General Laceration (Child)

Home care

• Follow all directions for any prescribed medicines.

  • The healthcare provider may prescribe an antibiotic to prevent infection. This medicine may be taken by mouth (oral). Or it may be a cream or ointment. Don't stop using this medicine until the prescribed course is finished or the provider tells you to stop.

  • The provider may prescribe medicines for pain. Give them to your child as directed.

  • Don’t give aspirin to a child younger than age 18 unless directed by your child’s provider. Taking aspirin can put your child at risk for Reye syndrome. This is a rare but very serious disorder. It most often affects the brain and the liver, and can cause death.

  • Don't give ibuprofen to children age 6 months or younger.

  • Don’t give your child any other medicine without first checking with the provider.

• Keep the wound clean and dry. Don't let the wound get wet until you are told it is OK to do so.

• If a bandage was applied, leave it in place for the first 24 hours. Then change it every 24 hours or as directed. If it becomes wet or dirty, replace it sooner. Gently pat the wound dry with a clean cloth. Then put on a clean, dry bandage.

• Caring for stitches or staples: Once you no longer need to keep stitches or staples dry, clean the wound daily. First remove the bandage. Then wash the area gently with soap and warm water, or as directed by the healthcare provider. Use a clean, wet cotton swab to loosen and remove any blood or crust that forms. After cleaning, apply a thin layer of antibiotic ointment if advised. Then put on a new bandage unless you're told not to.

• Caring for skin glue: Don’t put any liquid, ointment, or cream on the wound while the glue is in place. Don't let your child do activities that cause heavy sweating. Protect the wound from sunlight. Keep your child from scratching, rubbing, or picking at the adhesive film. Don't place tape directly over the film. The glue should fall off in 5 to 10 days. If it doesn't fall off by the time advised, you can loosen it with petroleum-based ointment, such as antibiotic ointment.

• Caring for surgical tape: Keep the area dry. If it gets wet, blot it dry with a clean towel. Surgical tape often falls off in 7 to 10 days. If it hasn't fallen off after 10 days, you can take it off yourself. Put mineral oil or petroleum jelly on a cotton ball and gently rub the tape until it is removed.

• Once the wound can get wet, the child may shower. Don't soak the wound in water (no tub baths or swimming).

• Check the wound daily for signs of infection listed below. Even with the correct treatment, a wound infection may sometimes occur.

• Keep the wound out of prolonged direct sunlight, especially in the summer months. After the wound heals, continue to stay out of direct sunlight, or use a sunscreen with a high level of protection. Sunburn or sun exposure can increase scarring.

Follow-up care

Follow up with your child's healthcare provider as advised. Ask the healthcare provider how long stitches should be left in place. Bring your child back to remove the stitches as directed. If dissolving stitches were used in the mouth, they should fall out or dissolve without the need for removal. If tape closures were used, you may remove them yourself when the provider advises, if they haven't fallen off on their own. If skin glue was used, the film will wear off by itself, often in about 10 days.

Special note to parents

Healthcare providers are trained to see injuries such as this in young children as a sign of possible abuse. You may be asked questions about how your child was injured. Providers are required by law to ask you these questions. This is done to protect your child. Please try to be patient.

When to get medical advice

Call the child's healthcare provider for any of the following:

• Wound bleeding is not controlled by direct pressure

• Signs of infection. These include pain in the wound that gets worse, redness or swelling of the wound that gets worse, or pus or bad odor coming from the wound..

• Fever of 100.4°F (38ºC) or higher, or as directed by the provider

• Chills

• Stitches or staples come apart or fall out, or surgical tape falls off before 7 days

• Wound edges reopen

• Wound changes colors

• Numbness occurs around the wound 

• Decreased movement occurs around the injured area