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Warts are small, flesh-coloured bumps that grow on the skin. They are caused by a virus. Kids can make warts spread by scratching them or they can spread them to other people. Warts are not serious but they might be embarrassing. Anyone can get warts, but kids from age 12-16 are most commonly affected.
What causes warts?
Warts are caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV). There are more than 100 types of HPV viruses and they can each cause a different kind of wart. The virus that causes warts is contagious, but not extremely so, and can be spread to other parts of the body or to other people.
Are warts serious?
Warts aren't serious, and more than 60% of them go away on their own with little or no treatment. Common warts, the ones that appear on your child's hands and knees, are more embarrassing than serious.
Can I prevent warts?
To prevent warts, you need to teach your child to avoid the virus that causes them. Teach her to wash her hands frequently and thoroughly. Teach her to not bite her nails or scratch a wart if she does get one.
How do I know if my child has warts?
A case of warts can be pretty obvious to see. They often appear on the hands, knees, feet, and sometimes on the face. They look like small, raised, rough bumps. Some people think they look like moles, but warts and moles are not the same thing. They can be very small, or somewhat large. They can even appear in clusters.
How do I treat warts?
There are several remedies you can try at home if your child gets a wart. Many warts disappear by themselves. If you do need to treat them, try using some of the over-the-counter topical treatments available from the chemist. Warts that are very serious or that won't go away with home treatment may need to be treated by a dermatologist. There are drugs, injections, and surgeries that will remove the warts. Some warts can be removed with cryotherapy (freezing), laser treatment, or electrosurgery, but some of these treatments can cause scarring. Even with treatment, some warts will reappear.
Should I call the doctor?
Warts are not an emergency, and you can try treating them at home before you call the doctor. However, if a large cluster of warts appears, if the wart has been there for a while, or if the warts don't go away with home treatment, make an appointment with the doctor for further advice.
What you need to know about warts
- Warts are caused by the HPV virus.
- Most warts go away by themselves.
- There are several over-the-counter treatments for warts.
- Warts that don't go away with home treatment may need medical treatment.
Find more relevant articles and information about warts:
- Find more about bacterial and viral infections
- What are cold sores?
- What is the best way to take a temperature?
- Know more about fever?
Written by Rebecca Stigall for Kidspot, Australia's parenting resource for family health. Sources include Better Health Channel, NSW Health and Health Insite.
Last revised: Monday, 18 January 2010
This article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.