Removing splinters from uncooperative child

[FortunataTagnips]

Help! DD(10), who is autistic and has a learning disability, has two ruddy great splinters in her foot from some decking. We’ve tried all the obvious coaxing and pleading but she won’t let us anywhere near them.
They’re very close to the surface and it would probably only be a minute’s work to tweak them out, if only she’d let me.
Does anyone know of a non-invasive way of dealing with splinters? I’m so worried about infection.

Could you give her the tweezers so she can do it herself?

That won't work on an autistic child. My DS is autistic and absolutely won't be bribed or reasoned with, the only option would be to pin him and then cheer him up afterwards.

I think I'd wait until she was asleep today, as I said.

If they don't come out it will have to be escalated, but you sound a bit extreme escalating immediately.

@bergamotorange We’re on holiday, so have no control over the decking but will be enforcing shoes more vigorously from now on.
She has big sensory issues so hates wearing them but I’m hoping this will be a lesson.

How brave are you?

My autistic nephew had some splinters like this, absolute screaming ab dabs at any attempt to remove them. My brother went and got some wood splinters and shoved them in his own foot, then sat with nephew and showed him how he'd remove them, how quick it was, said "it does hurt but only a tiny bit and once they're gone it stops hurting completely" and the awesome Spiderman plaster he'd get once they were out. Nephew very bravely let him do it after that. Obviously not going to work for every child but my nephew just needed to SEE what was going to happen to understand it.

Otherwise a warm salt water soak might help loosen things up. Or a hydrocolloid blister plaster can draw them out and keep it covered!

Can you put some salt in the bath? It might help to reduce potential infection and clean the wound.

If enough is poking out, you can sometimes apply duct tape and then slowly pull it off in the direction that the splinter is pointing.

@FantasticButtocks She’s had a go but she has the fine motor skills of a chimp in boxing gloves, so no joy.

Pinning down will be tricky it's hard to completely immobilise the leg and foot so if she's kicking and squirming you'll really struggle - ex paediatric MIU nurse experience

as others have suggested warm water bath, hydrocolloid dressing or magnesium sulphate paste will help draw it out. Very gently try and massage around it to help it come out. Obviously red hot swelling could indicate infection which can lead to sepsis but there's no signs of that and you would definitely have warning that it was turning that way.

is there anyway she can try pushing it out herself it's often easier to do something like that yourself.

Definitely plasters, after soaking; leave on for 24-48 hours. I've always found this to work with shallow splinters. They just slip out.

@MonsteraMama Definitely not that brave, though I take my hat off to your brother!

@bergamotorange it's more extreme to cater to her and let her get an infection

@NeedSomeAnswersPlease Please stop insisting on pinning down as the only reasonable option.
I know my daughter and I know how strong she is, so need to try other things first.

Nigh on impossible to pin down a 10 year old and totally disable their foot. The ankle is a strong joint. You'd need at least 2 adults and it wouldnt be pretty. But forget messing about with plasters, they need to be out. They're more like shards than splinters, bloody huge!

Take heed of the nurse above.

If it can be removed quietly this evening hopefully all will be well.

As for 'cater to her'

Magnesium sulphate paste draws things out and may be useful afterwards in case if any bits left behind.

Could you get her to lie in her stomach watching TV? It is harder to see from that position. Cover her legs with a sheet so it feels further away. You can then subtly tuck it round her so she can't move her legs so easily.

Then just do it as quickly as possible. Good luck

Tattoo numbing cream and do it when they're asleep.

I have had 2 kids, one on the autistic spectrum and one who isn't. I could pin the one down not on the spectrum and get a splinter out no fucking problem but try that with my autistic child lol it's a different story and believe it or not, it's not just as easy as pinning them down. You seem to think the OP is fannying about and is not bothered about infections and stuff because in your world it's a simple solution so why not just do that and get it over with lol if only

@Fubarred Is that like Emla cream? We’re on holiday so not sure where we’d get specific tattoo-numbing cream but will be able
to get to a pharmacy, at least.

Cold spray to numb the area? I agree with you that pining her down isn't the way to go.

This is what I used to do with my children when they were small. I would give the child an ice cube and tell them to rub it on the place where the splinter is and that this would numb the place, which is true - it also wets the skin so it is softer. I would start with a sterilised needle and tell them that I would stop whenever they chose so that they could rub some more ice on.

The beauty of this is that it does help numb the area but also, most importantly, puts them in control.

It is a slow process - but it works.

That’s an interesting approach, @Mischance - I’m not sure whether DD would go for it but letting her feel in control is definitely key.

Did you have trouble reading the opening post?

Try using a calpol syringe (if no one had suggested this before). The suction helps draw splinters out.

Ouch that looks painful

Nail clippers are better than needles for removing splinters