Do I really need to take DS to A&E for this?

[Hullabaloo9]

At a sport club yesterday my son fell on his little finger. He says it went crunch. It swelled a little but he could move it. He is not a whinger with injuries so just got on with it.

This morning he says it hurts more. It's definitely more swollen and he can't bend it. He's fine though, not fussing.

Do I really need to take him to A&E with this? If it is broken is there anything they can actually do for a pinky finger?

Yes probably.

I know someone who needed their finger plating from a break. I’d get him checked.

They would put it in a splint. Take him ffs

I'd take it to minor injuries, they can also do X-rays for fractures there. ds's painful toe was looked at a minor injuries once and they were able to x-ray it and discover he had an old fracture.

Take him before it starts healing in the wrong position and they have to break it again

Of course you do, it's his finger. I know people who've had broken fingers not seen to and healed wrong causing them issues in later life. Writing, driving, typing, sport. Even if is broken probably just a splint but you need to make sure something as important as a digit heals properly.

Agree with PP minor injuries (if you have one) is the right place. And yes, you should definitely take him

Of course you do

Of course it needs looking at. Pain relief if nothing else.

Do you have a walk in centre nearby?

Even your pinky has a lot of input to your grip, you should definitely take him

Yes of course you do. DH left it a week before getting a broken finger treated and it caused lots of issues. Why would you not get it checked?!

Have you not got a minor injuries unit? A&E is a bit extreme for a bent finger.

Yeah minor injuries not A&E. You'll be waiting ages otherwise. Hope he feels better soon 🙂

Genuine question: What would you do in this situation if mumsnet did not exist?

I’m jealous so many posters still have a minor injuries unit. Ours closed down years ago. Thankfully it was available when my kids were small, feel like we used it loads over the years so baffled that it was ever closed.

Yes a friend (adult) did something similar and didn't get it checked and it affects him, with quite a few everyday tasks because his finger is 'not quite right" and surgery to aid correction has been suggested .

Yes. If you ignore it it may well heal badly.
Little fingers are very different to little toes (which still need TLC when healing).

My son broke his pinkie finger falling off a bike. It was xrayed, snapped back in place while he had gas and air and his hand put in a cast for 2 weeks. We then had to go back for a custom made splint and xray to see if it needed operating on which fortunately it didn't. He had the splint on for a further 4 weeks then a physio app before being discharged. Deffo take him.

Ok, pretty unanimous. Il take him. It just felt a bit dramatic considering he's not bothered. Thanks all.

I understand you. A&E on a Saturday when there is a storm affecting the whole country and staff pushed to their limits, over a finger. I would have been the same as you.

Definitely minor injuries. Then if it needs surgery he'll be sent to A&E or as an outpatient. They can X ray it and usually the waiting time is not too bad. It may just need a splint.
If you go to A&E with it you'll be waiting 12 hours plus.

A and E maybe quiet because of the storm

Yes, my husband broke his finger playing hockey. He didn’t go to Aand E for a week and now can’t bend it properly as he had damaged the ligament.

My mum didn't do anything about a damaged little finger and it's causing her so many issues now. I would get proper advice.

I’d take him. I ruptured a tendon in a finger and it looked like that. I had also heard it crunch. I had to have surgery for it, I had delayed going to minor injuries as I didn’t think it was worth it. They weren’t impressed