Blood clots can be painful
Q: Our baby had her hands on the window sill when the window pane suddenly came sliding down on top of her little fingers. Her fingernail beds were deeply bruised. We gave her some Tylenol, but she cried all night. By the next day, I noticed several large dark bruises underneath her nails that really seem to bother her. Should I take her to the doctor? Dr Rose writes: It sounds as if your little girl has developed small blood clots underneath her nail beds from the force of the window falling on her fingers.
This is caused when the blood from ruptured blood vessels in the fingers becomes trapped, with no place to drain out.
If the amount of trapped blood is small, the child doesn't feel much pain and the blood is re-absorbed and disappears over time. If the amount of trapped blood is larger, then pressure can build up, causing the child great discomfort.
In such a case, your doctor can use a sterilised needle to burn a tiny hole through the nail, allowing the blood to escape and giving instant pain relief.
Q: Our teenage son is having some problems with school. He seems to be totally uninterested in his schoolwork. After school, he also seems to get into arguments with fellow students and teachers alike, while at home he has become increasingly withdrawn. He does have a good friend, and he seems to cheer up whenever they get together, but often he seems more like a loner. When he was younger, he was the most sociable and outgoing of our three children. We don't know what to do. We don't recall our other children being this way. Someone suggested counselling. What do you think? Dr Rose writes: Adolescence is a very difficult stage of life. An adolescent youngster is trying hard to establish his identity, separate from his parents. He is also heavily influenced by and under a lot of pressure from his peers at school. No matter how well adjusted a child has been, the move into adolescence can be very traumatic.
There are many reasons why a teenager may experience difficulties, both at home and at school. He may be having trouble adjusting to his new physical/mental state or he may even be depressed.
Unfortunately, drug or alcohol abuse must be considered in all teenagers with adjustment problems.
While this is not the most likely cause, it should be considered so you can look for telltale signs.
You cannot help your son until you discover the underlying problem.
Seeing an experienced, well-trained counsellor is a good start. You'll need to make sure you find someone whom your son is comfortable with and can relate to. Don't be surprised if it takes several tries. Ask for advice from the counselling department at your son's school. Also ask other parents.
It is important to tell your son you are only concerned about his well-being and that you will love him no matter what. It is essential that troubled teenagers know they have your unconditional love and support.
Making sure they have some means of venting their frustration, anger or feelings of hopelessness is also extremely important.
Dr Rose Ong is a certified family physician licensed in the United States. She welcomes enquiries but cannot answer them individually. Specific questions should be addressed to your own physician
