Is That a Wart?

Finding a wart on your child might be an unsettling moment for any parent. But according to Dr. Kip Frizzell, Le Bonheur's director of Coordination of Care and a local pediatrician, warts are quite normal.

"Warts are caused by viruses from the human papillomavirus (HPV) family and are most commonly found on the upper extremities of the body. They are usually diagnosed by their appearance. There are many methods of treatments parents can pursue that range from a visit to the pediatrician to over-the-counter (OTC) medicine. Salicylic acid is one of the most common ingredients in OTCs, so parents should be mindful of that," said Frizzell.

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, skin warts are dome shaped with a rough appearance. Most often they are found on the hands, toes, face and around the knees. They can also occur on the soles of the feet where they are often painful. These are known as plantar warts, and your child may describe these as feeling like walking on a pebble.

"Treatment methods vary. There is no harm in trying the over-the-counter remedies first, which I've found to be successful. But if you're child complains of pain from the wart it's best to visit your pediatrician," said Frizzell.

Some of the methods of treatment parents might want to research include:

• A doctor's recommendation to remove the wart by cauterizing or freezing;
• Over-the-counter treatments that contain salicylic acid;
• Antacids such as Zantac, administered orally;
• Duct tape - this is a process that involves placing duct tape on the wart for several days then removing the tape to scrape the tissue with an emery board. The parent is advised to repeat the process until the wart is gone.