Doctor in the house? Accident-prone people will do

[Leslie]

How long after stitches should I expect the wound to still bleed?

It's on the bottom of a 7 year old's heel. Since Thursday night (it's Tuesday night now). 9 visible stitches, he did a bunch inside too though. So it isn't getting a lot of rest. He's tippytoeing but running when he is on the go (Looks decidedly like an ape when he moves about). It keeps bleeding a wee bit every day. Maybe a dime-sized spot twice, three times a day when I change the bandage. (Gauze, taped on, with a tensor bandage wrapped around that).

It all looks ok, healthy enough, it's just not 'together' in spots.

 

[chcr]

How long after stitches should I expect the wound to still bleed?

It's on the bottom of a 7 year old's heel. Since Thursday night (it's Tuesday night now). 9 visible stitches, he did a bunch inside too though. So it isn't getting a lot of rest. He's tippytoeing but running when he is on the go (Looks decidedly like an ape when he moves about). It keeps bleeding a wee bit every day. Maybe a dime-sized spot twice, three times a day when I change the bandage. (Gauze, taped on, with a tensor bandage wrapped around that).

It all looks ok, healthy enough, it's just not 'together' in spots.

The lovely Dara says that's perfectly normal. It's partly because he's not staying off of it, but it could be happening either way. She's not a doctor, but she is an RN (you know, one of the people who provide the actual "health care"). She says that as long as it doesn't start to look infected you shouldn't worry.

 

[Leslie]

thank you and kudos to the lovely Dara! I feel better now. I was starting to worry lots.

 

[Inkara1]

I still say putting some hydrogen peroxide on it would do wonders. It will keep infection down... and it'll burn a little bit if there's any infection there, which would make him squirm a little bit.

Plus, it will bubble up... fun!

 

[unclehobart]

Total agreement with Chcr. The wound is on a flexible load-bearing section of the body. If he's still shuffling about, its going to keep weeping.

It would probably be best to wrap it up in a little gauze or slap a monster bandaid on it to keep it isolated from the sock as they are notorious breeder fields for yuckies.

 

[chcr]

Hey!! My socks are clean and smell... Oh... umm... never mind.

 

[Leslie]

So the stitches are to come out between Friday and Monday.

So. It's still bleeding...should I wait till Monday? Would it make a difference? They're likely gonna be with their father over the weekend so I don't see him actually *doing* anything for it.

 

[MrBishop]

So the stitches are to come out between Friday and Monday.

So. It's still bleeding...should I wait till Monday? Would it make a difference? They're likely gonna be with their father over the weekend so I don't see him actually *doing* anything for it.

In the meanwhile...a 4X4 gauze patch over the mouth will stop the complaining

Check to make sure the stitches havn't loosened up and made too much of a gap. There'd be no harm in keeping it on until Monday..or until it stops bleeding entirely.

 

[chcr]

I still say putting some hydrogen peroxide on it would do wonders. It will keep infection down... and it'll burn a little bit if there's any infection there, which would make him squirm a little bit.

Plus, it will bubble up... fun!

BTW, substitute betadine for the peroxide. Not as much fun, but much better infection protection.

So. It's still bleeding...should I wait till Monday? Would it make a difference? They're likely gonna be with their father over the weekend so I don't see him actually *doing* anything for it.

Re stitches out, Dara says to mention your concerns to the doctor. He should help you decide.

 

[Leslie]

But but but that means I have to go there! With him!

I think I'll just leave em till Monday. It's still in the time window I was given and his dad's an idjit about tending to any other than himself.

 

[PT]

I'd leave em in. They don't seem to leave them in very long at all anymore, I think on something like the foot they should stay in for a couple weeks at least. As for taking them out, all you need is a nail clipper and a pair of needle nose pliers. Of course, I guess with the socialized medicine you can get them out for free up there. I've always taken my own out.

 

[Professur]

Les couldn't do that. She'd be puking all over him.

 

[Leslie]

Yes, yes, I would

It's been a hard week. My friend is checking the status for me cause it's not closed yet so I can't look at it.

It's "free", so I'll go get it done at the office. At least there's someone to sue that way when infectious buggies get pulled into it.

 

[unclehobart]

So long as its clean, simple, red blood... its a healthy wound. If it starts leaking clear or cloudy... thats when you worry.

 

[greenfreak]

And check if it's red and swollen around the edges and is warm to the touch. Preferably when the rest of the foot isn't warm.

I would worry more about what's getting in than what's coming out. Like everyone suggested, peroxide and betadyne are good and if he's being really bad, how about some rubbing alcohol? Just kidding. That's cruel.

So what did he step on to get the wound in the first place?

 

[Leslie]

It still looks perfectly healthy, except the not quite closed bit. Same colour as surrounding skin, not looking like it's dying or infected.

At nights I'm putting Ozonol brand polysporin stuff. During the day I'm just leaving it covered with the gauze/tensor bandages.

He stepped on a tin can. So it's a lovely smile shaped slice.

 

[greenfreak]

Every child needs a scar so later in life they can wear it like a badge of honor. I have dog bite scars on the back of my leg, a straight line on my bottom lip where my teeth came through (head-first off a bike, included extensive dental work) and scar tissue under my left eyelid where I got a branch of a pine tree lodged in my eye.

See? Bragging about surviving injury is fun.

 

[Professur]

Les, can you get Detol? It's a gold coloured antiseptic. A splash or two of that in a basin of hot-as-you-can-stand water, and soak. No, he won't like it very much. But I guarantee it'll not be infected. The water turns cloudy when you put the Detol in. That's normal.

 

[Leslie]

While it sounds fun, I think I'm just gonna leave it alone, it seems ok enough, and he's starting to try and put his foot down on it, so he's either used to the pain or it's lessening.

 

[paul_valaru]

can't look at open wounds???