A&E or not?

[Elevenfourteen]

Hi, I’ve posted on children’s health as well as could do with some speedy advice. My son said he had a sore spot on his arm this afternoon. I asked if it was a big spot and he said no. Anyway he’s just got out of the shower and came to show me and it’s quite red around it and swollen. He said pus came out of it in the shower. NHS 111 said to leave it until morning. The nearest pharmacy open late is 38 miles away. Would you leave it or whizz him up to A&E. He’s 13 by the way.

Might just be an ingrowing hair

How big? mug size diameter? 2 pound coin?
My guess is I'd leave it til morning assuming he's not feverish.
Put antiseptic on it.

Doesn't sound like an A&E job. Not unless it's an injury with an infection that you think is becoming severe and needs an antibiotic drip or something, like when you can see a red patch spreading or tracking around an injury. I'd just go to a pharmacy tomorrow and ask for some advice.

No, this isn't an emergency

Leave it!

Ok, thanks for the advice.

We need a pic!

This is it.

Leave it. Unless he gets a temperature then he'll survive until tomorrow

The usual advice is to draw around the current red patch with a biro and write the time next to it and watch closely to see how fast it is spreading. That looks like a fairly large area though. Bumping to see if someone qualified is around to comment.

Maybe antiseptic cream and a plaster and review in the morning- not A&E at this point. I'm not a medic though just a mum and that is what I would do for my DS. He is a hairy beast as well and it could be just an ingrown hair.

I'd get him seen. If you don't go in tonight keep an eye on his temperature. Also draw around the red but with a sharpie so you can see if the infection is spreading.

Thanks for all the advice. I’ll draw round it and keep an eye on it…typical these things always happen at night!

Antihistamines from a 24hr garage. They'll take the heat out if it and reduce itching and swelling. Looks like a reaction to an insect bite. I've had loads of these

My daughter had very similar. The dr said they were boils. They got quite large and were extremely painful. They had a red head and the red ring around them, extremely sore. She had them on and off for over a year, mainly on her leg. I always presumed it was because she was run down, but she ate well and slept now and we never really knew why, but suddenly she stopped getting them.Over a year she had about 6. Obviously I am not medically trained but they do look similar.

My dd went through a spell of getting these over a few months. Really puzzling but gave her anti histamine for swelling, painkiller If sore, antiseptic cream and watched for signs of infection. Biggest issue was stopping her squeezing the pus out of them!!

They used to look like this after a few days:

I wouldn’t go to A&E for that, especially not at this time on a Friday night.

Draw round it, put some Savlon on it and cover with a plaster then ask the pharmacist in the morning.

If no temperature you should be OK to see someone tomorrow

I would wait for the GP on Monday and go to the pharmacy tommorow. It’s not urgent at all absolutely not a matter for A and E.

Out of hours doctor just called and he’s sent a prescription for antibiotics to pick up in the morning. Thanks for all the advice.

Oh that's annoying looking, I bet itches... I'd be putting antiseptic on it & see how it went.

antihistamine good idea, too