My son stepped on a nail

[ZGT Mummy]

My son stepped on a nail the other day and I realised I really don't have much of an idea of wound care.

Could anyone direct me to the best place to find out all I need to know?

Re his foot, I tried to make it bleed but the nail had gone in on an angle and it wouldn't bleed much at all, just a couple of drops. He was screaming blue bloody murder though :(

I cleaned his foot, just with a clean towel and water and gave him some Ledum.

What else should/could I have done? I didn't dress it as I thought that fresh air was best?

[Wonder-Full]

Hydrogen peroxide is my standard choice because it is works aerobically getting oxygen into the wound. Tetanus can't survive with oxygen. From my understanding it is very rare for children to get tetanus (particularly if they have a good functioning circulatory system that provides oxygen internally).

[ZGT Mummy]

OK so do I just go to the chemist and get a bottle of hydrogen peroxide off the shelf? Does it need to be in a specific dilution?

[magical1]

Collodial silver.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

How deep was the puncture? Was the nail new, or old and rusty?

(Does he now appreciate what shoes are for :D ?? )

I usually suck puncture wounds :/

Hydrogen peroxide from the chemist comes in 6%. I usually use it straight, but other suggest 3%. your choice. Like all really useful things, that doctors would never prescribe, it doesn't usually come with a how-to manual :D

[ZGT Mummy]

Thanks all. I'll be off to get some hydrogen peroxide first chance I get then.

Are hydrogen peroxide and collodial silver used in the same ways for the same things? I know what H2O2 is from school chemistry (nice blond streaks in the hair :D) but what exactly is collodial silver?

MT he did have shoes on, it went through the shoe into his foot, but no, not deep at all, on an angle, hence I think why it wouldn't bleed as the flap sealed over the top. And the nail was old as it was on a piece of the fence that had fallen off that hubby was supposed to have nailed back on :eyeroll:.

[Quickening]

Collodial silver is an antibacterial agent. Sorta like a natural antibiotic. Hydrogen peroxide for oxygenating the wound. You can use collodial silver in different ways, internal/external, creams, salves, liquid, etc but as far as I know hydrogen peroxide is only used externally to clean wounds especially ones that are deep.

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

ZGT... early in our marriage, I developed a strategy with my husband. It started early in our marriage, when I asked for a shelf in the bathroom. After 4 months it still wasn't up. So I waited until he had had a cup of tea after he'd got home and settled down to do nothing, and went into the bathroom. Whereupon I had all this hammers etc there... and his drill. I started up the drill and revved it. He arrived in minus 5 seconds, with a shocked expression on his face... wanting to know what I was doing. I headed determinedly and smilingly towards the wall to drill a hole anywhere... saying, "Putting up a shelf"... and he wailed... "That's NOT how you do it!!" and grabbed the drill off me. Five minutes later, I had a shelf.

When another chore went undone, I employed similar tactics. My husband quickly learned that if he doesn't want his tools broken, and the job done in such a way, as it takes twice as long to fix it, then he better do it when I ask.

it's called cultivated husband management. Works a treat.

Some things, however, are simple enough for me to fix.

[jules]

I do that too! Kinda funny how things get done when you want them that way...they suddenly have time:giggle:

[betach]

I laughed as I read the last two posts.. and my 6 yr. old wants to know what the jokes are.. she keeps begging me to tell her ;)

[Momtezuma Tuatara]

Not easy to explain to a 6 year old... :)