While you can use medical interventions in a doctor's visit or prescription medications to treat your child's wart, natural treatments for warts on a child exist and are successful in the vast majority of cases. Rather than introduce medications or deal with the potential fears that aggressive interventions may induce, try a few natural treatments. Talk with your pediatrician to properly diagnose the wart before proceeding, as some skin conditions may look like a wart but indicate another medical condition.
Significance
Natural treatments for warts are generally less expensive than prescription medications or more aggressive interventions, such as cryotherapy or laser treatments. Natural treatments typically remove the wart slowly and without pain. In addition, your child will not be scarred by natural treatments, which is a risk with both laser and cryotherapy.
Types
Treatments vary according to the type of wart. The most natural method is simply to leave the wart alone and let your child's body get rid of it over time.However, this may not be effective if your child is irritated by the wart. In addition, it can be embarrassing for some kids and also poses the risk of the viral infection spreading and creating more warts. You can also try covering the wart with duct tape and removing the tape every two to three days, filing the area with an emery board between applications of tape. This method, while not fully understood, seems to starve the wart of oxygen and help slough off skin that supports its growth. After a few weeks, the wart will either disappear or come off when removing the duct tape. Another option is to use over-the-counter bandages that include salicylic acid that help slough away the skin and gently resolve the wart.
Time Frame
Natural treatments are rarely faster than other options. They typically take a few months to a few years, depending on the treatment you determine is best for your child. However, cryotherapy treatments can take up to four applications to be effective.
Warning
If your child has warts on his anus or genitals, they may indicate that he has contracted venereal warts during the birthing process or via sexual contact. Contact your doctor for treatment, as venereal warts are linked to cancers of the penis and cervix in adults. In addition, contact your doctor if the wart becomes discolored, has any discharge or becomes infected.
Prevention/Solution
Since warts are spread by the human papilloma virus (HPV), your child likely can't avoid it. However, you can suggest that your child not pick at her wart to avoid spreading the infection. In addition, if she bites her fingernails, she is more likely to contract warts through any hangnails or other skin damage to her fingernail area, so help her knock the habit, if possible. Also make sure that your child wears flip flops when walking around the swimming pool deck or going into communal showers to cut down on potential exposure.
