When Should You Take Your Child To Get Stitches?

Tuesday, December 15th, 2020, 11:21 am

Do you know how to tell if your child needs stitches or not? Most parents are clueless about how severe an injury needs to be to worry about immediate care. Most of the time, wounds are going to close well on their own, especially if it is a straight laceration. However, sometimes you will need an expert opinion, and perhaps a few stitches as well. Here are some signs your child might need stitches and should be seen.

Deepness of the cut

Even if a cut isn’t large, a deep cut is more prone to infection. It may be best to get stitches to reduce the risk.

More than a half-inch long

Studies show that wounds more than a half-inch in length are less likely to heal up on their own without intervention. Stitches are usually required to hold the wound together for proper healing.

A ragged cut line

A straight cut is going to heal much easier and faster than a jagged cut. As a general rule, it takes an experienced practitioner to suture jagged lacerations without causing significant scarring.

A dirty wound

Depending on how the injury happened, your wound might be rather dirty. If you could have bacteria, dirt, grime, dust, or other substances in your wound due to how it happened, you should come to our urgent care center, so we can be sure the wound is cleaned properly to stave off the risk of infection.

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Category: Injuries


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