Removal of Splinters in Toddlers

Toddlers are clumsy by nature and prone to getting splinters, especially in their hands and feet. Avoid splinters by keeping your toddler in shoes and routinely checking decks and play equipment for rough edges. Sand away those edges before they cause injury to your toddler. Teach your child that removing splinters doesn't have to hurt and praise them for cooperating with removing the splinter.

Bath Time

• Put the toddler in the tub. The water helps soften the skin and makes it easier to remove the splinter. It also distracts the toddler and helps clean the area. It's not unusual for the splinters to come out on their own when a child is in the water, making the removal painless and stress free for everyone.

Distraction

• Distract the toddler with a favorite toy, movie or television program. Position the toddler so he can play or view the programming while you remove the splinter. Consider offering a bottle, sippy cup or asking another person to help feed the toddler a snack so his attention isn't focused on what you're doing.

Tweezers

• Use a clean pair of tweezers to extract the splinter. Clean the tweezers with peroxide before you attempt to remove the splinter. Grasp the splinter firmly and pull gently. Pulling too quickly or pulling at an angle often causes the splinter to break. Make sure you remove all of the splinter.

Clean the Wound

• Clean the wound thoroughly after you've removed the splinter. Use soap and water to clean the wound, then apply a small amount of antibiotic ointment. Check the location of the splinter daily until the wound is healed. Look for redness, puffiness, heat or red streaks. If you see any of these signs, take your toddler to her pediatrician to make sure the wound is evaluated properly.