Fungus on a child’s feet is not as harmless as it might seem at first glance, and therefore the website for mothers supermams.ru raises this topic today.
To cure fungus on a child’s feet and avoid relapses in the future , you need to understand the reasons why it appeared. Typically, the following factors lead to its appearance:
In addition to the listed cases, it is worth highlighting some others. So, during the period of frequent colds in children, the immune system weakens . And against this background, foot fungus can develop at lightning speed.
Children who have congenital pathologies are also susceptible to foot fungus:
The fungus becomes very dangerous for those who suffer from diabetes. The fact is that with sweat, glucose is produced in high concentration, and this creates the best nutrient medium for the growth of fungus.
How do you know when you need to start treating foot fungus in children? The following manifestations will tell you about this:
In order to cope with unpleasant manifestations, you can try various methods. Today the site supermams.ru offers the most effective ones.
Treatment of foot fungus in children also involves the use of ointments, creams, and lotions .
How to remove fungus on a child’s feet if he is very uncomfortable? There is an effective remedy for this. Buy 35 percent salicylic ointment . Rub the skin and wrap it in a plastic bag. And put on a sock.
This treatment is best started not at night, like previous methods, but in the morning. At night, remove the compress. The soreness will go away within 2 days, and within a week the skin will clear up.
It is very important not only to cure the fungus on the child’s feet, but also to prevent the recurrence of its symptoms .
Firstly, do not forget that mycosis is a viral disease. And if you don’t disinfect your shoes in any way, everything can happen again. And if funds allow, please your child with new clothes made from natural materials.
Secondly, here are some more recommendations:
Of course, tell us about the basic rules of personal hygiene that you read about in this article.
It is very important to take mycosis seriously and not wait for it to go away on its own. Folk remedies are, of course, good. But it is best to contact a specialist who can prescribe suitable medications and diagnose possible related problems : metabolic disorders, vitamin deficiency, immunodeficiency. They can be companions to such a seemingly harmless disease as foot fungus in children.
Fungal diseases of the skin and nails in a child (mycoses and onychomycosis) at first glance seem not to be dangerous conditions.
Some parents do not pay attention to the fact that the baby’s nails crumble or darken, diaper rash occurs between the toes, and the feet smell unpleasant. Having missed the first symptoms of fungus on a child’s feet, mothers and fathers allow the disease to develop aggressively. As a result, the baby’s immunity suffers and there is a predisposition to allergies.
A child can become infected with a fungus for various reasons by walking barefoot on the beach, in the pool, in the cleaning room of a kindergarten, or by trying on someone else’s shoes. Mycosis is “younger” today. If previously it was mainly diagnosed in people after 25 years of age, today infants, preschoolers, and teenagers suffer from mycelium.
Infection does not always occur for these reasons. Children with various disorders are at risk for developing foot fungus:
Newborns become infected with candidiasis of smooth skin and mucous tissues at the moment of birth, if the mother did not have time to cure thrush before birth. Sometimes maternity hospital workers are to blame for the infection by ignoring sanitary standards and insufficiently disinfecting changing tables, baby dishes and other supplies intended for caring for a newborn.
At an early age and in primary school, a child may develop foot fungus due to contact with sick cats and dogs. Characteristic symptoms appear even when the child simply strokes the fur of an animal, plays with it, or allows itself to be licked.
Fungal microorganisms easily penetrate the skin through abrasions on the soles of the feet and microscopic cracks and cuts. The risk of getting mycosis is quite high even if the baby constantly wears tight and not very comfortable shoes - the feet sweat in them and become injured.
In the acute stage, foot fungus in a child first appears between the toes, then the spores spread over the entire surface and cause blistering of the skin. The blisters crack, ulcerate and become erosive. The skin itches, turns red and cracks. When walking, the child may complain of pain and burning in the area of the affected limb.
The photo shows the external signs of fungus on the feet of a small person.
Depending on the symptoms, dermatologists diagnose mycosis of the foot in different forms:
The erased form of fungus on the legs complicates the diagnosis of the disease. The baby does not complain about anything, the parents do not notice any signs. But if you look more closely, you can find cracks between the toes and whitened areas of dead skin on the soles.
If you suspect a fungus, your baby should be shown to a pediatrician or dermatologist - a specialist will make an accurate diagnosis and tell you how to treat mycosis or onychomycosis on the feet. Treatment will take place at home, but parents should not buy any antifungal drugs without medical prescription.
How and with what can mycoses be treated in children? The therapy is complex, based on systemic and external agents. For treating affected skin and nails, the following are suitable for children:
Gel, cream or ointment is applied 2–3 times a day for 2–6 weeks. After the symptoms of foot fungus disappear, the child still needs to be treated for some time to protect against relapses of the disease.
During the day between main procedures, the skin and nails can be wiped with antiseptic solutions (boric acid, potassium permanganate, Furacilin).
It is recommended to pay increased attention to the interdigital area and the skin surrounding the nails.
If the infection becomes protracted, the doctor may supplement the course with antifungal medications in tablets. From 2 years of age, if a child has foot fungus, you can use Terbinafine in a dosage that corresponds to the exact age and body weight of the patient. The tablets are given to the baby for 4 to 8 weeks according to the principle of pulse therapy (treatment lasts for 10 days, then a break is taken for 10 days).
The drug Diflucan will help quickly cure fungus on the nails and skin. Despite its powerful fungicidal properties, this remedy is considered the safest for the treatment of mycoses in children. At his discretion, the doctor prescribes one of the forms of Diflucan - capsules, a tasty orange suspension and a solution for intravenous injection.
If a small patient is bothered by severe itching, therapy is supported with antihistamines:
In advanced cases of pityriasis versicolor and ringworm, ointments containing zinc, salicylic acid, tar, and naftalan oil are prescribed for external treatment of mycosis. Children take Griseofulvin internally.
In the most difficult cases, it would be advisable to prescribe corticosteroids. Steroid hormones quickly relieve the unpleasant symptoms of foot fungus, but due to adverse reactions and contraindications, they can only be taken by a child in short-term courses.
For general health improvement and strengthening of the immune system, children with mycoses are prescribed multivitamin complexes, immunomodulators and physiotherapy - electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, darsonvalization.
Folk remedies will help relieve itching, burning, irritation and inflammation associated with fungal infections in a child’s foot.
1. A decoction of wormwood shows excellent results.
It is prepared at the rate of half a kilo of grass per 2 - 3 liters of water. The ingredients are simmered in a steam bath for 20 – 25 minutes, then the product is cooled, filtered and the baby’s feet are allowed to steam.
2. It’s easy to make healthy foot baths from milkweed herb. The raw material is taken in an amount of 1.5 cups, poured over a glass of boiling water and the broth is poured into a bowl of warm water. The child hovers his feet for 15 minutes.
Brewed coffee will help quickly remove foot fungus. The feet are steamed with a hot drink 3 times, and the disease is cured forever.
3. Nails affected by fungus are tidied up in the following ways:
When caring for a child’s feet, it is advisable to use separate manicure accessories and bath containers. After performing treatment procedures, they need to be disinfected.
The insoles of closed shoes and their internal surfaces are subject to disinfection. Antifungal sprays are used to treat shoes. Prevention is complemented by conversations about the importance of hygiene and the inadmissibility of trying on other people's things.