Why do children lose their toenails?

The health of children is the most concerned issue for parents. Once there is discomfort in any place, parents will be extremely worried, especially when nails fall off, which will make parents extremely anxious. When children's toenails fall off, it is likely caused by malnutrition, unhealthy habits, and onychomycosis. It is necessary to judge according to the child's own situation and seek medical treatment in time.

1. It may be due to lack of nutrition

If a child's nails on both hands and feet fall off at the same time, it may be related to the child's nutritional deficiencies. Common clinical symptoms include: calcium deficiency, protein deficiency, zinc deficiency, etc.

Start with diet, correct your child’s bad habits of being picky about food, and prepare more nutritious foods such as eggs, milk, soy products, beef, fish and shrimp for your child that are conducive to nail growth. If you are deficient in trace elements and your diet is not adequate, you can see a doctor to check for trace element deficiencies and then supplement them as quickly as possible.

Second, it may be caused by bad habits

In daily life, children like to go barefoot and have bad habits such as picking and digging things with their fingernails, which may cause nail trauma and nail falling.

Generally, nail loss is caused by trauma or other bad habits. First, parents should check whether their children's nails are broken. If necessary, seek medical attention in time and apply anti-inflammatory and anti-infection medication to avoid ulceration and pus. If there is no ulceration, a new nail will generally grow 1-3 months after falling off.

3. It may be onychomycosis

Onychomycosis caused by fungal infection not only affects adults, but children can also be infected. Moreover, onychomycosis is prone to cross-infection. It may be on the feet, and then touched by the hands, it will be transmitted to the fingernails. Afterwards, the nails will become grayish, brittle and fall off easily.

Onychomycosis usually does not heal on its own. Parents should take their children to see a doctor as soon as possible and use oral, topical medications or surgery to treat onychomycosis. In addition, some folk remedies for treating onychomycosis should also be used with caution to avoid aggravating the condition. Usually, if you seek medical treatment for onychomycosis and take medication as recommended, your nails will return to normal in about three months.

4. It may be caused by some physical illness

Clinically, diseases such as hand, foot and mouth disease, thyroid disease, and lichen planus may cause children's fingernails and toenails to fall off. For example, in the common case of hand, foot and mouth disease, many children will experience nail separation and falling off about 2-6 weeks after recovery from the disease.

If parents suspect that their child's nail loss is caused by the above-mentioned diseases, it is recommended that they seek medical attention in time to diagnose the condition. After the specific cause is confirmed, symptomatic treatment should be provided. While the disease is cured as soon as possible, the symptoms of nail loss will also recover early. If the nail loss is caused by hand, foot and mouth disease, new nails will generally grow in about 3 months and no deliberate treatment is required.