An ingrown toenail occurs when the corner of your child's toenail grows into the skin of her toe. Symptoms such as pain, redness, swelling and infection can occur if you do not treat the ingrown toenail right away, notes MayoClinic.com. If you notice an ingrown toenail when clipping your child's toenails begin, treatment immediately to help alleviate symptoms and reduce the risk of a dangerous infection. It is possible to treat your child's ingrown toenail safely at home.
Step 1
Soak your child's foot in warm soapy water. Fill a pot with warm water and a small squirt of soap. Place your child's foot in the water and keep it there for 10 minutes, recommends David Y. Wong, author of "Healing What Hurts: Fast Ways to Get Safe Relief from Aches and Pains and Other Everyday Ailments." Soak the foot three times each day throughout the healing process, adds MayoClinic.com.
Step 2
Sterilize a metal nail file. Place the file in boiling water for 15 minutes, remove and allow to cool.
Step 3
Use the metal nail file and gently raise your child's toenail away from the skin. Place a small piece of cotton ball under the nail to prevent it from coming into contact with the skin. This helps the nail eventually grow above the skin edge. Change the cotton each time you soak your child's foot.
Step 4
Apply a antibiotic ointment and cover with a large bandage. Remove the bandage for each soak and replace with a clean one.
Step 5
Tell your child to go barefoot at home and when going out, to wear loose fitting shoes, such as open-toed sandals, while the ingrown toenail heals. Limit your child's wear of tight or constricting shoes the best you can.
Tips and Warnings
- Your child is likely to get bored while soaking her foot. Read her stories or sing songs with her to pass the the time and ensure she soaks her toenail long enough to raise if away from the skin. Offer your child an over-the-counter pain reliever made for children to help reduce the pain associated with an ingrown toenail.
- Make sure your child does not wear shoes that are too small for her because this can lead to a return of the ingrown toenail. Do not round the corners when cutting your child's toenails, suggests Wong. Instead, cut them straight across so that each edge of the toenail is above the skin. Call your child's doctor if your child's toenail looks infected or does not appear to get better with these home remedies.
Things You'll Need
- Soap
- Cotton balls
- Metal nail file
- Antibiotic ointment
- Bandage
References
- MayoClinic.com: Ingrown Toenails
- "Healing What Hurts: Fast Ways to Get Safe Relief from Aches and Pains and Other Everyday Ailments"; David Y. Wong; 2008
Member Comments