Jann in TX Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 My 10yr scraped the side of her knee while playing on an inflatable water slide last Wednesday. Scrape is quarter-sized. When she got home it was not bleeding--just a typical scrape. Today (Sunday) it had some puss in the morning-- now in the afternoon it is swollen and has a ring of red around it (1-2 inches on all sides). So-- what say ye? Urgent care (have to drive 1 hour) ER-- same or wait and go to Dr or Urgent care tomorrow morning? OH--- 1 more detail... dd started running a high fever (no other symptoms) last night-- it was 102F... today it is around 99F-- only symptom is red raised area on knee. TIA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I would say to outline the red area with a pen or marker and watch it for a couple of hours, if it spreads beyond the marked boundaries then go to the ER otherwise go see your regular dr in the am. Although if the fever goes up again I would probably go ahead and go in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 it was only slightly red around the scrape around noon today-- now it is 1-2 inches surrounding the scrape-- plus it is swollen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mommyof4ks Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I would take her in somewhere today given she has a fever and the infection seems to be growing so quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melissad2 Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Yes, if it is spreading then I would go ahead and take her in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherMayI Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Are there any red streaks around it? My dh got a minor scrape at a bouncy house, and it turned into a pretty serious staph infection requiring antibiotics. I probably would go to urgent care... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TKDmom Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I'd first call my doctor and see what they say, but I would lean toward going into an urgent care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Call the doctor. Sounds like an infection, and if it is spreading this rapidly, I would not want to wait until tomorrow. I'd take her to urgent care. ETA: Do you have a pharmacy closer than the ER/Urgent care? Can you call your doc and ask for a prescription for antibiotics to be called into the pharmacy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I would call the doctor right away and see what he says. If I didn't have a doctor to call, I would take the drive to the ER since it seems to be worsening rather quickly. It would be better to drive now than the middle of the night. I hope everything turns out well. Please give us an update when you can. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 I would say to outline the red area with a pen or marker and watch it for a couple of hours, if it spreads beyond the marked boundaries then go to the ER otherwise go see your regular dr in the am. Although if the fever goes up again I would probably go ahead and go in. Please do this. Outline it in sharpie right at the edges of the red area, and record the time. Then if she needs medical treatment, they can see how fast it is spreading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JFSinIL Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 ER stat. Sounds like an infection like celluitis (sp) which is nothing to mess around with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sun Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 It does sound like it's worsening quickly. I'd outline it now with a Sharpie, and then I'd probably take her in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted May 20, 2012 Author Share Posted May 20, 2012 At ER got right in There is now a red streak... Waiting for Dr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 Wow! You acted right in time! I'm glad that she'll get the care she needs. Thanks for the update.:grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 At ER got right inThere is now a red streak... Waiting for Dr The fever clinched it. Without the fever, I would have said: sharpie outline, warm, wet compresses/soaking, and elevation of knee above hip -- and watch like a hawk. With fever: needs antibiotics. Did anyone else, as a child, read Eisenhower's story of his infected leg, and the horrible question of whether to amputate or not. I remember asking my father if he'd lost the leg if he could still have been president. He said, "He COULD have, but he wouldn't have been, because he wouldn't have been a general." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lisamarie Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 So glad you took her in. My DH had cellulitis 2 summers ago and it is not something to mess around with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted May 20, 2012 Share Posted May 20, 2012 At ER got right inThere is now a red streak... Waiting for Dr I'm glad you went in! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 We got in and out of ER in record time (30 minutes!)-- drive took longer each way! They gave dd some strong antibiotics and (of course) outlined the infection. Dr said it will likely worsen more this evening--but should show improvement by tomorrow night. DD is crushed-- she just realized she cannot go swimming at a pool-party Tuesday evening... -- Once we got to the ER and the nurse took us to triage the red streak started showing up--- it grew 6-8 inches in the short time we were there... DR was VERY glad we came in... although at first I felt silly taking dd to ER for a little scrape... now I'm glad my mommy instincts kicked in! Thanks for the encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Glad you took her in. I hope the antibiotics work quickly. We got in and out of ER in record time (30 minutes!)-- drive took longer each way! They gave dd some strong antibiotics and (of course) outlined the infection. Dr said it will likely worsen more this evening--but should show improvement by tomorrow night. DD is crushed-- she just realized she cannot go swimming at a pool-party Tuesday evening... -- Once we got to the ER and the nurse took us to triage the red streak started showing up--- it grew 6-8 inches in the short time we were there... DR was VERY glad we came in... although at first I felt silly taking dd to ER for a little scrape... now I'm glad my mommy instincts kicked in! Thanks for the encouragement! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 We got in and out of ER in record time (30 minutes!)-- drive took longer each way! They gave dd some strong antibiotics and (of course) outlined the infection. Dr said it will likely worsen more this evening--but should show improvement by tomorrow night. DD is crushed-- she just realized she cannot go swimming at a pool-party Tuesday evening... -- Once we got to the ER and the nurse took us to triage the red streak started showing up--- it grew 6-8 inches in the short time we were there... DR was VERY glad we came in... although at first I felt silly taking dd to ER for a little scrape... now I'm glad my mommy instincts kicked in! Thanks for the encouragement! Glad she is okay! Are you able to have the script filled tonight? If so, make sure she gets a dose ASAP.....I would give it to my kid while at the pharmacy counter! LOL Infections like that are nothing to play with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 Dr saw her and within a few minutes they gave dd her first dose (a double dose)-- no pharmacy open until tomorrow morning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Is she feeling better today?:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 Dr saw her and within a few minutes they gave dd her first dose (a double dose)-- no pharmacy open until tomorrow morning... Good, if you have the paper prescription in hand, go to the pharmacy and get them med this morning. Get the second dose going as soon as you can. You may even ask if you can give a double dose this morning to get a 'loading' dose on board. Depends on what med they write for, if this is appropriate or not. I am so glad you took her in. I have had celulitis and it is amazing how fast it can spread! I hope she heels quick and you all got some rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jann in TX Posted May 21, 2012 Author Share Posted May 21, 2012 DD's fever has gone. I kept her home from school today-- I wanted to monitor the red area. It has spread a little out of the markings --but not enough to worry about yet-- Dr said it would happen. They gave dd a loading dose of antibiotics in the ER last night. We have 5 HUGE BOTTLES of stuff to give her over the next 10 days-- pharmacist said the Dr really wanted to wipe the infection out for good! He also recommended putting dd on a good probiotic... DD is feeling much better with the fever gone... her leg still looks yucky--and the red line is disconcerting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted May 21, 2012 Share Posted May 21, 2012 We got in and out of ER in record time (30 minutes!)-- drive took longer each way! They gave dd some strong antibiotics and (of course) outlined the infection. Dr said it will likely worsen more this evening--but should show improvement by tomorrow night. DD is crushed-- she just realized she cannot go swimming at a pool-party Tuesday evening... -- Once we got to the ER and the nurse took us to triage the red streak started showing up--- it grew 6-8 inches in the short time we were there... DR was VERY glad we came in... although at first I felt silly taking dd to ER for a little scrape... now I'm glad my mommy instincts kicked in! Thanks for the encouragement! wow, that is fast growing! Good for you! The fact that the infection started so late after the initial injury was also concerning to me. Seems it got exposed to something yucky after the fact. Good mama! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiramisu Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 DD's fever has gone. I kept her home from school today-- I wanted to monitor the red area. It has spread a little out of the markings --but not enough to worry about yet-- Dr said it would happen. They gave dd a loading dose of antibiotics in the ER last night. We have 5 HUGE BOTTLES of stuff to give her over the next 10 days-- pharmacist said the Dr really wanted to wipe the infection out for good! He also recommended putting dd on a good probiotic... DD is feeling much better with the fever gone... her leg still looks yucky--and the red line is disconcerting... I'm glad the fever is gone and hope the leg will get better soon. I'll butt in about the probiotics...only because of my own nasty history of infection caused by antibiotic use. Florastor can be used at the same time as antibiotics and doesn't complete since it's a friendly yeast. Most pharmacies carry it. If the antibiotics are that heavy-duty, I might even add another probiotic and then definitely continue that for awhile after the antibiotics are finished. A friend was told by a natural doctor that it takes up to two months to colonize your gut, but I don't know if there's any research to back that up.:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted May 22, 2012 Share Posted May 22, 2012 I'm glad the fever is gone and hope the leg will get better soon. I'll butt in about the probiotics...only because of my own nasty history of infection caused by antibiotic use. Florastor can be used at the same time as antibiotics and doesn't complete since it's a friendly yeast. Most pharmacies carry it. If the antibiotics are that heavy-duty, I might even add another probiotic and then definitely continue that for awhile after the antibiotics are finished. A friend was told by a natural doctor that it takes up to two months to colonize your gut, but I don't know if there's any research to back that up.:001_smile: I agree. I learned a lot after my son picked up a nasty infection after/during antibiotic use. Get florastor if you can at all as the antibiotics won't kill it. I would do a good probiotic like Culturelle as well but realize it's being killed with each dose so keep it a few hours away from the antibiotic. If you can't get Florastor dose your probiotic (I recommend Culturelle on antibiotics) three hours after each dose or half way between each dose if three hours won't work. Remember they are wiped out every single time she doses that antibiotic and need to be replaced. It sounds like she's improving and I'm glad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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