What to do about my son’s finger? Pic included

[Semicircling]

Posting mostly for traffic.

Noticed this on my 4 year old yesterday, he hasn’t made any fuss about this at all, so if I hadn’t noticed it, I wouldn’t even know it was there.
We called the out of hours/virtual walk in clinic and the doctor we spoke to did a video call and said she wasn’t worried about it at the moment but would prescribe antibiotics in case it gets worse.

So we’ve got some antibiotics in the fridge currently (flucloxacillin).

I think we should start it asap now, but my partner thinks we should watch and wait like the doctor said…in my eyes it hasn’t got any worse since the video call, but it hasn’t improved either.
Its hard to see from the pic, but it’s slightly swollen.

Yes it looks just like my sons toe a few weeks ago. It was infected and was red and swollen just like that. He is 4 too. The problem with that age is that they can't leave it alone once it starts bothering them.

If no improvement I would start the Fluclox.

I would watch and wait. Tbh I wouldn’t have filled the prescription until I was sure it would be used. It could turn into impetigo but could also just be one manky spot that soon goes away.

When mine had an infected toe we used magnesium sulfate paste and it kind of drew it out and healed fine. Looks sore!

I'm surprised she prescribed antibiotics for that. Just bathe it.

If the antibiotics have already been reconstituted which if they are in the fridge i’m assuming they have then you dont have long to watch and wait as they have a short expiry usually 7 or 14 days so i would check that to make sure he starts it in time to get the whole course in before it expires.

Magnesium sulfate, or until you've bought that, a salt water bath

Keep an eye on the redness to see if its spreads.

It may be cellulitis.

@Chlobo89 I didn't realise this about antibiotics, what does reconstituted mean in this instance?

@janeeyreair children often have liquid antibiotics. It's made up as the full liquid at the pharmacy. Once in the liquid state it's only good for a few days. They mix it to order.

I’ve drawn a circle around it and will see if it’s got bigger in the morning, if so will be giving the antibiotics. I don’t like giving antibiotics to him unless he really needs them.

@Luckydog7 was your son given antibiotics?

Why are you asking mumsnet when your GP has given you clear advice?

draw around it, if it spreads again then yes antib's

@Carpetmoth thank you , I didn't realise this.

I would have washed that in cooled boiled water with salt in, popped some sudocrem on it and seen how it was in the morning. Maybe gone to a pharmacy with it. The fact he isn't complaining about it suggests it isn't hurting too much.

It's just a sore finger isn't it?

Im genuinely surprised he has been prescribed anything for this.

Was the flucloxacillin prescribed for your son?
For this finger issue?

Sorry if I'm being dense, but I'm not entirely clear from your OP.

I suggest hot Salt water bathing tonight then ABs if no better in the morning

I'd just put some antiseptic cream on that, it'd probably be fine by morning

The antibiotics come as a dry powder so when you pick them up normally the dispenser will reconstitute it which just means adding the required amount of water and mixing it, once this is done it needs to be kept in the fridge and has a short expiry of usually a week but some are two weeks.

you can ask for them not to be made up but that needs to be made clear before they start preparing the prescription as in most cases the antibiotic is going to be used straight away so they do it automatically.

Ds gets lots of infected fingers from picking, magnesium paste normally does the trick to draw the infection out without having to resort to antibiotics. Give it a try first.