I need some support

[itch1]

On Tuesday my youngest (3.5) was helping me put the car seats in the van and his finger got smashed ! I felt horrible and comforted him, I told em he would probably lose his nail. It turn black and blue almost immediately When we got home the side of his finger had split and a little blood I mean little was seeping out So we pedicures and bandaged. The wife was all over me about taking him to the hospital talking about nerve damage I told her I've had the same thing happen to me. Later in the day PaPa came over and looked at and didn't think we needed to see anyone. We cleaned it that night and on weds bit tonight I go to clean it and the end of his finger is more plump the black and blue is looking better but the wife see a brownish spot at the base of his nail and says it's infected I looked at and does look that way and with finger plinking up it seems the reason is the blood has no where to go I think I need to lance it. The wife wants me take off work and take em to the doctor.
I feel sick to my stomach. Did I do the right thing? What should I do now?

 

[Minnie_at_Heart]

If you are able to take off work, then definitely take your son to the doctor. It's better to be safe then sorry and have it get worse. Even if the doctor says that its not infected it will at least put you and your wife at ease about his finger.

 

[Born 2 Fish]

Go to the see the doc.
If this finger has caused enough worry to come here to ask for our opinion scared1 then ya might wanna get it look'd at,

just my opinion,,but then again,,I'm not a doctor.
but I am a professional wuzz for pain.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

I second (third?) the suggestion to go to the doc. When I was opening up a deck of shrink-wrapped cards for a board game, I slid my fingernail into the pack to split it open. Gave myself a little paper cut under my fingernail. Next day, it still hurt. Next day, it started looking weird. Day after that, it woke me up, it hurt so badly. Won't go into the details, but it turns out, it'd gotten infected from that little paper cut. It HURT. Take him this morning so it doesn't turn into a big deal.

...oh, and don't beat yourself up about it. Parenting is filled with judgment calls.

 

[des1954]

I basically did this same thing - only to myself. (See my avatar...I'm stooopid) After a week of nursing it, and putting up with the pain, I finally went to the Dr. He lanced it & I felt immediate relief. He told me if I ever did this again to come in right away, get it lanced and let the healing begin. I'm one of these people that think I can tough things out & don't need to go to the Dr. for "every little thing". I'm wrong a good 80% of the time and it's taken me over 50 years to learn to go to the Dr. after day 2 of an illness rather than playing the wait & see game.

 

[DaveInTN]

I'm also in the "go to the doctor" camp. Even if he/she does what you would have done at home, you can't be sure of doing it right or the tools being sterile. Better safe than sorry. Not sure if your health insurance situation is an issue or not...but if that is a concern you can always ask the office if they can provide some sort of private pay discount to help with the cost of the office visit.

Don't beat yourself up! We've all made so many mistakes when parenting. And it's not like you can learn from the mistakes and use your knowledge on the next kid...they are all different!

 

[Judy in Texas]

If it were me, I'd be soaking it in warm epsom salts a couple times a day. The issue here is a 3.5 year old with a bum finger and a wife who could come back at anytime in the near or distant future and say "I told you so..." if it is in fact infected.

I was in your position when my daughter was little. She tried to pick up our cat when there was a strange cat outside the front door. Our cat bit her on the cheek. Just one small puncture. Her father took her to the doctor who put her on antibiotics with instructions to watch for infection. I thought her father over-reacted. The puncture scabbed over nicely and looked to be on its way to healing when the scab fell off and it started oosing. She ended up in the hospital for 3 days on iv antibiotics. I felt bad and still do 30 years later.

Is it an option for your wife to take him so you don't have to take off work?

 

[3gr8kids]

I'm going with Judy on this one. Epsom salt soaks a couple times a day. If no better in a day or two, def. see the pediatrician.

 

[Judy in Texas]

itch1: Update please. How's the kiddo's finger doing?

 

[ftwildernessguy]

Fingers have a sort of inner sleeve if you will made of a tough material called fascia. It surrounds the finger enclosing the blood vessels, nerves, tendons and bone. Because of this sleeve, if there is any swelling, it can't balloon out like it can on other body parts like arms and legs. It is contained, and as a result things get tight and if the swelling gets bad enough, it can cut off the circulation, hence Debs experience with lancing the area to drain it and relieve the pressure. I have seen people nearly lose a finger or part of one due to a relatively simple injury or infection - one was a fellow student who got a herpetic lesion on her finger. I vote for the ER.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I say wait on the Doc and go only if it starts to smell funny, If it was good enough for the cowboys its good enough for me. Its a tough world and you gotta harden them kids up or they will grow up to be sissys.

Just kidding.

 

[YodaGirl]

Another vote for the doctor. Let us know how things turn out. Praying for you all.

 

[polkadotsuitcase]

itch1, did I miss an update? How's the little dude's finger?