Daughter frantic about a sliver

Question

My daughter has a sliver and she is frantic about it coming out, frantic that it is going to hurt, frantic that we need to use tweezers, frantic that I may make it bleed. She is just all together frantic & flailing about and it needs to come out. She cries, screams when I look at it, freaks out when I come close to touching it and has done this for every sliver or blister that she has ever had.

I try to tell her that I am here to help it, I explain all the reasons why the sliver needs to come out but she is just is completely frantic (sorry no other word describes the terror that she dishes out when it comes to treating these things). I have never been rough with her, I have been extremely patient and gentle so I don't know why she is so frantic about it.

There has been times that the sliver comes out easily and she agrees that all the franticness wasn't needed - she is 6 and does understand that I am going to help her.

What else can I do? I don't want them to fester and get worse, but emotionally I can't stand all the fight with her to do it. I get teary when she cries and then I can't get it out easily either...so we have to stop at that point.

Has anyone else had to deal with this? What else can I do to help her relax and be less frantic? PLEASE HELP.

Answer 1

There is "silicea", a homeopathic tablet, which can be taken that helps prompt the body to expel foreign substances from the skin.

I have heard of people soaking the affected part in olive oil. This should make it easier to "dislodge". Perhaps this combined with some other ideas could help.

As to Bob's reference of a website: It is commandeered by a person who caters to the FDA and other government sanctions. And the person is a retired psychiatrist. What terrible credibility! So, it is no surprise that someone with these credentials of ill-repute would try to squash, suppress, and inhibit things would could benefit mankind, while protecting vested interests such as drug companies and certain government agendas.

Answer 2

If there is no one else to help hold her still while you get the sliver out, then wait until she falls asleep.  I've also found that it helps to  give them something else to look at or have them watch tv.  Sometimes, even letting her help works.  

Answer 3

Tell her she can do it, or you can or you can call someone else.  What is she doing to get slithers all of the time?  Maybe if you got a older kid to try  Let it fester maybe she will want it out if it starts hurting bad enough. put a ice pack on it and maybe it will numb her a little bit, then try.

Answer 4

Oh yes! One of my daughters would act like you were going to cut off her appendage when she had to have a sliver removed. At times I would give up and cover the sliver with a bandage and some ointment and tell her when she is ready to allow me to help her I would be happy to get it out for her. 7 times out of ten she would end up calming down enough for me to get it out but........ there are splinters that are probably still in there after 25 plus years! Splinters were always the worst......and frantic is exactly the right word. Hysterical is another!

Try icing it first (if she will let you). Also, if you can somehow position your body to do it without her watching helps. I am so glad those days are over! Good luck.

Answer 5

What's up with the thumb downer tonight?

Anyway, my kids did the same thing. It will get infected if it's in there more than a few days. It will become red, swollen and very painful. i calmed my daughters down by singing and talking lightly and holding them down gently, telling them to close their eyes and relax and daddy picked the splinters out. They cried lightly, as i kept soothing them, but I reminded them it was either me or the doctor. They didn't want to sit in an ER waiting room for some doc to come in and pry it out.

Answer 6

There probably isn't much that you can do to comfort her.  I was the same way when I was a child and to be honest, I still can't stand digging a splinter out of my finger because of the trauma I experienced as a child at the hands of my Mother.  I have heard the best way to remove splinters from a child is to soak their hands for at least 15 minutes in the tub and get them soft and wrinkly and then the splinter will come right out.  She will probably still be teary eyed, but the pain will be much less intense.  Wish my mom had tried that on me.

Answer 7

First, everyone needs to calm down.

Ignore the splinter and just calm down. Maybe have a glass of milk and just relax. Calmly explain that the sliver needs to come out or it's only going to get worse. Don't force anything, take this slowly. Perhaps, offer something special if she lets you look at the sliver and remove it. Maybe a candy bar or small new toy, ect.

Get her comfortable and have dad (or another adult near by). Get yourself set up, put on a movie or a tv show. Make her a special treat (a milkshake or cup of ice cream) and sit her down. Tell her to take a few deep breaths and try and ignore what you're doing. Don't dig right in unless you've got a really good shot at getting it out. Decide the best mode of action and carefully go for it. If things really get out of control, have the adult near by help you. If it becomes a nightmare, tell her to calm down, you have to go to the ER (she probably won't like this) and maybe you can try again.

If you are too worked up and it's not going to happen, wait until she's asleep.

Good luck!