Real Talk with Kid Docs
Join us, Dr. Beth Vukin and Dr. Joe Vukin, two pediatricians with different backgrounds who want share real talk about the things parents want to know. Along the way, we will also explore the human side of medicine and have some real talk about caring for kids and for each other.
Real Talk with Kid Docs
Episode 37: To stitch or not to stitch? Perspectives from a Peds ER doc.
Kids get cuts and scrapes all the time. Have you ever wondered, should I go to the Emergency Room (ER) for this? Does it need stitches?
In this episode of Real Talk With Kid Docs we are joined by Dr. Stephanie Spanos, Pediatric Emergency Medicine physician and Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Utah.
We focus our discussion on wounds and lacerations (the fancy word for cuts). Wounds are all unique and whether or not intervention is required depends on a number of variables including location, size, depth, and mechanism of injury.
As with any injury, if you are worried, this is always a reason to seek medical attention. If you have any thought that it might need stitches (the wound is wide open, the edges do not come together well and/or the edges cannot stay together), the sooner you get to medical attention, they better the outcome. Washing it out and addressing it as soon as you can helps prevent infection and increase the likelihood of a good cosmetic outcome.
Home care includes cleaning the wound with lots of water and applying pressure while in transit. Be aware that some areas of the body like the mouth and scalp bleed a LOT. Avoid putting anything else in the wound including soap, hydrogen peroxide, rubbing alcohol, etc. If there is a foreign body stuck on the wound, leave it in place. It is holding pressure on the wound.
We hope you enjoy Dr. Spanos as much as we did and that you take away lots of practical tips.