Tinea Pedis in Children
Tinea pedis, also known as athlete's foot, is caused by moisture between toes and may also affect other areas of the feet. It is a common condition seen among children who are very active. There are specific symptoms, causes, treatments and prevention tips that will help identify the condition and an appropriate treatment.
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Symptoms
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Many symptoms of tinea pedis can afflict children. It is uncommon to have all of them, but an infected child will have some of them. They include: toes or foot soles that burn, itch, or sting; blisters that itch, peel or crack between toes or foot soles; extremely dry skin on the side or bottom of feet; and thickened, crumbled, ragged, discolored toenails that may also be falling away from the nail bed.
Not treating tinea pedis quickly enough could lead to onychomycosis, a fungal infection of the nail beds.
Causes
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Dermatophytes, mold-like fungi, are the cause of tinea pedis. They infect the top layers of the skins with very small tendril extensions. The body unknowingly responds to the infection by producing more skin cells. The overproduction of skin cells may cause a thick and scaly appearance in the infected area.
Tinea pedis in children can flourish in wet and closed areas, usually caused by heavy and tight footwear pushing the toes together, creating a warm and humid area. Wet footwear combined with damp and tepid surroundings are ideal conditions for the organism's growth. Plastic footwear can allow the fungus to grow as well.
There are three ways to get tinea pedis in children: human to human, object to human and animal to human. The first way occurs with direct skin contact with an infected person. The next way is through contaminated skin falling onto floors or rugs; although it is not uncommon to spread the condition in a house, normal transmission comes in locker rooms, saunas, pools and other publicly used facilities. Lastly, pets have been known to spread the infection to families as well.
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Treatments
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Once tinea pedis has been discovered, try over-the-counter medication. If these don't work, you should see a doctor, who will prescribe either a topical medicine (applied to the skin) or an oral medicine (taken by mouth). Depending on the severity, the doctor may give a patient both.
Some topical medications that are available over the counter also come in prescription strength. These include terbinafine (Lamisil), clotrimazole (Lotrimin) and miconazole (Monistat-Derm). Some oral prescription medications include itraconazole (Sporanox), fluconazole (Diflucan) and terbinafine (Lamisil).
Also, the doctor may suggest using moist wrappings with ointments containing steroids, a cold compress or a vinegar soak. These will help clean up blisters or mushy skin.
Drug Interactions
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As with many prescriptions, interaction may occur with other medications or food you take. Some are not considered a major concern but should be looked for. For example, absorption of oral antibiotic medications can be impeded by use of antacids. To find out more about drug interactions and their effects, check out http://www.drugs.com.
Prevention Tips
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Some ways to avoid the condition include wearing socks that take the wetness out of your feet, regularly changing socks, not wearing vinyl or rubber shoes, wearing different shoes, regularly using antifungal powder, and not wearing other people's shoes.
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