Warts are viral infections caused by one of the varieties of the human papilloma virus, or HPV. They can appear almost anywhere on the body, but kids tend to get them on their hands, feet or face. Warts aren't difficult to treat, but they can be painful, especially if they are on the bottom of the foot. Treating warts depends on the type of wart someone has, but effective treatments for warts on kids exist and can be relatively easy and painless.
Ignore
While it may seem neglectful, in fact, you can ignore a wart and let your child's body naturally reject it. Often warts resolve themselves, though it can take from 6 months to 2 years for the immune system to effectively remove the wart. In the meantime, if your child picks at the wart, it increases the risk of spreading the infection. The good news is that if the child just leaves the wart alone, it will not leave a scar.
Alleviate Discomfort
If your child has a plantar wart, one that looks like a cauliflower floret, and it's in a location where it hurts, you can treat the wart by minimizing the pain it's causing. Bandages shaped like donuts help minimize pressure. You can also file the child's wart away slowly with a pumice stone or Emory board to relieve discomfort.
Over-the-Counter Medication
Over-the-counter bandages with salicylic acid can help speed the removal of a wart. Check with your pediatrician if this medication is appropriate for your child before purchasing. To use them, clean the area, apply the bandage and remove every other or third day, sloughing off dead skin with a pumice stone or washcloth until the wart is gone.
Prescription Medication
Your child's pediatrician can prescribe stronger doses of salicylic acid in patch or drop form. In addition, your child's pediatrician might prescribe podophyllum resin paint, benzoin and isopropyl alcohol solution for use. Apply these medications at night to the child's wart for a few weeks.
Freezing
Cryotherapy, also known as freezing, is a method for immediate removal. It is quicker than topical treatment, though it may leave a scar. Your pediatrician will use liquid nitrogen to help the wart fall off. It can take up to four applications for a wart to be fully resolved.
