Does this need a stitch? *photo*

[Wafflehouse]

DD went to school today for the first time, we’re both keyworkers, we’ve been reluctant to send the dcs in and up until now have relied on using up holiday and swapping shifts but it’s not really manageable anymore so I sent them back today just for two days a week.

Dd came out with ripped leggings, she is prone to tripping and she has come out a few times with a note from the first aider. Got her home and her leggings have got stuck into the dried blood, now they’ve been peeled off her knee looks like this, no one checked it at school, I’m not sure if it needs a stitch or not. I’ve cleaned it and covered it with what I have at home but not sure if it needs properly looking at, I’m not normally ott when the kids hurt themselves but this looks nastier than her usual scrapes.

I’d say probably not. Good clean and some steri strips unless it’s a big flap

I would say yes, the knee bends and straightens so often that I don't think a steristrip will hold it closed. The edges are far apart and its not a straight cut. Does it start to bleed again if she walks around?

It could do with something to hold the edges together or the scarring will be worse. I'd ring 111 personally.

I'd take her to minor injuries - just to get the edges brought together (speaking as someone with lots of knee scars from similar!)

Oo, ouch. She's a trooper, isn't she? No advice, but tell her my DS9 would be rolling around shrieking and hyperventilating with something like that.

That looks deep and a bit jagged round the edges. I think it certainly needs looking at. AS others have said, I doubt steri strips would hold on a constantly bending knee.

(Not trying to scare you btw - just mean that he's a delicate little thing!)

I think it should be looked at. It might need a proper clean and steri strips.

I would call my GP with that and the nurse would take a look and decide whether to glue. Steri strip or send to A&E.

I think definitely a stitch or two. Mostly to reduce scarring

I've got one like that on my knee from the same age! Times have changed, I had to have my whole leg bandaged to stop the knee from bending! But I would say that this does need minor injuries. Knees are awkward.

Thanks all, I wouldn’t go as far as saying I’m negligent but I am usually a bit too laid back about things like this, she lost a toenail once dropping a tin of beans on it and I nearly didn’t get that looked at, not that there was anything anyone could do to save it but at least we found out it wasn’t a broken toe.

Our minor injuries is shut due to COVID so I’ve got an appointment at the next one over this afternoon.

Thanks again.

Maybe some butterfly stitches? You can get those in supermarkets as well as chemists. As the knee bends, it probably harder to heal but maybe soft stitches will do the job ? Maybe post on health forum? Get a nurse /doctor view?

Steristrips aren't really suitable for areas that are regularly bent and extended.

I'm an ex hcp but also notoriously accident prone myself! So I speak mainly from personal experience (when I injure myself I tend to be too blasé and attempt to just deal with it myself and then end up having to admit defeat )

So I've attempted to use steristrips myself on knees, elbows, finger webbing etc and had to them later admit it was a daft idea and get it stitched properly

As an aside I would NOT be impressed that the school didn't even clean it! It's important such injuries are cleaned ASAP to prevent an infection taking hold. The very least I'd expect is a clean and a plaster to do until she got home. I'd be having a chat with them about that!

Also is she more prone to accidents than others her age? If so you may want to rule out the "usual suspects" - eyesight, hearing impairment etc as tripping falling more than other dc is most commonly due to things like needing glasses or hearing issues causing balance and difficulties. I had a dd who was terribly accident prone way more than other kids. Eventually diagnosed with a genetic disability (not saying that's the case here, as I say if she's worse than other kids then it's probably something relatively minor like needing glasses)

Hope she's feeling much better soon

My daughter did a similar thing but landed on a stone and skidded along the floor, she managed to gouge out a 4cm chunk out of her knee! Minor injuries wouldn’t stitch or steri strip it and it healed well, she’s a major drama queen and very accident prone but is rather proud of her scar! 🙄

They won’t stitch that, it’s a skin flap. It will sort itself out with some steristrips and a dressing over it.

Go to a and e and ask the experts