Sons finger, help please!!

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Hi, I have just noticed this on my 4 year old sons finger. Any advice on what I can do tonight? Will be taking him to doctors tomorrow. Thanks

I would pop it with a sterilised needle and put inadine on it but probably best to be left alone. I’d go to a walk in centre rather than gp.

Ouch!
Warm salt water to sit it in to help draw the infection out?

Keep it clean and cover it with a dressing, give him paracetamol for the pain if he needs it.

I think that would be a paronychia. I don’t know what you can do about it before the doc sees it, but google might. Ours was easily treated with antibiotic cream and forever known as ET finger.

Had the same with my daughter few months ago, GP gave her antibiotics, I bathed it morning and night then I cut it slightly with a sterile needle and pushed the gunk out, was loads better the next day

Hope someone medical can advise - does he have a temperature ? Is he well in himself? I get paranoid about sepsis and infection so I draw around the redness with biro so I can see easily if it spreads but thats probably just me.

My son had exactly this a few weeks ago. I got a sterile needle and made a tiny hole, then I got sterile (cooled boiled water) cotton wool and very gently pushed the pus out of the hole. Keep clean, and add some antiseptic cream. Healed so fast. Doctors probably not be needed.

Magnesium sulphate paste. Bandage it should draw it out.

Hi it's a paronychia it'll throb like a bitch so I'd recommend calpol. Usually course of antibiotics will clear it. I wouldn't pop it myself, if already popped soak in cool boiled salt water.

I think it’s called a whitlow. My daughters was treated with magnesium paste... bath it in some warm salt water, pierce it and put a plaster on it. If you have a bit of germaline pop that on before wrapping in the plaster. That should draw it out. :)

Wow, thanks for all the replies. I was thinking it was maybe a whitlow?? Iv read that you should never pop them incase they get infected, although I think it's already infected. Iv gave him paracetamol, I think he does feel hot and hes looking quite tired but could just be me paniking a bit. Iv gave it a good wash. Will cover it with a bandage or something. It's awful sore, he was crying anytime I touched it.

we used to call this a whitlow when I was a kid. Long bath with playtime and the warm water will draw out the infection and soften the skin. Quick squeeze after with the towel he dries on.

I could never get a needle or such near my son at that age as he panicked it would hurt more. The bath suggestion works well for splinters too.

cross posted!

yes it is a little localised infection. it hurts because it cannot get out. Pop it if he will let you, but use a sterile needle. Often a squeeze with the towel over it on softened warm skin works

Personally I would pop it as you can clearly see there is pus there already.
Do it carefully and use antiseptic/alcohol wipes on the needle/finger before and after.
Then I'd use sudocreme and a bandage

After a nice warm bath, take a pair of nail scissors that you've dunked in boiling water. Nip the pus pocket- scissors are more controllable than a needle, and he's used to you being near his nails with a scissors.

Letting the pressure release by allowing it to drain will be a huge release for him.

I'm sure my DS got antibiotics when his finger was like that.

The really really yucky ones.

I think it's a whitlow I had one when I was little. I remember going to the doctors and them putting my finger in something (probs tcp) and they put a huge bandage on it. My nail fell off though so must have been a horrible one!

Definitely paronychia, I had it recurrently on my fingers when recovering from emergency c section last year. I’m another who went with popping when possible and warm salt water baths. My HV was never that worried and said I could get antibiotic cream from the doctor but it’d go away by itself if I just kept soaking.

It’s a. Whitlow. I had one some years ago. Freaked me right out but it does go by itself x

This is ideal to take to a pharmacy for advice i you are really unsure. Its an infected wick at the side of the nail

Soak it Salt water and then water with some dettol after!

My son had one years ago. Pierce it with a sterile needle and push out the puss, it will relieve the pressure and pain.
Put germoline or some other antiseptic on it until you can get to pharmacy.

My DS had this - went to the GP and they showed me how to pierce and drain it if it ever happened again! It was pretty gross but also very satisfying!

Soak in Salt water as hot as is comfortable several times a day. It will heal.

For some reason I get this a lot. It throbs like crazy until I soak it in warm water and then gently run a small knife along the side of the nail and squeeze so it bursts and all the puss comes out. It sometimes needs another little squeeze the next day but that's normally it.