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Wound Infection

Warm Soaks or Local Heat:
- For open cuts or scrapes, soak it in warm water or put a warm wet cloth on the wound for 20 minutes 3 times per day. Use a warm saltwater solution containing 2 teaspoons of table salt per quart of water.
- For closed or sutured cuts, apply a heating pad or warm, moist washcloth to the reddened area for 20 minutes 3 times per day.
- Caution: Avoid any moisture to sutured wound for first 24 hours. Avoid soaking the wound until all sutures are removed.
Antibiotic Ointment: Apply an antibiotic ointment 3 times a day. If the area could become dirty, cover with a Band-Aid.
Pain Medicine:
- For pain relief, give acetaminophen or ibuprofen.
- See dosage chart.
- Ask your pharmacist to recommend a pediatric brand containing either of these ingredients.
Expected Course:
- Pain and swelling normally peak on day 2.
- Any redness should go away by day 3 or 4.
- Complete healing should occur by day 10.
Contagiousness: For true wound infections, your child can return to day care or school after the fever is gone and your child has received antibiotics for 24 hours.
IF your child becomes worse: Review Should I Call? recommendations.