Children with lacerations that require suturing are typically afraid and uncooperative. The pain of a local lidocaine injection will increase their fear and lack of cooperation. For nonfacial lacerations, I find that spraying the area with ethyl chloride just before injecting the lidocaine reduces the pain and thus eases fears. Suturing is then much easier.
| -- | Ken Jin, MD, JD
Hamburg, NY |
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