Opinions on taking DS to the hospital when it's not really necessary

[american_mama]

DS, aged 7, slammed his finger in the car door this afternoon. It caught him between the middle and top knuckle, and came out looking purple and deeply indented. It's hours later and he wants to go the hospital, but I don't think he needs to go.

It is much less deeply indented now. It was not cut much at all and produced only about two drops of blood. It is swollen, although not grotesquely so. More importantly, he can bend both knuckles so I do not think it is broken. He does not cry when I handle it, although he will say it hurts (in a normal tone of voice, not STOP! IT HURTS! tone) when I press gently or ask him to bend more than a time or two. With some prodding and bribery of Rice Crispie treats, he went to a Boy Scout meeting 45 minutes after it happened and is playing fine this evening, just when I ask about his finger.
pouting
He still wants to go to the hospital. I think he just feels very sad about this and thinks it deserves the hospital, or that they will magically make it go away. I don't think he needs to go. It's inconvenient and expensive ($150 copay, plus 20%). I don't even think he needs to go to the pediatrician's tomorrow ($30 copay), although I will entertain that notion.

I don't want to be so cheap that he suffers. But I don't need to pay that kind of money or inconvenience for a little care and attention that I can do more appropriately. I gave him Tylenol, I gave him ice, I gave him a bandaid. I'll buy him a finger splint if he wants.

What would you do? What would you say to him that is reassuring but still doesn't involve the doctor?

[ahisma]

I had a similar experience with my own finger a few weeks ago (DH dropped the 8' Christmas tree onto my hand while I was adjusting the stand). I did not go to the hospital (as it's non-emergent), but I did go to urgent care for an x-ray. I would not have been able to get an x-ray at my PCP and I did feel that it needed an x-ray. Had the urgent care not been an option I would have waited for a non-hospital option during the week (this was a Saturday). For me, the key was that the pain was radiating up to my shoulder and I've done significant damage to that hand in the past.

All that said - we've had several rounds of fingers vs. car doors - none have been x-rayed and none have been broken.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Go to urgent care. You'll feel better if you get someone qualified to look at it.

[BDKmom]

I'm not sure what will reassure him, but I don't think you need to go to the hospital, or even urgent care unless it's super convenient. Maybe try explaining that hospitals are only for emergencies and that he would be taking up time from a doctor who needs to be seeing sick people. I would agree to go to ped in the morning if that makes him feel better. I have had many slammed fingers and with what you describe, it will probably be fine by morning. Bruised and sore but fine.

[123LuckyMom]

I wouldn't take him to the hospital. I would give him lots of sympathy and babying if that's what he needs. Maybe he feels nobody is making enough of his trauma. Let him know that you do care that he really hurt himself, and let him know that you understand the injury was super painful and serious, but that there's really nothing the hospital or the doctor can do that you're not able to do. The hospital can't make the pain less than you can make it. The hospital can't make his finger less bruised. Ask him why he feels he needs to go to the hospital and then respond to those needs, but don't spend $150 and hours in the ER just to placate him.

[Green_Tea]

I would not go to the hospital for that. I think 123LuckyMom is correct that he feels like nobody is making enough of his injury. I would baby him, and tell him that if it still bothering him tomorrow that you would be happy to call the pediatrician to see if she thinks it merits a visit.

[hillview]

I wouldn't go at all. I'd get him a Popsicle. Id prop him up on the couch and let him watch a show and check on him every 15 minutes. Download a new iPad app or whatever he is into.

[TwinFoxes]

I wouldn't take him to the hospital just to humor him, if I was sure he didn't have a serious injury. I will say, my DH still talks about the time his mom made him walk home on what they later found out was a broken ankle.

[Simon]

I agree that I would indulge him in other ways but not take him in unless I felt there might be a fracture. I also agree with calling the ped or nurse line tomorrow if it will help him to hear from a medical professional that he does *not* need to be seen.

[trcy]

Another vote not to take him to a hospital. In addition to the cost, you will be there forever and ERs are filled with germs.

[HannaAddict]

I would probably take him to the ped of it hurt tomorrow as sounds like was pretty banged up and it can be hard to tell if they have broken something. My daughter's teammate was kicked in the finger, kept playing and finally went to the doctor only in abundance of caution (she said it hurt and could move it but wasn't screaming sobbing) and had a pretty complicated break and spent the next seven weeks in a cast. It may be fine or it may not be and I would opt to have it checked out if my child kept saying it was not okay. Not the ER but the doctor.


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[KrisM]

How is his pain tolerance in general? DS1 has broken a finger twice. Both times, he goes hours before anyone knows. He was 6 the first time and 11 the next. First time it broke, it was at lunch time and I didn't know until after dinner when he said it looked funny. It was at a crazy angle and purple. He could not bend it. But, barely flinched if I touched it. If your DS is closer to that end of it, I'd for sure take him to the ped at least. If he's the type who cries and carries on for a scraped knee, I think it's a harder decision, but would likely give it another day and then take him if it still hurts.

[JBaxter]

This is where you use a little gauze and a little medical tape and wrap it for 2 days. ~ coughs~ because thats what they told you to do when you called :P I would not take my boys for that situation I have one who wants to to to the DR for every little thing and we dont roll that way.

[georgiegirl]

If it's still bothering him today, I'd call the ped. DD's friend broke her finger playing nerf football and didn't go to the doctor for 2 weeks because her parents didn't think it was broken.

[AnnieW625]

I accidentally slammed my then 8 yr. olds finger in the door and it hurt for about 20 minutes. We put a bandaid on it and even though the nail got all black and blue and eventually fell off we never sought professional medical help for that.