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Original poster

Sons finger, help please!!

42 replies

Forgothowtospell · 23/12/2020 20:09

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

OP posts:
Monkeytapper · 23/12/2020 20:55

My son has had it a couple of times. As other have said, prick it with a sterilised needle and the gently squeeze the puss out then clean. It will feel better with all the bad stuff out.

Pandabuzz · 23/12/2020 21:17

I’ve had this before and it is really painful!
Like PPs said, popping it is your best option. Then just keep it clean and dry. I wouldn’t think doctors is needed (maybe pharmacy) but of course you know your DS best.
Hope his finger feels better soon Xmas Smile

DangerMouse17 · 23/12/2020 21:20

Get the pus out of it and it will relieve the pain. Dress afterwards. Doc not really needed.

CantBeAssed · 23/12/2020 21:26

Sterile needle and basin of good old fashioned dettol and hot water...

Pieceofpurplesky · 23/12/2020 21:29

Ouch. I got a pine needle in my finger from a Christmas tree once and it came up like this! Had it lanced in a and e on Christmas Day as it was just left to fester. I suggest a sterilised needle

Shadow1986 · 23/12/2020 22:55

Don’t bandage it without popping it, the pressure will be so painful for him. My sons felt instantly better once the pressure was released. He was a little scared of me putting a pin in it but I told him the skin was already dead and he wouldn’t feel a thing and he didn’t.

yellowmaoampinball · 23/12/2020 22:59

You shouldn't need to pop it. My son has had a few of these and the GP advised soaking it a few times a day in water as hot as he could manage. That almost always did the trick so I'd try that before potentially introducing any further infection (or upsetting him) by using a needle. If that doesn't work you may need antibiotics.

macdhui · 23/12/2020 23:04

Give him some paracetamol. I rubbed ice on my dds paronychia to numb it and then pierced it with a sterile needle. The relief was instant and it’s painless to do.
Apply magnoplasm and bandage. They often resolve without antibiotics but definitely worth showing his GP

Dawnlassie · 23/12/2020 23:27

Leave it alone but keep it clean. Dont pop or bandage instead take him to a pharmacy tomorrow for advice.

Wakeupin2022 · 23/12/2020 23:44

I would definitely visit pharmacy!

Given that tomorrow is Xmas Eve its better to get it checked out.

As I said earlier we did get antibiotics but I remember wondering whether GP was needed or not. I took him, but he had just finished antibiotics for Scarlet Fever so I was a bit unsure.

Rugbymumof2 · 24/12/2020 11:52

My daughter had this around her big toe nail a week ago, pharmacy said it needed to be checked by the GP.
We had a phone appointment and sent a photo to a link he gave us and then picked up a prescription for Fusidic acid cream and its now pretty much healed.
The infected skin turned into more of a blister and came off after a few days and we've kept putting the cream on twice a day until the redness disappeared.

Hopefully it's not too painful for him and Christmas is a good distraction while it settles.

Nat6999 · 24/12/2020 12:00

Mine popped itself, lots of hot salt water & massage the pus to the top. Don't be surprised if the finger sheds it's skin.

Original poster
Forgothowtospell · 24/12/2020 20:46

Hi. A little update. I really appreciate all the posts. Pharmacy recommended docs. I got a home call from a doctor who wanted him in to get checked over. He said it was a paronychia, like others have suggested. He has been given a 5 day course of antibiotics and iv been told to put some magnesium sulfate on it and bandage him up. It looked alot more red and swollen today so I'm glad he's got something to hopefully help. He bashed it just before heading to the docs and screamed in pain 😭. Think if it hit easing any in a few days or so u will try popping it. Hope he let's me, as I love watching videos like that 🙈😂😂

OP posts:
Original poster
Forgothowtospell · 24/12/2020 20:47

Also, hope everyone has a lovely Christmas tomorrow and thanks again for taking the time to respond to my post.

OP posts:
SlippersForFlippers · 24/12/2020 20:59

I've had this a couple of times both times I got antibiotics from the drs. They popped naturally it was such a relief when they did but it smelled bad!

Shelby30 · 24/12/2020 21:12

Oh I had this as a child. It's whitlow finger or something like that. It was on my thumb exactly like your sons. Poor little soul I remember it was very painful. I think my mum had to bandage it, maybe some sort of cream 🤷🏻‍♀️ Half the nail ended up falling off too somehow. Hope he gets better soon.

picklemewalnuts · 26/12/2020 18:47

Much better to pop it early, so that the swelling doesn't build up too much! That's what causes the peeling and nail loss.

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