Splinter deep under nail- doctor?

[winnybella]

DS (8) fell two days ago and got a wooden splinter under his thumbnail. Weirdly, it went sort of like a bullet and it's lodged under the nail, few mm away from the edge, so I can't get it out.
He says his thumb is a bit sore, but no big deal. Shall I take him to the doctor?
I know it's not v.serious, but I'm worried about it going septic, but at the same time not really keen on lifting the nail now at the docs if it's possible it will come out as the nail grows.
Basically asking if anyone had an experience of something similar.

yes I would take him to the doctor, or maybe the practise nurse if you have one.

We had similar with a splinter under DS toenail. We ended up in casualty where they split the nail to get it out, I would get it checked out.

Really? It's quite small, only a few mm. They would have to lift the nail off, I guess, which would be extremely painful.
Hmm.

Oh, happy, was the splinter big? How did your DS cope?

the doctor might not do anything but it's best to get their advice.

just realised it's friday - if it's small and not bothering him, keep an eye on it and see how it is on monday.

You could try magnesium sulphate paste (drawing ointment) first. You get it from your chemist. You mix it up into a paste & spread it under the nail as best you can and onto the cushiony bit of a plaster. Put the plaster on as normal and leave for 24 hours. Sometimes this can help 'draw' out splinters/infections etc (no idea what it is in the mag sulph paste that works, it just does - for me anyway)

Have you tried cutting the nail really short to see if you can get at it? If not, I would just keep shoving savlon under the nail and wait for the nail to grow. But I am a great believer in benign neglect - my children live in the country, and if we went to the drs for things like this we would be living there!

Thanks all.
What's savlon, seeker? We're in France...
I can't get to it, it's half way down his nail.

It was a really big splinter (I usually do lean towards the "leave it and see how it goes style of parenting") but we had tried the other suggestions here. The casualty were brill gave him gas and air in the end and it was over and done with very quickly. He thought being darth vader was great!!

Ok, this one is quite small. I think I'll leave it and at first sign of infection take him to the doctor.
Thank you all.

i keep reading it as SPHINCTER

sory

hth

Is it definitely a splinter and not a 'splinter bruise' from where the piece of wood went in? Bruises under the nail come in all weird sizes & guises.

Savlon in a mild antiseptic cream here in UK. I'm sure France will have something similar (like Germolene or something)

soak some gauze in mag sulph paste and secure over nail so that paste stays in contact with the area affected. Keep putting it on regularly and it should draw it out. Look out for infection tho as that would need anti biotics