Hand or Finger Crush Injury, No Fracture (Child)

Home care

Follow these guidelines when caring for your child at home:

• Your child's health care provider may prescribe medicine for swelling and pain. Follow the provider's instructions for giving this medicine to your child. If pain medicine was not prescribed, ask the provider what medicine to give your child for pain or discomfort. Don’t give aspirin to your child unless the provider tells you to.

• Your child's provider may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection. Follow the provider's instructions for giving this medicine to your child.

• If your child is not up to date with their Tetanus vaccines, your child's provider may recommend a booster dose be given depending on the age of your child and the type of injury sustained.

• If the wound starts bleeding, put pressure directly on the spot that’s bleeding. Keep the pressure on for 10 minutes. Don’t stop or peek at it.

• Keep the affected hand raised to ease pain and swelling. This is most important during the first 2 days (48 hours) after injury. Have your child sit or lie down as often as possible. Put pillows under your child's arm until the affected hand is raised above the level of the heart. Keep an eye on the pillows so they don't slip and move near your child's face. This is especially important for babies and young children. Never leave your child unsupervised.

• Unless told otherwise, put a cold pack on the injury to help control swelling. You can make an ice pack by placing ice cubes in a plastic bag that seals at the top. Wrap the bag in a thin towel. Don't put the bag directly on the skin. As the ice melts, be careful that the splint doesn’t get wet. Most children don’t like the feel of the cold. Don’t force your child to use the cold pack. Sometimes it helps to make a game of it.

• Unless told otherwise, use the cold pack for up to 20 minutes every 1 to 2 hours the first day. Continue this 3 to 4 times a day for the next 2 days, then as needed. The cold pack can be placed directly on the splint.

• Care for the splint as you've been told. Don't put any powders or lotions inside the splint. Keep your child from sticking objects into the splint.

• Keep the splint dry. When your child is bathing, protect the splint with a large plastic bag closed at the top with tape. Keep the splint out of the water when your child is bathing.

• Care for any exposed cuts or scrapes as you have been told.

• Watch for the signs of infection listed below.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child's health care provider, or as advised. Call your child’s provider if your child doesn’t start to get better within the next 3 days.

Special note to parents

Health care providers are trained to recognize injuries like this one in young children as a sign of possible abuse. Several providers may ask questions about how your child was injured. Providers must, by law, ask you these questions. This is done to protect your child. Please be patient.

When to get medical advice

Contact your child’s health care provider right away if:

• Your child has signs of infection, including fever, redness, warmth, swelling, or drainage from a wound, or bad odor from the splint.

• The splint or cast gets wet or soft.

• Fingers on the injured hand are cold, blue, numb, burning, or tingly. If the splint is on, loosen it before seeking help.

• Your baby has fussiness or crying that can’t be soothed.

• Swelling or pain gets worse. A baby who can’t yet talk may show pain with crying that can't be soothed.

• The splint is too tight. If the splint is on, loosen it before getting help.

• Tingling in the hand or fingers is new or getting worse.