Wound Care

The benefit of coming to a pediatric-focused wound care center is that we understand the issues that only affect children and will take these into consideration when planning which dressings and medications will be part of your child’s treatment.

What Kinds of Wounds Do We Treat?

Your child might see a pediatric wound care specialist for multiple types of wounds, including:

• abscesses — A build-up of pus under the skin, usually caused by infection, an abscess often needs to be drained in order to heal. In these cases, a doctor will open the skin to release the pus and treat the underlying infection.
• burns — minor first- and second-degree skin wounds due to heat, chemical or electrical burns
• gastrostomy site breakdowns — A gastrostomy tube (also known as a “G-tube”) is a tube placed through the skin of the abdomen directly into the stomach to provide an alternate feeding method to children who can’t receive adequate nutrition by mouth.
• pilonidal cysts — A pilonidal (pronounced pie-low-NYE-dul) cyst is an abnormal sac under the skin that contains embedded hair and skin debris. It’s almost always located near the tailbone, at the top of the crease of the buttocks. Pilonidal cysts, like abscess, may require incision and drainage or excision (cutting out the cyst) in order to heal.
• pressure sores — Prolonged periods of inactivity, such as sitting in a wheelchair or lying in a bed, can lead to open skin wounds known as “pressure sores.” Children who have reduced mobility due to spina bifida, spinal cord injury or other neurological or developmental delays are at greatest risk for developing pressure sores. Some medical devices that exert pressure on one particular area of skin (such as splints, casts or oxygen masks) can also contribute to the development of sores.
• surgical wounds — Any type of surgical incision is considered a wound. Although most surgical wounds in children heal well on their own, some do benefit from the assistance of our pediatric wound care staff.
• wounds caused by trauma — Any type of traumatic accident, bite (human or animal) or gunshot can result in a wound that requires care.

A Customized Plan for Healing

Because every wound is different, and so is every child, our pediatric wound care staff will design a customized treatment plan for your child. Rest assured that we’ll be there — with you — throughout the healing process, regularly monitoring your child’s comfort level and overall health, and taking every precaution to prevent infection.

We understand that managing a serious wound can be stressful, for children and families alike. We will work to alleviate some of that stress by making pain management a priority. Our pain management specialists use many techniques, not just medications, to bring your child relief. We work with you to make sure you’re comfortable with any necessary pediatric wound care you may have to perform at home, like dressing changes.

Coordinated, Convenient Pediatric Wound Care

If your child is recovering from a wound — and especially if he or she is also dealing with an underlying medical condition or infection — it can be hard to manage the many appointments. That’s why we always do our best to have children evaluated by several specialists on the same day, each time they visit. It’s all part of our commitment to coordinated care — and to making our patients’ and families’ lives just a little bit easier. It’s the Nemours promise: to treat your child as we would our own.