Our pediatrician recommends leaving them alone unless they look infected. Most will come out on their own given a little time. She did recommend soaking in water with epsom salts twice a day. When they hung around more than a week, she suggested soaking and then gently using an emery board to rub away the skin holding them in. Worked like a charm.

We have some success with soaking and then gently rubbing with a pumicecstone (in the direction that pulls it out). Only works for shallow splinter.

Soak foot in a bucket of warm salt water. The water will cause the wood to expand and the salt will draw some of the water out from the surrounding tissue so that the splinters will pop out on their own.

Anonymous wrote:I know you don't like the idea of holding him down, but sometimes it has to happen. Don't be that parent that spends 20 minutes trying to cajole your child to let the nurse give a shot while the nurse is waiting and hoping you'll just hold your kid down for 5 seconds and get it over with.

thank you, but we don't have problems with shots. Not sure why you thought that is relevant; he's not 4. I wish we could get these things out in 5 seconds; it's a whole different scenario. I'm going to try these suggestions one by one. Holding down will be the last, last resort.

Haha, poor kid! I was that kid. I distinctly remember at about age 5 getting a glass splinter in my foot and shrieking that I would deal with it and for my parents not to come anywhere near me. They shrugged, told me to do it and get myself off to school with my sister, and headed off to play tennis (hey, it was the 70s). They came home to find me still sitting staring intently at the splinter trying to will it out of my foot. My dad was so exasperated he turned me upside down by my ankle and whipped it out with the tweezers while I writhed around and shrieked like a banshee.

I survived. He will too, even if you pin him down, although if you can get that splinter goo it sounds great (yay for progress). Good luck, to both of you.

kids who are very scared of any pain too, but I have done it many time:

go to CVS and get a really good tweezer+
oragel (baby teeth gel that numbs) +
IPAD or phone with funny cat videos (they should not look)

I know you don't like the idea of holding him down, but sometimes it has to happen. Don't be that parent that spends 20 minutes trying to cajole your child to let the nurse give a shot while the nurse is waiting and hoping you'll just hold your kid down for 5 seconds and get it over with.

I have also waited til they are deeply asleep, then pull it out with tweezers/needle - a headlamp helps - good luck!

Warm water soak. Can put some neosporin ot doesn't get infected. If they are ver small and don't hurt, it's not 100% necessary that they come out.

Or soak the foot.

Thank you!! I have never heard of that. Seriously, a huge thank you. Will buy tomorrow.

Anonymous wrote:Go to CVS and get that black splinter goo. Leave it on under a big bandaid overnight, it loosens the splinter and pulls it out.

Just got out of bed for you OP- it's called drawing salve, ichthammol.

Elmers glue (not the glue stick, but the actual glue) works too. Dab some on, let dry, then peel off.

Anonymous wrote:Go to CVS and get that black splinter goo. Leave it on under a big bandaid overnight, it loosens the splinter and pulls it out.

Just got out of bed for you OP- it's called drawing salve, ichthammol.

+1 brand name Prid, ask at the pharmacy counter

Go to CVS and get that black splinter goo. Leave it on under a big bandaid overnight, it loosens the splinter and pulls it out.

Just got out of bed for you OP- it's called drawing salve, ichthammol.

Any tips? I hate the idea of holding him down and he's strong so not sure we could even hold him still enough for enough time to get them out.