to ask you for advice on removing dd's splinter

[wimblehorse]

Posting for traffic.

Dd(5) got a splinter at childminder's yesterday. She won't let anyone (CM, dh or me) near it to remove it.

She has a phobia of medical-y procedures since an accident when she was 3 when she had to have dressings changed.

She was almost hyperventilating this evening when I tried to get a good look/attempt to remove it.

She/I know it has to come out - it is sore & has started to swell.

She's too physically strong for me to do it without her co-operation & she just can't keep still as she's so panicked at the prospect of pain to co-operate.

Distraction/bribes/threats aren't working.

It seems to be embedded so not sticking out so I know it will be painful to remove.

What can I do to remove it before it becomes infected? Google suggests ichthammol paste (no idea if this is avail in uk) or baking powder paste (checked & we don't have any in house or I would have already tried - can get some tomorrow if it works tho!)

Can you let her pluck a couple of eyebrow hairs for you with tweezers? You will be ever so brave and then she might let you pull the splinter with them. Or even try herself, if she's sufficiently steady.

A bit of bread was recommended to me stick a bit under a plaster, then tomorrow put a piece of duck tape on it nice and firm then pull it off the splinter should come with it.

Magnesium sulphate paste might draw it out - you can get it from any pharmacy.

Bathe it in salt water or put salt in her bath. It will work itself out.

Magnesium sulphate paste from a pharmacy may work

To be honest, I would do it when she was asleep. My dad used to do this when I was younger if I had blisters.
I would soak it in warm water and tea tree oil then used a sterilised needle plus tweezers to get it out.

A GOOD HOT BATH.

Going to put bread/plaster on her now. Will get mag/sulph paste tomorrow.

Thanks for the suggestions.

She's so petrified of the tweezers having worked herself up so much & it does seem to be buried that them alone/eyebrow thing won't cut it...

When I was a kid I remember my parents making a paste out of household soap (as in the type you wash your hands with) and sugar. That was slapped on with a normal plaster on top, and it drew the splinter out.

Tell us how you get on.

I feel your pain OP - my daughter absolutely hates anything medical - she broke her arm at 2, then had a couple of episodes of 'pulled elbow', and was in hospital age 4 for pneumonia - absolute nightmare. She is now 9 and is slowly developing strategies to deal with medical stuff. A huge thing for her is trust - so if I say I'm going to just look and not touch then I have to stick to that (even if it's really tempting to prod/poke whatever needs prodding/poking). This way (using a torch is good) at least she will now let me have a good look at things without an instant 'pulling away' reaction!

For splinters we now soak in a bowl of warm salty water each day for as long as possible. This helps them to ease their own way out, and my daughter (although older than yours) will now use the tweezers herself if an end pokes out - she prefers to be the one 'in control'.

Will your daughter put some antiseptic cream on it herself - this might help to stop it getting infected. Obviously if it does get infected then you will need to seek medical advice, but hopefully it will resolve before then. Good luck.

I had one that caused me grief for a few days, I used peroxide in the end. Luckily I had some in the house as I use it to clean my contact lenses. If you have some then it might do the job.

Sticky part of a plaster over the area .

Drawing paste.

Sugar and soap poultice (Mummy's magic mixture) held in place with a plaster, will work wonders, you've probably got the stuff to hand.

Put some pva glue on it, leave it to dry then peel it off and the splinter should come straight out!