What should I do if my child’s finger or toe is cut off?

RealAge

If a finger or toe has been cut off (gruesome, but it happens), apply pressure to the wound, then place a cloth, towel, or plastic bag around the body part and ice it. Make sure it isn’t directly touching the ice and is protected. The body part can probably be reattached if the surgery’s done within six hours.

From The Smart Parent's Guide: Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, and Accidents by Jennifer Trachtenberg.

More About this Book

The Smart Parent's Guide: Getting Your Kids Through Checkups, Illnesses, and Accidents

What to Do When You Don't Know What to Do! "Moms and dads need expert guidelines, especially when it comes to their kids' health. This book reveals the inside strategies I use myself-I'm a parent,...

Continue Learning about Injuries, Wound and Trauma

How quickly any wound heals depends on a number of factors, including your age, diet, medications, and health status. There’s also the wound itself: W...

American Red Cross

With a severe open injury, abdominal organs sometimes protrude through the wound. [media id="4...

RealAge

When the summer sun begins to heat up your exercise habits, be sure to let your body adjust to your ...

Why Are Soft Tissue Injuries So Painful?

Important: This content reflects information from various individuals and organizations and may offer alternative or opposing points of view. It should not be used for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. As always, you should consult with your healthcare provider about your specific health needs.

Injuries, Wound and Trauma

The normal course of daily living ensures that at some point we will injure ourselves. The body is great at healing minor injuries, and first-aid basics will help keep injuries from becoming serious or infected. As we move up to more serious injuries, again knowing what to do first is important, even if follow-up care must be done by a medic or hospital emergency room. It's always better to prevent injury if you can. Pay attention to hazards that can cause falls. In the kitchen use cutting blocks and sharp knives - they are safer because you use less pressure while cutting.

Learn More