use my fave 1st aid product- Band Aid Hurt-Free Antiseptic Wash. Get a cotton ball wet with it and use it 3-4 times a day to clean the crust, relieve the hurt. Because it's a liquid antiseptic, it penetrates better than an ointment can, dab and dribble it, it has pain reliever so you can really 'get in there'. Then bandage just tight enough to keep it clean, loose enough to let it breathe. After just a day or two, the redness/crust should start to get a little better (the stuff rocks) and you should really be able to see if there's damage to the nail, check to make sure the nail isn't split/broken/torn. My hunch is, he probably pulled apart the soft stuff connected to the nail along the side (think really, really bad hangnail), and until it grows back together you can keep using the Bandaid liquid. Here's a link to show you the product, but I get mine from Walmart in the first aid isle. Unless the finger is disurbingly red, tightly swollen, oozing pus, hot, inreasingly painful, or suddenly bleeding, usually you can hold off at least 2-3 days going to a doctor. But if any of those things happen, take him right away. BTW, *crust* is usually dried lymph, a liquid found in all tissues. It usually leaks when the skin is torn or split, from anything like a newly pierced ear to rugburn or a blister. It's the skin's way of flushing out the area and isn't in itself bad. Cleaning it away keeps bacteria from breeding and helps heal. I hope this helps, keep in touch, good luck and I hope he's better soon!
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