Child Picking Scabs

Updated on April 03, 2014
S.R. asks from Chandler, AZ
6 answers

Hello. My almost 7 year old had a small scratch on his arm about a month ago. This was something that should've healed up in a few days. He started picking it to keep making it bleed. I have kept bandaids on it constantly since it happened. It get almost healed and he picks it again to make it bleed. At school he's taking the bandaids off and doing it. I keep asking him why he's doing that and he said he wants to see his blood. I tried not making a big deal about it in the beginning. I explained what blood is and why it's important for it to stay in our bodies. We talked about it and I thought it was done. Well a month later he's still doing it. I have put medical tape over the bandaid to try and discourage him and this little scratch is now a quarter size scab. Can anyone give me suggestions on what to do? Thank you.

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So What Happened?

Thanks all for the suggestions. Yes I've been cleaning it and keep bacitracin on it. The medical tape seems to be working.

More Answers

Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

M.C.

answers from Chattanooga on

I would try keeping something like triple antibiotic on it... Something that will keep the scab soft, instead of hard and crusty. I was HORRIBLE about picking scabs as a kid too, and if they weren't crusty they were much harder to pick.

Updated

I would try keeping something like triple antibiotic on it... Something that will keep the scab soft, instead of hard and crusty. I was HORRIBLE about picking scabs as a kid too, and if they weren't crusty they were much harder to pick.

4 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Put an ointment on it. As the scab dries up on the wound it pulls the skin around it. Therefore making it itch. The ointment keeps it moist and he'll forget it's there.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Take him to the Doctor.
Or tell him you will, because it is now a Quarter sized sore.... and not healing, and you need to make sure it is not turning into a worse infection.
AND it has been ONE month already.
And the sore is growing in diameter.
What if he needs stitches now?

And/or try a liquid band aid. Any drugstore has it.
You spray it on.

Are you CLEANING out his cut everyday?

Your talking to him about it is not working.
Your putting Band Aids on it is not working.
He is 7.
Tell him he is going to the Doctor.

When I was a kid, I had a SMALL scratch. It was so small I had forgot about it. But apparently it was not healing well. I got REAL sick. Had to be rushed to the Doctor. It was then a Staph infection and below the surface of the skin, it was eating its way to my bone.
I almost ended up in the hospital.

3 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

D..

answers from Miami on

I think that at this point you need to crack down on him. He's going to end up with impetigo and that's HARD to get ahold of once it sets in.

Tell him NO MORE. Give him a harsh consequence for it, including if he takes off the bandaid.

I do mean harsh, too. Talk to your ped about this "thing" of his and ask for how to help him get past this...

2 moms found this helpful
Smallavatar-fefd015f3e6a23a79637b7ec8e9ddaa6

J.A.

answers from Sacramento on

Make sure you keep his nails as short as possible. I like the medical tape idea as it pulls on the hairs and hurts to remove.

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