Information for Parents

Wound closure strips have been used to hold your child’s wound together to help it heal and close.

How do I care for my child’s wound and strips?

• Keep the strips dry at all times for at least 5 days or the wound will not heal

• When bathing/washing, cover the wound and strips to stop it from getting wet

• Any outer dressing (such as a bandage) on your child’s wound can be removed after 24 hours

• After 5-7 days, the strips can gently be removed by soaking them in warm water

Signs of infection

Please come back to The Children’s Urgent Care Centre or seek medical attention immediately if your child develops any of the following symptoms, which are a sign that their wound might be infected:

• The wound re-open/bleeds
• Redness in and around the wound
• Increased swelling around the wound
• Your child remains in a lot of pain
• Discharge (Pus)
• If your child develops a fever

Further Information

If you need any more information or advice between the hours of 0800-2000 Monday-Sunday please call The Children’s Urgent Care Centre on 02073906150.

Out of hours please contact NHS 111.

Call NHS 111 if you need medical help fast, but its not life threatening- for example, if you:

• Think you need to go to hospital
• Don’t know who to call for medical help
• Don’t have a GP to call
• Need medical advice or reassurance about what to do next.

In case of emergency please call 999 or attend your local Children’s Emergency Department.