Stitches

Like any Red Balloon encounter, we operate as a walk-in clinic. So if you believe your child needs stitches, the first step is to walk-in and be greeted by our friendly front desk staff. At this point, you will be taken to our procedure room where your child will have a comfortable bed and plenty of space for grown-ups and siblings. If stitches are needed, your child will receive medication by mouth and medication on the skin that will help make the skin numb. While the numbing medicine is working, your child will be given a chance to visualize, touch, and explore the materials that the nurse practitioner will use to complete the repair. We believe that allowing kids a chance to explore the tools actually puts them at ease. We see it work every day! Once ready, kids are thoughtfully placed in certain positions including the parent’s lap, resting in bed or a combination of both. While the nurse practitioner does the repair, your child will be given their choice of a sucker or freezy pop and will have access to an ipad to watch a video or play a game. The nurse practitioner will then complete the repair. At Red Balloon, we will give you a timeline for when to get the stitches removed and are happy to do the removal for you. You will also be given after-care instructions.