Care Advice
- What You Should Know About Finger Injuries:
- There are many ways that children can hurt their fingers.
- There are also many types of finger injuries.
- You can treat minor finger injuries at home.
- Here is some care advice that should help.
- Pain Medicine:
- To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
- Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
- Use as needed.
- Bruised/Swollen Finger:
- Soak in cold water for 20 minutes.
- Repeat as needed.
- Small Cuts or Scratches:
- For any bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound. Use a gauze pad or clean cloth. Press down firmly on the place that is bleeding for 10 minutes. This is the best way to stop bleeding. Keep using pressure until the bleeding stops.
- Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes.
- For any dirt in the wound, scrub gently.
- For any cuts, use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). No prescription is needed.
- Cover it with a bandage (such as Band-Aid). Change daily.
- Jammed Finger:
- Caution: Be certain range of motion is normal. Your child should be able to bend and straighten each finger. If movement is limited, your doctor must check for a broken bone.
- Soak the hand in cold water for 20 minutes.
- If the pain is more than mild, "buddy-tape" it to the next finger.
- Smashed or Crushed Fingertip:
- Wash the finger with soap and water for 5 minutes.
- For any cuts, use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). No prescription is needed.
- Cover it with a bandage (such as Band-Aid). Change daily.
- Torn Nail (from catching it on something):
- For a cracked nail without rough edges, leave it alone.
- For a large flap of nail that's almost torn through, cut it off. Use a pair of scissors that have been cleaned. Cut along the line of the tear. Reason: Pieces of nail taped in place will catch on objects.
- Soak the finger for 20 minutes in cold water for pain relief.
- Use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). No prescription is needed. Then cover with a bandage (such as Band-Aid). Change daily.
- After about 7 days, the nailbed should be covered by new skin. It should no longer hurt. A new nail will grow in over 6 to 8 weeks.
- Remove Ring:
- Remove any ring that is on an injured finger.
- Reason: swelling may occur.
- Call Your Doctor If:
- Pain becomes severe
- Pain not better after 3 days
- Finger not normal after 2 weeks
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the 'Call Your Doctor' symptoms.