Ouch - toddler injured toe. Advice needed please.

[kindlekid]

A few days ago I noticed dd2's (2.6) big toenail had cracked right across about halfway down. It wasn't bothering her so I left it alone.

Then today she feel off her scooter in her bare feet. Her big toe started bleeding and it looks like the whole toenail is coming off.

She goes mad if I try to look at it. I managed to get a Band Aid over it quite loosely.

Do I need to do anything? I dread the thought of getting a shoe on her.

What will happen if the whole nail comes off? Will the toe be very painful? Any advice welcome.

It needs to be disinfected and checked regularly, probably cut the hanging out bits too. I would not put a plaster on. Do you have an out of hour doctor still open? 24h pharmacy? otherwise do your best and go to the GP tomorrow.

Thanks. Going to disinfect in a minute when she has calmed down.

So you think it needs looking at by the GP?

I only put the plaster on as she was so upset and thinks a plaster is a magic cure for everything. She didn't like seeing the blood.

My son dropped a very heavy stone on his big toe when he was 3 . He broke the nail half off but vertically, so one side gone. The nail bed was very bloody and we took him to A&E as we thought he might of hurt the bone too. He didn't. They did dress it to keep bits out but the dressing had to be changed every day fir about a week at the GP surgery by a nurse. Shoes were a no, so we got some sandals as that put no pressure on the nail. It took several weeks to heal and even longer for the other side to die and fall off then he had to wait for a new nail to grow which took about 6 months in total. Once the bloody mail bed was healed it was fine, we just had to be careful. He liked to wear 1 sock in bed to stop it catching on the covers for ages! Definately rake her to get it looked at in the morning and if a plaster makes her feel better it won't do any harm. Good luck!

Nails get infected really easily, if you have any doubt get her to the GP ASAP. Anything red or swollen around the area should be a warning sign.

Hope she is fine. DD1 is also a plaster girl and won't me touch anything. Sometime you have to be tough for them.

Tbh it happened to me many times (as I have freaky upturned toenails) and I just put the band aid on. I would change it every day and go to the doctor only if there are any signs of infection. It'll take a month or two for the nail to grow back.

Thanks everyone. I got a better look at it. The nail is cracked right across in two places but still in place.

I'm going to put a plaster on it tonight because I don't have anything else and then take her to the nurse in the morning.

Fingers crossed it doesn't get infected.