**pic warning** verruca infected?

[FancyFingers]

Ds (6) has had a verruca for a couple of months. Despite treatment from the pharmacy, using various products it's now looking infected.

He cannot put any weight on his foot so is hobbling on his heel. I've tried the corn/verruca circle pads, but nothing is comfortable.

We saw a dr yesterday who prescribed the same gel as the bazuka brand. We've used this before.

What should I do? His foot after school today looked worse and I can see pus under the skin.

I called the surgery befor they closed and they've offered an appt with a nurse. I'm wondering what they'd be able to do (if anything?)

Does anyone have experience/advice?

[wren23091]

Hmm, if he's not able to put weight on the foot (plus the pus), that definitely sounds worse than a general verruca. Perhaps try the GP again and explain the new developments. I hope it gets sorted soon, that sounds rotten for him :(

[PreemptiveSalvageEngineer]

Get thee hence to Sporners Corner. We're sick feckers, but also have some mad diagnosing skills.

Just Report your own post and ask MNHQ to move the fred. :)

Best of luck.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

Oh, that looks very painful and does look infected.

Needs cleaning, dressing and he may need antibiotics.

I'd soak in warm salty water to help draw it, then cover it with a clean dressing and make sure he keeps his foot elevated. No school tomorrow until he's seen the nurse.

Draw a line around the edge of the red area so you can see if it's spreading.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

This really isn't a sporner situation though.

[flumpybear]

I'd be at the GP first thing tomorrow - has he tried a bath to soak it perhaps?

[booellesmum]

I would show that to the GP.
I am not a fan of creams on verrucas- take ages to work, hurt and are really messy.
Much prefer the pens you can buy that freeze them and kill them.

[Midnightprobs]

In our surgery nurses can prescribe antibiotics. I'm no medic but it's got a fair bit of red round it so I'd want antibiotics. Definitely see the nurse and if they don't do anything, I'd look up a private chiropodist sort of place, phone them ask them if they'll help and if not, to recommend someone who will.

[Groovester]

Google Thuja. Treat locally with tea tree oil, don't file as it causes it to spread and take the Thuja pills (homeopathic) Got rid of my 6yr old's verucca quite quickly.

[Floweringjasmine]

You probably shouldn't but I would lance that with a sterile needle to let the pus drain away then see GP.

[Midnightprobs]

If you live near the coast, a long walk barefoot everyday on a sand may also get rid of it (I'd try it for a week)

[MrsSherlock]

Your ds needs to see a GP who is qualified in performing minor surgical procedures. That verruca needs to be lanced and drawn out. And a topical antibiotic should be prescribed.
Shocking that hasn't already been done by the GP

[FancyFingers]

Sorry if I wasn't clear in my op.

He saw a gp yesterday afternoon, who advised a warm bath to soak the foot well, and then apply the salicylic acid which he prescribed. When I checked the gel against the bazuka gel at home, it's the same 12% solution which we've used previously/religiously.

The verruca looked nothing like the pic yesterday, so the gp probably thought it was just a stubborn verruca.

My concern is the pus (maybe the long soak in the bath?) and the fact ds is in so much pain. He doesn't ever complain about anything and rarely cries if he hurts himself etc, but this is causing tears and he is struggling to put on his shoes, as he says the skin is so sore around it. I had to take the cushion plaster off it yesterday evening as he couldn't stand it touching his foot.

He is due to see a senior nurse in a minor injury clinic first thing in the morning, at the surgery.

[FancyFingers]

Thanks for the replies btw.

We tried the freezing pen initially. Followed by a second dose 2 weeks after, or whatever the instructions advised.

[BoreOfWhabylon]

I'm a Triage nurse specialist.

If he's in severe pain and it's getting worse as well as the redness and pus, then he needs to be seen tonight. It's a nasty infection and needs treating sooner rather than later.

I'd call 111 - they will be able to arrange for him to be seen tonight.

This needs to be dealt with as an infected wound very near to a large joint. It's no longer just a verrucca.

[WallisFrizz]

I think it looks infected particularly because the area around it is so red. I'm not medically trained though so I'm glad you have the appointment in the morning.

[FancyFingers]

I called 111 last night, and a gp called me back. They evaluated ds, and he was otherwise eating/playing and generally happy (whilst sitting) and didn't have a temp or feel unwell, they were happy to wait for his nurse appt this morning.

This is how his foot looks this morning, I'm not sure what the purple is surrounding the pus. But looks bigger to me. It's very hot aw well.

[endofthelinefinally]

That looks really nasty.
It needs to be looked at by an experienced HCP asap. Not evaluated over the phone.

[ButtfaceMiscreant]

As you have an appointment this morning, assuming it is first thing, whip him down there and if you are not happy ask to see the duty Dr as well. They will see a young child with an infected foot like that, verruca or not.

[MrsMarigold]

Poor fellow, I imagine it's bruising. Would lancing it help? I had a similar infected verruca on my foot when I was six and in the end after lancing the pus infected bit the GP cauterised it, I was in year 1 and like your DS couldn't bear any wait on it and I remember having to hobble to mother's car outside the school gate. I still have a scar from it on the base of my foot 35 years on. Good luck.

[MrsMarigold]

weight (blasted phone).

[lougle]

Please listen to BoreOfWhabylon. The problem is that it is very near to the large joint of his big toe, and the infection isn't just confined to the verruca now. If you look at his foot, you can see the redness spreads right up to the first joint of his second toe, is tracking along to the base if his third toe and covers the ball of his big toe. It also looks quite deep because the layer of skin that is lifted that the pus is sitting under is quite thick.

The GP can't assess that over the telephone.

[Watto1]

I'd take him to a chiropodist. They are the experts.

[endofthelinefinally]

A chiropodist cant prescribe antibiotics. I dont think a chiropodist would touch it tbh. It is infected.

[socialanxietysrus]

Poor thing , looks agony! Hope it gets sorted x

[picklemepopcorn]

Poor chap. Hope all goes well with the nurse!