A 1-year-old with a nail that has come off should be seen by a doctor today, especially if there is an open “hole,” significant swelling, bleeding, a crushed fingertip, or the nail came off from the base. Nail-bed injuries sometimes need repair and the fingertip bone can also be injured.

Do not use steroid creams or pain-relief gels on the open wound. Avoid giving medicines by mouth unless you know the child’s correct weight-based dose. A pharmacist or pediatric clinician can advise on paracetamol/acetaminophen if needed.

Go to urgent care/emergency now if bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes of firm pressure, the fingertip is badly swollen/deformed, the child will not use the finger, there is pus, spreading redness, fever, worsening pain, or the injury was from a dirty object. Confirm that routine DTaP tetanus vaccines are up to date. Guidance from Seattle Children’s finger-injury advice specifically lists a torn-off fingernail and age under 1 year as reasons for prompt medical assessment.

Please tell me the baby’s current weight (kg or lb) and the exact medicine concentration on the bottle, for example “acetaminophen/paracetamol 160 mg per 5 mL” or “ibuprofen 100 mg per 5 mL.”

A 1-year-old with a nail that has come off should be seen by a doctor today, especially if there is an open “hole,” significant swelling, bleeding, a crushed fingertip, or the nail came off from the base. Nail-bed injuries sometimes need repair and the fingertip bone can also be injured.

Do not use steroid creams or pain-relief gels on the open wound. Avoid giving medicines by mouth unless you know the child’s correct weight-based dose. A pharmacist or pediatric clinician can advise on paracetamol/acetaminophen if needed.

Go to urgent care/emergency now if bleeding does not stop after 10 minutes of firm pressure, the fingertip is badly swollen/deformed, the child will not use the finger, there is pus, spreading redness, fever, worsening pain, or the injury was from a dirty object. Confirm that routine DTaP tetanus vaccines are up to date. Guidance from Seattle Children’s finger-injury advice specifically lists a torn-off fingernail and age under 1 year as reasons for prompt medical assessment.Please tell me the baby’s current weight (kg or lb) and the exact medicine concentration on the bottle, for example “acetaminophen/paracetamol 160 mg per 5 mL” or “ibuprofen 100 mg per 5 mL.”I need these two details before calculating a safe dose:

Do not guess with a kitchen spoon. Use the oral syringe supplied with the medicine.

For a 1-year-old, paracetamol/acetaminophen is usually the first choice. Do not give aspirin. Ibuprofen can be used only if the child is over 6 months, drinking normally, and not dehydrated or vomiting.