We still, on most of our paediatric first aid courses are hearing about the school/nursery policy saying that teachers and childcare staff can’t remove a splinter.

So should you? Well, its down to common sense. Myth busters from the Health Safety Executive clearly state:

“Given that most schools will have competent, qualified first-aiders, there is no reason at all why they should not remove splinters, if they are partly exposed and easily removed with tweezers. If splinters are deeply embedded then parents should be consulted and professional medical help sought” (Source: HSE Newsletter Issue No 39 ).

At last a sensible answer to removing a splinter!

Getting a splinter can be the most trivial thing, horror stories aren’t common. Generally, a splinter that has come from plant material are the ones that most often cause infection and a sometimes a more significant reaction. The splinter is seen as a living foreign body, and we’re designed to reject that. So leaving a splinter alone isn’t without risks. A splinter of inert, non-living material like metal or glass is less likely to trigger an immune reaction.

Anything that pierces the skin can create a point of entry for microbes from outside the body, organic splinters are themselves likely to be carrying bacteria and fungi that can cause infections. The result can be pain, swelling and redness – or sometimes worse.

To remove or not?

A general rule is that if a splinter is easy to get out, you should get it out, regardless of what it’s made of.

If it’s near the surface, visible and removable and you can get it out fairly easily without breaking it up, go for it.

If you can’t get it out, it’s in deep, advice is to get it seen by a medical professional, practice nurse or minor injuries centre, before any infection has time to take hold.

What to do if a child has a splinter

1. Clean the area around the splinter carefully with warm water and soap. 
2. Grasp the splinter with the tweezers as close to the skin as possible, and draw it out in a straight line keeping it at the same angle as it goes into the skin.
3. Squeeze the wound carefully to encourage slight bleeding as this will help to remove any dirt. 
4. Clean and dry the wound and cover with a dressing. 

For confidence in dealing with any first aid situation or booking paediatric first aid courses in house for your group setting, Contact Us, today.