If your child has white spots on the nails, this article is a must-read for you. Know more about white spots on nails in kids in this article.
Having white spots on nails in kids is a pretty common thing. Yet, it is true that if something keeps a connection with your kids, then you must look into the matter thoroughly. In this article, you will read a little overview of such white spots, the methods to distinguish them. Besides know the reasons behind them along with some home remedies to counter the situation. You’ll also get to know when you should seek doctor help so the condition doesn’t get worse.
White Spots on Nails in Kids
Nails are like the mini-mirrors of your well-being. They can tell a lot about your health, be it good or bad. When the nails are pink and shiny, they exhibit that the kid has good health. At the same time, nails show many bad health symptoms like discoloration of nails, not-so-shiny nails, brittle nails, white spots on the nails, lines, and ridges on the nails, and many more. The medical name of such white spots on nails is Leukonychia. Further in this article, you will read how to distinguish these white spots on your kid’s nails.
How to Distinguish
There are three possible methods to distinguish the white spots that you can read below:
- Observe tiny pen-point-sized dots in the nails of your kids.
- You can also see for more extensive lines across the nails of your kids.
- You can witness giant individual bubbles in their nails that show that something is fishy with their health.
Reasons Behind White Nails
There are several reasons behind the kids having white spots on their nails. You can read some of them in the below points.
1. Mineral Deficiency
The white spots in nails occur due to the deficiency of minerals like Zinc and Calcium. To fulfill the needs of these minerals in your child’s body, you can serve him/her milk, tofu, or other dairy products.
2. Physical Injury
There are chances that your child had undergone some physical injury like jamming the fingers into the hinge of a door or putting the fingers beneath a hammer and end up striking them. Such injuries can cause white spots on the nails to appear. However, these spots might subside once the injury heals.
3. Allergic Reaction
The white spots might occur due to excessive use of nail paints or nail paint removers. Such products can harden and destroy the sensitiveness of the nails, making them prone to such white spots and brittle nails.
4. Fungal Infection
In some cases, nail fungus is also why the kids have white spots in their nails. You can easily observe that tiny white dots begin to appear on the nails in the initial stages. The medical name of nail fungus is onychomycosis.
5. Frequent Manicures
If you give frequent manicures to your child with harsh chemical-filled products, chances are that this can be the reason for white spots.
6. Heart Disease
If the kid is born with some heart disease, it is evident to find white spots in the nails. This is a justification of the point mentioned above that our nails tell a lot about our health.
Some other reasons for kids having white spots in their nails are:
- Kidney failure
- Eczema
- Pneumonia
- Arsenic or lead poisoning
Home Remedies for White Spots
It is pretty easy to cure white spots on nails using some home remedies. You can read some effective home remedies in the below points:
1. Lime Slices
Rubbing slices of lemon come out to be effective in removing white spots from the nails. The reason behind is that lemon fulfills the vitamin C deficiency in the nails, that is a reason for white spots.
2. White Vinegar
You can try this recipe of mixing white vinegar into lukewarm water. Afterward, you can soak your nails for 10 minutes in the solution.
3. Orange Oil
Rubbing orange oil on your nails with the help of a dropper or cotton pad can also come out to be an effective remedy as it helps in the recovery of discolored nails.
4. Baking Soda
Add 1/2 tsp Epsom salt to 1/2 tsp baking soda and then add one-fourth cup hydrogen peroxide to it. Add 4 cups of warm water and dip your kids’ fingers in it. Always remember to use 3% hydrogen peroxide only, as any concentration above that can harm the skin. After dipping your child’s fingers in this solution, always wash their hands with water and soap.
5. Tea Tree Oil
Add a few drops of each olive oil and tea tree oil and apply this on the nails. Tea tree oil has healing and anti-bacterial properties, which helps in preventing white spots as well as the development of fungal infections.
Besides home remedies, there are also some medical treatments to resolve the nail’s white spots issue. You can find the list of treatments below:
- You can try some antifungal medicines As prescribed by your pediatrician for the betterment of your child.
- Some topical antifungal creams are available in the market, but we would advise you to use them only after consulting with a specialist.
- You can also initiate the course of anti-allergic medicines for your child if you find him/her being allergic to certain things.
- If all the above treatments fail, then you can avail yourself of some cosmetic treatments too.
When to See A Doctor
As we always mentioned in our articles, every case is unique and should have its treatment methods. Sometimes, this minor occurrence of white spots in the nails might lead to hurtful things. In such events, it is always a good option to consult your doctor in the initial stages to conquer the situation soon. When you make the following observations in your child, please note that it’s high time to consult a doctor:
- When the nails begin to turn white completely.
- The white spots increase evidently at a fast speed.
- When you start observing some discolored parallel lines on the nails of your child.
- When the nails start becoming partly Brown and partly white.
The Last Lines
It would be best if you always were cautious about your child’s health. Even a small issue like white spots on the nails can lead to bigger things shortly. Panicking won’t take you anywhere, but treatment on time can help you recover soon. You should note all the information in the above article and start observing your child today.
