Can doctors fix broken fingers?

**Danna** · 29-01-2010, 09:41am

Oh god.

My sister just called me at work to say baby has had his fingers shut in the door by my nephew - his little finger and ring finger have both been crushed low down near his knuckles. It was obviously an accident.

She said he did have a screaming fit for about 10 minutes and she's given him 7ml calpol and he's calmed down now and is playing but not really using his left hand as its obviously still very sore.

She's not sure if they are broken - what would a hospital do? Tape them up? Would they even do it on a baby?

**Honey Dew** · 29-01-2010, 09:45am

Don;t know if they would do it on a baby (probably though) but, yes, all they do is tape them up.

Poor wee thing.

Hope it heals soon.

**S-J** · 29-01-2010, 09:51am

My son had this happen to him (again by another child accidently). We dosed him up, no hospital. He had one hell of a bruise.

Poor Danny.

**Sam** · 29-01-2010, 09:56am

Pretty sure they would tape them and prescribe plenty of pain relief. Hopefully they are just sore and he'll start using them as the day goes on?

**Damsella** · 29-01-2010, 09:57am

Should she not take him to the doctor to have them looked at?

**Chickster** · 29-01-2010, 09:59am

There's not much they can do for fingers, but I agree with Damz that maybe your sister should try and get him in to see the GP - it'll save a lot of faffing and waiting around at A&E.

poor little Danny.

**Danna** · 29-01-2010, 10:01am

Originally Posted by Damsella

Should she not take him to the doctor to have them looked at?

I finish at 2pm today so I'll get an appointment for this afternoon with him.

We were at the doctors yesterday too for his stomach bug - feel like I'm living there at the moment!

Thanks girls.

**book_lover** · 29-01-2010, 11:28am

Oh Danna

My heart stopped reading this. I HATE doors and fingers - one of my biggest fears. I actually did this to my own little one a few days ago

with the door on my dresser, luckily I felt that the door wasn't closing properly so didn't shut it all the way, there was obv. a delay before he started screaming..... poor lad screamed for a while.

Good luck at the doctors, if they ARE broken/fractured just remember how little bones heal so much more quickly. Plus, cuddles help healing a great deal

**Danna** · 29-01-2010, 11:41am

Thanks Bookie!

Just a quick update - he's using his hands now, playing normally. My sister says he's got a cut on his ring finger and they are swollen, but doesnt look like they're broken. My stomach's still going though!

**book_lover** · 29-01-2010, 11:43am

Fantastic news! They're tough, these little ones

**thirzasmum** · 29-01-2010, 12:39pm

Ickle baby fingers are pretty much entirely cartilage so, whilst the can get cut and bruised they are really unlikely to break (())

nail plate damage can occur and affect nail growth though. Mind you there isn't anything you can do about that.

**DillyDally** · 29-01-2010, 02:24pm

Originally Posted by thirzasmum

Ickle baby fingers are pretty much entirely cartilage so, whilst the can get cut and bruised they are really unlikely to break (())

nail plate damage can occur and affect nail growth though. Mind you there isn't anything you can do about that.

WSS. Poor little boy though

as it must be very sore.

H managed to do this when he was little - the nail of his ring finger actually came off, and another one grew up in it's place

And J, when he was about 11, shut his little finger in a door - he had a green stick fracture, but all they did at the hospital was to tape it to his ring finger for a couple of weeks. It healed up fine, even at the great old age of 11