Help! My 2 yr old's fingernail got completely ripped off!

[lorihadams]

Took her to the dr. and she was concerned that she may have actually torn her nail bed, in which case she would need surgery to repair it. So she sent us immediately to an orthopedic surgeon who took x-rays to make sure she hadn't cracked a bone and examined the nail and said to leave it alone, no cracked or broken bones, and not to remove the nail but to let it fall off on it's own. He also put her on antibiotics for 2 weeks and wants to see her back in 2 weeks to make sure everything is okay. He said to keep a bandaid on it, duh. I felt like it was a waste of time and money but at least DH is better now

 

[Mackay]

I certainly would not take oral antibiotics for this! especially knowing how dangerous antibiotics are to the overall system. Save such usage for a day when she really is truly sick and needs it.

Put neosporin or bacitracin topically on it. It will prevent infection.

 

[lorihadams]

See, this is my thing, I can see giving her a few days worth but 2 weeks? It seems a bit excessive to me. She pulled her band aid off this afternoon and played outside and it looks awful but it doesn't seem to be bothering her much. I doubt I will give her the full 2 weeks of antibiotics. I guess he was just worried because she ripped it so deep.

My husband and I got into it because I didn't want to take her in the first place. It's not that I'm not concerned about her but she has been fine. If she acted like it was bothering her then I might feel differently but she has been great. I got Scooby Doo bandaids today and she is a happy camper, wants them on every finger! I am with them all day and I see how they are and he just can't accept that I am so laid back when it comes to stuff like this. He sees blood and freaks.

 

[Sunny]

Ouch that would have hurt.. I know.. I once picked up a bucket while being barefoot.. It had ridges on it from when my grandpa leaned his saw on it while sharpening the blades.. And I accidentally caught my toe nail on it.. I ripped my toe nail off, then I accidentally dropped the same bucket down on my toe.. It put the nail back, but in the wrong way.. It hurt.. But it will heal.. The new nail will grow and push any of the old nail out.. But it takes time.. I have also had two of my finger nails smashed, and the nails fell off..

It should be all ok.. But I would have it checked to make sure the nail bed is ok.. And that the finger wasnt broken..

Just love on your little one, and give them some pain reliever.. But if the finger is bleeding badly.. Dont give them medicine that will thin the blood...

 

[Mackay]

Taking antibiotics just for a few days is not recommended.

Here is what you have. You have a non-infection being treated with an antibiotic.

Antibiotics will contribute to the creation of resistant bacteria.

Your child has many different bacteria in her body, including staph, many different kinds really. So your going to attack them for a couple of days, potentially mutate them then just for get it?

Antibiotics also sets you up for fungus overgrowth. Ever see a child with a vaginal yeast infection? I have. And did you know that these yeast infections with repeated antibiotic use can become resistant to treatment also?

This is the problem with antibiotics.

Don't give them unless there is infection that you cannot otherwise deal with. Why poison her whole body for a little local issue that is not at this time even an issue?

If her finger starts to get infected then use them if you cannot contain it any other way. Topical neosporin or bacitracin will prevent an infection. Apply thinly. Not so much that the tissues get boggy. A little goes a long way.

That doctor needs a good spanking!

 

[TanksHill]

Glad to hear your daughter is doing better.

 

[miss_thenorth]

Taking antibiotics just for a few days is not recommended.

Here is what you have. You have a non-infection being treated with an antibiotic.

Antibiotics will contribute to the creation of resistant bacteria.

Your child has many different bacteria in her body, including staph, many different kinds really. So your going to attack them for a couple of days, potentially mutate them then just for get it?

Antibiotics also sets you up for fungus overgrowth. Ever see a child with a vaginal yeast infection? I have. And did you know that these yeast infections with repeated antibiotic use can become resistant to treatment also?

This is the problem with antibiotics.

Don't give them unless there is infection that you cannot otherwise deal with. Why poison her whole body for a little local issue that is not at this time even an issue?

If her finger starts to get infected then use them if you cannot contain it any other way. Topical neosporin or bacitracin will prevent an infection. Apply thinly. Not so much that the tissues get boggy. A little goes a long way.

That doctor needs a good spanking!

I totally agree. Keep the script for if and when she develops an infection. Don't give before hand. And don't give her only a few days worth--this is counterprodutive-it helps build up resistance to the antibiotic, which could hurt her in the long run--like when she really needs it, and then it won;t work. Sorry--not telling you what to do (you're a big girl )but really-- I think that Dr needs to be slapped too!

 

[Beekissed]

I'm not a big pill pusher at all....but maybe the doc was covering the bases on this one. This type of injury~a crush injury~is susceptible to developing compartmenting and possible osteomyelitis, especially on such a small appendage. When it comes to a kid, they don't take any chances.

compartmenting syndrome muscles which are contained in an aponeurotic sheath(tendon) may be subjected to serious ischemia(loss of oxygen) as a result of increase in the size of the muscle as a result of vigorous muscular activity/or muscular swelling/edema.

When muscles are crushed, they tend to swell from extracellular fluids conveying anti-inflammatory agents to the site. The sheath of tendon, however, may not expand to allow for this swelling and will be so tight as to cut off the circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the tissues. The tissues die and start to decompose. This can happen in a surprisingly fast amount of time. As these muscles lie close to the bone, the infection can affect these as well. Then you are dealing with osteomyelitis....very dangerous in the young and the old.

To give you an example as to how fast this can happen:

One day, when I was 14, I bumped my shins rather severely. That night, my right leg awakened me with throbbing pains. It was pretty bad. When I got up to see what was wrong, I discovered a large goose egg on the leg that had barely gotten a visible injury. The left leg had been scraped down to the fat, the right had barely peeled back a tiny scrap of skin...but it did get hit right over a boney prominence.

The next day I had to have this drained, the bone scraped, and packing put in the large pocket that had formed. I had to take a pretty strong antibiotic, as I had osteomyelitis. I still have a large dip in my shin bone from this. The infection had already eaten into my bone overnight!

Sorry about the long story, but I thought it would help you all to understand, from a medical standpoint, why the doc might give an "unnecessary" drug as a prophylactic measure. Wouldn't want to have to remove the tip of a little girl's finger~or worse~because he didn't take a precaution.

 

[sylvie]

I agree with Beekissed about osteomyelitis. My aunt hit her shins when a young girl and was hospitalized for two years in an attempt to control osteomyelitis. She has many deep, large indentations on her legs due to it spreading. We've got good antibiotics now whereas she experienced this episode pre WWII.