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Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

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Original poster

4 year old is in tears as he has a splinter and won't let me get it out

23 replies

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 20/02/2010 19:21

He doesn't want to go to school as he misses me and says daddy says he has too.

The boys are talking, ds2 is blaming ds1 for him getting the splinter in the first place and is crying again.

OP posts:

Pumphreydidit · 20/02/2010 19:25

put warmed slice of bread (warm it on lowest toast setting) on splinter. leave it for 10 mins then do it again in half an hour. cover it with a towel to keep the heat in. the splinter will work it's way out.

ilovesprouts · 20/02/2010 19:32

get a plaster rub soap on it ,then put sugar on it and the splinter will work its self out [old wifes tale]

jkklpu · 20/02/2010 19:37

This is really tough - even with quite a lot of experience, my 4yo still gets into a state when he gets a splinter. Put the hand/foot into a mug/bowl of warm water (on the hot side of warm, but not so it's an uncomfortable heat). Keep it in there for as long as he can stay still. This will make the skin around it softer and easier to get it out by squeezing, if that's going to be possible.

If the splinter is very fine and impossible to get out this way but keeping your son upset with discomfort, can you do a trial run on his favourite toy? If his teddy shows the way, would he put up with you extracting the splinter with tweezers or even a sterilised needle? How good is he at rationalising? Would it help if you explained in advance exactly what you were going to do and why and that giving him a treat afterwards and lots of cuddles?

Schools stuff sounds unrelated, just a way of one child winding the other up.

hormonesnomore · 20/02/2010 19:41

Poor boy. I used to wait till mine were asleep then gently dig out the splinter - they were very deep sleepers though!

Failing that, how old is he? If he's old enough to do it himself, let him dig at it with a needle at his own pace - not as bad as when someone else does it. (Obviously wouldn't be suitable if your DS is v. young)

hormonesnomore · 20/02/2010 19:43

Sorry, just read thread title and can see he's too young to do it himself.

notapizzaeater · 20/02/2010 19:49

I bath DS and then "roughly" dry him - just over the splinter site, normally pulls it out

Original poster

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 20/02/2010 19:50

My plan was to try with the towel but he wqs screaming too much to let me near him.

He has stopped crying now, I had put him to bed but he is out now talking to ds1.

OP posts:

Pancakeflipper · 20/02/2010 19:51

Does the bread one really work? Off to play on our garden fence to test it.... Brill as my son had a huge fit about a splinter last Summer and I tried all sorts to no success.

Hopefully · 20/02/2010 20:09

My mum always used to do mine while I was asleep - even if I woke up at the final moment it was easier than my utter hysteria if she brandished a needle at me while awake.

[not brave emoticon]

Original poster

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 20/02/2010 20:15

I wouldn't even get near him without him waking up.

OP posts:

FernieB · 20/02/2010 20:29

We always used a plaster with olive oil and sugar to encourage them to come out. Either that or a DVD and chocolate!

Dillie · 20/02/2010 20:35

Bribery and distraction works in this house

I wave a freddy or something like that after a warm bath and her favourite dvd, get my dh to distract her when I get a good sight on the splinter then quickly grab it.

Freddy stops the tears almost instantly

Pumphreydidit · 20/02/2010 20:43

Pancake- the yeast in the bread acts like a poor man's kaolin poultice to draw the splinter outwards.

Original poster

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 20/02/2010 20:43

Tried chocolate but we can't even break the skin to get it a way out so stuck.

OP posts:

brimfull · 20/02/2010 20:45

It will eventually work its way out on its own. This happened when dd was about the same age and was hysterical when i tried to pull it out.

Stick a loose plaster on it and leave it.

saggyhairyarse · 20/02/2010 21:27

Magnesium sulphate poultice should work.

Do sympathise, my DS had a bugger of a splinter in his foot a while back.

MadamDeathstare · 20/02/2010 21:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

SoupDragon · 20/02/2010 21:34

You could try numbing it with an icecube first.

I have to confess I am an Evil Mother when it comes to stuff like this. I take the strife and just get it done.

2010aQuintessentialOdyssey · 20/02/2010 21:35

Washing up liquid and warm water. Soak for 30 minutes, then gently press behind the splinter.

The splinter will soak up the water/washing up liquid and expand, and in this way start pushing itself out. You can help it, by pushing gently behind splinter.

Original poster

FabIsGoingToBeFabIn2010 · 21/02/2010 09:26

Plaster has come off in the night. Splinter still in. Looks red around it. DS still refusing to let us take it out. Normally I would just do it but I am not confident about breaking the skin without really hurting him. He wants to go swimming and even that isn't enough to let us have a go.

OP posts:

2010aQuintessentialOdyssey · 21/02/2010 09:46

Well, if you cant get him to soak a finger for thirty minutes, why not let him soak his entire body for a couple of hours?

You dont want him to develop an infection, can be nasty, as he might need antibiotics, and a lot of cleaning and dressing, etc.

My sister got an infection from a splinter, it was not a pretty sight. It was oozing green goo.

MadamDeathstare · 21/02/2010 19:43

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

taffetacat · 21/02/2010 19:58

My DS had one for a few days that he wouldn't let us near. We soaked it forever and I don't think it made a difference as it wasn't poking out, there was skin around it IYSWIM.

I yanked it out after having picked off the skin with the tweezers whilst he was asleep. Early on though - he's truly gone after about 20 minutes but before 45 mins.

It was very deep, there is no way he's have let me do it whilst he was awake.

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