What do you do if you can't remove splinters?

[Aero]

Ds has a fingerful of splinters from mucking around on the fence, most of which I've been able to remove, but now he's totally stressed, nervous and feeling sick (nerves) and there are a few well embedded ones which there's no way he'll let me at.

I'd feel a bit weird turning up at A&E with a splinter tbh, so does anyone have any suggestions about how I can remove them from a very nervous 8yo's finger?

Can't call GP for advice as they're closed atm, so I'd have to speak to someone at out of hours clinic which I'd rather avoid due to past experience.

Aero, i soak them in water first and then tweezer them out. Will he put his hand in a bowl of water?

soak fingers in warm water to soften skin, that might helpoften they make there own wayout

If all else fails you can put magnesium paste from the chemist on it, it is meant to draw them out. Not that it worked on the inch long thorn my DH got in his let - after much digging and three trips to the surgery they couldn't find it, then it suddenly came out all of its own accord FOUR months later!

they normally come out on their own

if it is wood and it's not infected, then put a plaster on and they should work their way out

His finger is sore atm from first lot (sterile pin and tweezers job which he was fairly brave about), but I'm going to let him soak in the bath later and let his fingers soften up - am hoping he'll let me try again after that. I can't leave them though and there are still several there. The biggest one was so deep that removing it was beginning to draw blood, so I can't blame him for being afraid. I'm just worried that I might do more harm than good by trying to get any more out.

his finger's probably quite sore - I would bung some antiseptic cream on (after his bath), put on a plaster and let it recover overnight - poor boy, splinters are horrible and if you really want to dig around again, perhaps try again tomorrow?

Will they really make their own way out? Infection was what I was worrying about? If they are likely to come out of their own accord I'd rather leave them I think.

Put a plaster on after he's been in the bath. The heat should draw the splinter out. They can take a few days to work their way out on their own, but they will come.

DS2 sat in a thorn bush once. Luckily he had very thick trousers on so his bot remained unprickled, but his poor hands were full of them. I got most of the prickles out at the time, but there were still thorns emerging 2 weeks later. I'm convinced there are still some in there, but human bodies are very good at getting rid of "foreign bodies" so it's probably just my paranoia.

Yes they will work their way out. I always leave them if they can't be easily reached. Your body expels all foreign bodies, eventually.

I think germolene helps pull things out too? If you get the fingers soft, put germolene and a plaster on, it might come out by morning.. I hope! I can't think of any magic they'll be able to perform at the hospital TBH.

I never knew that they did this but after virtually having to get dd in a headlock so I could get one out of her finger, a dad at school told me to leave it! It went against all my splinter removal tendencies so I put antiseptic cream on, put a plaster on, made sure she soaked it regularly and it did come out on its own.

I think you have to watch for infection though - hers wasn't red (once I stopped poking it around).

In your case, I would definitely leave it for another day just for his sake as they do find it traumatic and if it looks horrible tomorrow, you could always get the nurse to sort it out at the surgery.

Well, I'm going to take the good advice offered here and soak it, cream it, cover it and leave it for a few days. I do have some fucidin antibiotic cream in the house too, so might bung a bit of that on to prevent any infection lurking around. Will leave it at least until tomorrow before I inspect it again and if it doesn't look infected, I'll leave it to it's own devices if it's not bothering him when he uses his finger. He definitely needs a break now though. Wish my mum had had mn - I've had many a splinter removed under duress in my day!!

Thanks everyone.

Apparently bonjela is quite useful for splinter removal as it numbs the area.

Might try that if all else fails soupy - thanks.
He's gone off to bed with a plaster on his finger and we have agreed to leave it for a few days to see what happens. It seems clean enough to not become infected.

Get a large cup of hot(as hot as he can stand it) salt water with has much salt as the water will hold and dunk his finger in it and keep it there for about 20 mins or so the splinters should come out on their own.

hey aero, they may not be infected but they are a foreign body and his immune system will potentially react to them, so its not always just about keeping them clean.
they will work their way out eventually but you could make an appointment with the practise nurseif they are looking dodgy and get her to see what she can do.
Chloramphenichol eye ointment is fab for drawing things out of wounds and keeping them bug free.
good luck

Hello cw - so, the chap's walking is he? Excellent(assuming you were chapsmum). How was the wedding? Have I missed any pics? (Am hijacking my own thread here, lol).

He's very afraid to go to the nurse to see about them, so I'm going to try the suggested advice here before going down that route. Fingers crossed they'll come out by themselves, but rest assured, if necessary, I'll have him seen if they don't.

the chap is walking!
Wedding was fabulous!!
will try to post a wee pic on members profiles later..