Panaritium in a child: causes, symptoms, treatment

The skin on the child’s hands is very delicate and thin. It is easily injured, allowing pathogens to enter.

The baby's immunity is still very weak and is not able to cope with an aggressive infection attack on its own. Therefore, in a child, panaritium is the most common disease that affects the fingers and toes.

Causes of the disease

Panaritium is a pathology that occurs as a result of infection of finger tissues by pathogenic microorganisms. The people call this disease hair or nail. Pathology is formed when staphylococcus, streptococcus or other pathogenic microflora enters the soft tissues.

Panaritium of a finger in a child develops due to injury. Splints, scratches and bruises - this phenomenon is quite common during children's games. In addition, babies often bite their nails and do not always follow the rules of hygiene.

The special structure of the connective tissue in the fingers and dense tendon cords contribute to the penetration of the infection deeper. There is a huge risk that it will affect joints and bones. Due to these structural features of the tissue, the accumulated exudate is under significant pressure in closed cavities. This causes severe pain, constriction of blood vessels and gradual necrosis. In advanced cases, the infection affects all tissues of the finger, and it loses its functions. Sometimes the disease ends with amputation.

The panaritium on the finger of a child is particularly dangerous if the baby is not yet a year old. His fragile immune system is not able to give the necessary rebuff to the infection, and it is developing rapidly. If measures are not taken in time, serious complications arise.

So, the pathology develops when an infection enters the finger tissue. The following factors can contribute to this:

1. Incorrect nail clipping.
2. The splinters that children often drive in sandboxes.
3. The habit of babies suck their fingers and bite their nails.
4. Burn or hypothermia.
5. Unsanitary conditions.
6. In infants - intrauterine infection with viruses or bacteria. As well as the presence of congenital anomalies.
7. Autoimmune diseases.
8. Intestinal infection.

The reason for the felon on the child’s foot is uncomfortable shoes, fungal diseases of the feet, improperly done pedicures, as well as a predisposition to ingrown nails.

Types of pathology

There are several types of panaritium. They differ in the depth of tissue damage and the location. And also the cause of the inflammation.

Doctors distinguish these types of pathology:

1. Cutaneous. Pus begins to accumulate under the epidermis, forming a bladder, in most cases filled with a cloudy liquid with blood impurities. The development of severe pain does not provoke this type of pathology, more often there is a slight burning sensation. The skin around the bladder is blushing. But if it begins to increase, this suggests that the infection spreads deeper.
2. Herpetic. Pathology does not manifest itself for a long time. The child begins to feel pain as soon as the bubble forms. The cause of the pathology is infection with the herpes virus. You can not open the bubble. This will help the virus spread to neighboring healthy tissues.
3. Okolonogtevy. The infection is localized near the edge of the plate. In this place, panaritium in a child may arise due to poor-quality manicure.
4. Subungual. The disease affects the tissues that are under the plate. It provokes the development of the pathology of a splinter, which fell under the nail.
5. Subcutaneous. Infection affects the deepest words of the dermis. Because of this, pus is difficult to go outside, and it spreads deeper.
6. Bone. In most cases, it is diagnosed with open fractures.
7. Articular The cause of suppuration may be an open wound or a complication of subcutaneous panaritium. The disease affects the joint that connects the phalanges of the finger. Sharp pain appears with movement and palpation.
8. Osteoarticular Infection penetrates into the deeper layers. The ends of interphalangeal joints are most often involved in the purulent process.
9. Tendinous. It belongs to the most severe types of pathology. Functions of the hand are violated, the affected finger can only be in a bent position. When you try to straighten it, severe pain occurs.

Possible complications

Parents should seek the help of a doctor immediately as soon as they notice that the child has a felon of a finger on their arm or leg. Procrastination threatens the development of the following dangerous complications:

• inflammation of the lymph nodes and blood vessels;
• sepsis;
• thrombophlebitis;
• putrefactive bone damage;
• myositis;
• phlegmon brush;
• general blood poisoning.

The likelihood of developing such formidable complications should not scare parents. Timely access to a doctor will quickly stop the development of pathology. In the event that conservative therapy is ineffective, inflammation can be stopped with the help of surgical intervention.

Symptoms

Pathology is developing quite quickly. First, puffiness and hyperemia appear at the site of the lesion. If measures are not taken at this stage, a painful bladder with purulent contents will form. Delaying treatment in this case is very dangerous.

Symptoms of panaritium in a child largely depend on the specific type of pathology. But there are general signs characteristic of all types of this disease:

1. The finger swells, and the skin turns red. When suppuration is aggravated, it changes its shade to cyanotic.
2. The affected area is very painful, there is a ripple in it.
3. The mobility of the finger is limited. Flexion can cause unbearable pain.
4. The temperature rises.

Diagnostics

Treatment of panaritium on the child’s hand is carried out only after the disease is accurately diagnosed. In most cases, a visual examination is sufficient for the doctor. The doctor also checks the reaction to palpation of the affected area in infants. Children who already know how to talk, tell what and how it hurts.

In the case when the doctor suspects that the process has spread deep into the tissue, he may order an additional examination:

• roentgenography;
• general blood analysis;
• Ultrasound

After receiving all the results, the doctor decides on the method of treatment.

Pharmacy ointments

In children, subcutaneous, near- or subungual type of pathology most often develops. If the disease was detected at an early stage, you can fight it with the help of affordable pharmacy ointments. Treatment of panaritium in a child is carried out using such means:

1. Vishnevsky ointment. It is considered the most effective tool. Ointment quickly blocks the inflammatory process and helps to open the abscess. It is applied to the affected area and fixed with a bandage. The procedure is performed twice a day.
2. Ichthyol ointment. The drug promotes the release of abscess and relieves inflammation. It is applied three times a day until recovery.
3. Ointment "Levomekol". Before applying the drug, it is recommended to steam the sick finger in a bath with moderately hot water. Then a compress with ointment is applied, which must be changed twice a day. The medicine can be used after opening the abscess until complete recovery.
4. Tetracycline and zinc ointments. The affected area is lubricated up to six times a day, alternating with drugs.

Compresses

Compresses and various lotions allow you to carefully and painlessly cure panaritium on the child’s hand. Keep them necessary for a long time. If possible, it is recommended to leave the pus-extracting compress overnight and change to a new one in the morning.

The most effective recipes that allow you to quickly cope with the pathology in the initial stages of its development:

1. "Dimexide". The solution is mixed with water in a ratio of 1 to 4. The eight-layer gauze is wetted in the finished mixture and applied to the affected area. On top, the compress is covered with polyethylene and fixed with a bandage. The procedure should be repeated up to five times a day.
2. Castor oil. It must be heated in a water bath to a temperature of 38-39 degrees. Apply a copiously moistened piece of gauze to the affected area and insulate. It is recommended to leave the compress for at least two hours.
3. Several times during the day, apply gruel from aloe leaves or Kalanchoe to the affected area.
4. Bake the medium onion in the oven. Use warm pulp for compress. The dressing can be changed no earlier than five hours later.
5. Pass a few cloves of garlic through a press and mix them with chopped onions. Use gruel in the form of a compress.

Baths

Hot baths with various additives relieve inflammation, disinfect and contribute to the speedy release of pus. With their help, you can quickly cure panaritium on the toe of a child. This method of therapy is suitable for babies who do not want to walk with compresses for a long time.

For the treatment of panaritium, the following baths are used:

1. A teaspoon of alcohol tincture of calendula or eucalyptus is dissolved in 500 ml of hot water. The bath should be hot, but not burn the skin of the baby. The duration of the procedure is 10 minutes. It is recommended to repeat it three times a day.
2. A teaspoon of soda is mixed with the same amount of sea salt and dissolved in a glass of hot water. The duration of the procedure is 20 minutes.
3. A head of garlic is passed through a press and poured into a glass of water, the temperature of which is 80 degrees. After five to seven minutes, when the liquid cools down a little, you need to immerse a finger in it for a few seconds. The procedure should be repeated until the water cools down.
4. A tablespoon of natural celandine juice is poured with two glasses of boiling water. After the water has cooled, a finger is immersed in it for 30 minutes.

Antibiotic treatment

The negative impact of these drugs on the human body is known to all. But in some cases, treatment of panaritium of a finger in a child is impossible without the use of antibiotics. They are resorted to when the infection began to spread to nearby tissues.

In the event that suppuration was provoked by staphylococcal or streptococcal bacteria, the doctor may prescribe such drugs:

1. Ampicillin.
2. Erythromycin.
3. "Ilozon".

For the treatment of panaritium, the development of which was provoked by a fungus, antimycotic agents are used. In addition, the doctor may prescribe immunomodulators that will help the body fight the infection.

Surgery

In some cases, the use of ointments, compresses, baths and even antibiotics is not enough to defeat the infection. Then, for the treatment of panaritium in a child, surgery is indicated. Under local anesthesia, and sometimes under general anesthesia, the doctor opens the abscess.

The surgeon removes dead tissue and drains viable. If necessary, injects an antibiotic into the deeper layers of the epidermis. After that, it disinfects the incisions, checks the tissue for fistulous passage and makes a dressing. In addition, he prescribes a course of general and local antibiotic therapy.

Prevention

Panaritium in a child is a pathology that can be easily prevented. To protect the baby from the development of the disease, it is necessary to adhere to the following rules:

1. The expectant mother should monitor her health during pregnancy. Avoid all those factors that can provoke the development of intrauterine pathologies.
2. Wash baby's hands regularly and cut nails.
3. Strengthen the baby’s immunity.
4. Regularly undergo examinations at the pediatrician.
5. Timely treat all childhood diseases.
6. Breast take only clean hands.