What are the symptoms of paronychia in children?

It is not actually terrible for children to suffer from paronychia. What is terrible is that if it is not treated properly or in time, it will lead to inflammation and pus. Parents should understand the symptoms of paronychia in children so that their children's health can be protected.

Symptoms of paronychia

Common pathogenic bacteria that cause paronychia are Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus pyogenes, Pseudomonas, Proteus or anaerobic bacteria, and the most common pathogenic yeast is Candida albicans. Paronychia is a type of onychomycosis, and its main symptoms include redness, swelling, heat, pain, and pus discharge. Children with early paronychia can be treated with hot compresses, physical therapy, and external application, and sulfonamides or antibiotics can be used to eliminate inflammation. Paronychia is divided into acute paronychia, chronic paronychia, etc. The symptoms of paronychia are as follows:

1. Symptoms of acute paronychia: The symptoms of paronychia are mostly limited to the proximal end of the side edge of the nail. The initial symptoms are local redness and swelling of the nail, which may manifest as slight redness, swelling, heat, pain and tenderness. Mild cases may disappear on their own. If the infection is severe or the body's resistance is poor, it will fester within 2-3 days and may extend to under the nail. If a child has low immunity, he or she is prone to acute paronychia.

2. Symptoms of chronic paronychia: The nails will gradually turn yellow-brown, and yellow-white pus spots may appear after they become deformed, bent, and uneven. Chronic paronychia is often accompanied by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection, which causes the nails to turn green. The symptoms of subcutaneous paronychia near the nail become more obvious, spreading downward around the nail root, forming abscesses around the nail or under the nail, with local throbbing pain, but generally no systemic symptoms.

3. Symptoms of purulent paronychia : mild redness and swelling in the nail groove, pain, and peeling of the nail cuticle, a small amount of pus flowing out of the nail groove, blackening of the nail edge and nail groove, occasional secretion of pus, easy abrasion and bleeding, longitudinal ridges or transverse grooves on the nail, and pus lurking under the nail. In severe cases, the nail may become completely loose and fall off. Mothers should take good care of their children and not let them touch the pus with their hands to avoid aggravating the infection.

4. Symptoms of simple paronychia: Most cases of simple paronychia occur on the big toe. One or two corners of the front end of the toe penetrate deep into the nail groove. Over time, the toe will feel swollen and painful, and the pain will be severe and unbearable when accidentally touched.

5. Symptoms of ingrown toenail paronychia: Ingrown toenail paronychia is a paronychia caused by the toenail growing into the flesh. It is most likely to occur on the middle finger, index finger of the right hand and the middle finger of the left hand, and less common on the toes and in men.

6. Symptoms of Candidal Paronychia: Symptoms of Candidal Paronychia are common in children who have the habit of biting their nails. Symptoms of paronychia include redness, edema, and unclear boundaries of the nail groove behind the nail of the index or ring finger.