My dd (12) has covid toe!

[HelenDrinkwater]

She had no symptoms of Covid, ever. Not even a cold since last winter. It's affecting three toes at the moment, she says they're very painful, doesn't want to wear shoes. Not sure how we're going to cope on Monday!

Has anyone else experienced this? How long did it last? How did you treat it? GP just suggested paracetamol.

Oh just seen your post re the negative test. Looks like she was asymptomatic. There has been a bit of research showing some children are having follow up.symptoms later ( ie long. Covid type)

Foot specialist here, covid toe and chilblians can look similar, BUT, they are very different in that you will find chilblains in only a few toes, but covid toe covers most toes.
With all due respect to Dr, most of them know nothing about footcare. What you described to me is chilblains, and I have seen a huge increase in cases this year due to the extremes in temperature we have experienced weather wise. Put some warm socks on patient, no extremes of temp ie hot baths etc, warm up the feet gradually, creams like Balmosa will help.
If its three toes it is extremely unlikely to be covid toe.

Just seen pictures, that is chilblains.

She needs to have an antibody test. If it is negative then there are other possibilities such as chilblains or vasculitis. You can’t make a diagnosis of covid toes without investigating the other differential diagnoses.

I can’t see OP’s pics. Also a foot specialist ans agree with Wow.

Fleamaker, talk about dr stating the obvious! Dr’s seem to hate feet and some of the advice they give is quite frankly useless. Just keep those toes warm and heat gently, so not in front of fire or radiator. They can be quite itchy so scratching the toe.

Exactly the same as DN 13. No symptoms at all. Has been seen by peads at hospital who said it will burn itself out in 6-8 weeks. Not been in school and not socialising so don’t know how she got it. No one in the family has any symptoms either

@HelenDrinkwater can you post a photo please? There is something odd going on with my 6yo’s toes and the GP is stumped. It’s been going on for 6 weeks or so, slowly moving through his toes. This is toe 3/10; it’s a bit better now but as the colour came back there were small red dots in amongst the purple. The skin is currently bleeding. I do not know when he may have had covid - we didn’t notice it if he did!

Oh and the skin on it is currently peeling. So far 4 or possibly 5 toes have been affected.

Also GP did say that they have seen an unusual number of ‘chilblains’ cases in teenagers this winter but doesn’t know if it’s covid toe or people wearing bare feet at home on cold floors etc.

Treatment is some creams and warm socks

My daughter's toes look like this and so do some of mine. I have had chillblains for years so assume it is probably that despite lockdown curtailing activity.

I had this affecting toes on both feet last April. I am a nurse and have been regularly tested and have always been negative.
I also have an auto immune disorder and my rheumatologist said that around the time I presented to her with this several of her colleagues had come across this and were unsure what it was.I still have residual marks on my feet

So weird - all three of my children have also had very similar toes to what @Flamingolingo posted. Dr thought Covid toe but was very uncommitted- I’ve treated as chilblains with socks at all times etc and finally after two months they are looking more normal !

My 2 children had Covid toes in January. They developed when DH and I actually had Covid so I'm certain it was related to the virus. Neither child tested positive despite several tests. If Covid toes is the only symptom I think it's hard to actually get a positive test result as the virus is not in their respiratory system.

I think it would be sensible though for you to err on the side of caution OP and treat it as active Covid and isolate. I would suggest you all get tested. If she is infectious it could spread around her school on the first day back.

With my children the purple skin slowly dried out and became flaky and wrinkly. The dry skin is now peeling off.

My 12 year old also had several puss filled blisters inside the purple bits and also at the end of several toes which weren't purple. One of the end of the toe blisters actually exploded one evening but that is probably more a post for Sporner's Corner than here.

Pictures of some of DD12's toes are attached.

Covid toe is more likely than chillblainsbthis year I reckon in a person who hasn't had chillblains before or much exposure to cold.

If 'covid toe' could be misdiagnosed chillblains, then 'chillblains' could equally be misdiagnosed covid toe.

Very high numbers of kids had asymptomatic covid last term. Hopefully this is the worst of it, but who knows what else is going on in their systems . We've had strange post-covid symptoms in our house too.

Looking at the criteria for chilblains, she doesn't satisfy any of those. Our house is warm, no stone or wood floors, except the bathroom and there are mats in there. She hasn't been outside for weeks. She hasn't experienced any sudden increases in temperature, she doesn't need 'warming up' slowly or otherwise. Apparently I need to get the GPs permission to get her an antibody test, so I'm going to do that on Monday, then book the test. If that shows she hasn't had Covid, then I'll go back to GP.

She doesn't need to see a GP whether or not it is covid. Ex covid doesn't need help unless she is systemically unwell still and chilblains certainly don't need to be seen by a GP unless they are recurrent and very severe. They are no big deal, just annoying.

Covid toe is definitely a thing and don’t forget 30% plus who have covid are asymptomatic.

Can I also share photos?
DS2 has one sore slightly swollen toe that is a bit red. He has been saying it is sore for about a week. Its the toe next to the little toe but looks normal on this photo. He is 13

But DS1 is 16. He has had these blisters on his toes for a couple of weeks. No itching, no signs of athletes foot. The pharmacist didn't know what it was and has given us an antiseptic cream to try. They are mostly drying out now but you can see the darkness at the base of his nails where he has had blisters but this one toe is still awful. Can anyone help? I called the GP and was expecting a call back but they didn't call.

Strangely enough I was thinking of posting something similar.

My son had sore toes last March and still has them now! They've got better at times. It's not small areas like I think chillblains would be, but most of his toes getting red and sore.

His sister had some athlete's foot so we've been putting cream on both of them but it hasn't made a different to him. He has some peeling skin, but not in the toe cracks like you usually get in athlete's feet, and a few blisters in weird places. I really got worried about it yesterday thinking about him being in shoes five days constantly from Monday.

I did read one thing saying most cases of Covid toe were due to people suddenly spending lots of time at home barefoot, so who knows!

I just wish I knew how to make it better.

@smartiecake my child’s toe looks an awful lot like your 16yo toe at the moment, the dry flaky skin is identical.

Flamingolingo my son has had this for weeks now. It doesn't itch and isnt sore at all unless there is pressure on it. Very strange. Its definitely clearing up but that one toe is horrible. How long has your child's toes looked like this?

@HelenDrinkwater

Looking at the criteria for chilblains, she doesn't satisfy any of those. Our house is warm, no stone or wood floors, except the bathroom and there are mats in there. She hasn't been outside for weeks. She hasn't experienced any sudden increases in temperature, she doesn't need 'warming up' slowly or otherwise. Apparently I need to get the GPs permission to get her an antibody test, so I'm going to do that on Monday, then book the test. If that shows she hasn't had Covid, then I'll go back to GP.

With all due respect OP, you post on here for advice and help on how to treat and then appear to write a very snarky response about your child not needing to be warmed up slowly, what is all that about?

Over the last few months i have seen Covid toes and lots of Chilblains, nothing to do sudden increases of temperature in your child, (as you describe),per se, more to do with changes in blood vessels which are linked to a more sedentary lifestyle, so not leaving the house would fit.And recent healthcare reports confirm these lifestyle changes only exacerbate symptoms.
If the discolouration is only affecting three toes it is highly unlikely to be covid toe. Covid toe looks like a horror show in most cases. You need to follow specialist advice ,not that from a general practitioner. Surely trying to follow steps advised to you by a specialist and refraining from putting further burden on our already stressed gp’s is worth a try?