The health and well-being of the baby should be taken care of from the first days of its life. This rule also applies to the proper care of the child’s nails. How to take care of them, so that they are healthy and look aesthetically?
Nails of adults grow like crazy, let alone children. A newborn baby is born with already developed nails, and from the first moments of its life you need to take care of them skillfully. So how to take care of children’s nails?
A baby is usually born with quite long nails. However, they are very thin, but at the same time sharp. Newborn does not yet know how to control the movements of his hands, and thus can easily scratch and hurt the delicate skin of his face or cut his eye. Therefore, as soon as possible you need to take care of the baby’s nails. How often should they be cut? In the case of a newborn, they should be trimmed up to twice a week, because during this period of the baby’s life the nails grow very quickly.
To cut the nails of babies, we need to choose the right nail care tools. What kind? It is best to use rounded and quite thick scissors or special clippers. Remember, that before using the scissors or clippers they should be disinfected. When should I start to cut my nails? It is best to do it right after the bath, because the nails will be softer and of course clean, although the baby will not always allow you to cut them then. Fortunately, toenails grow much slower than those on the hands
It is definitely better to take care of the baby’s nails when the toddler simply sleeps deeply. Then nothing stresses him, he does not break out, and we can calmly cut his nails. The older the child gets, the harder it is. Older children are not fond of tinkering with scissors on their bodies, and to successfully cut a child’s nails, you need to skillfully divert his attention from this activity
Fortunately, already at a few years old children are not too impressed with trimming nails. Girls even begin to demand their care themselves. Small preschoolers want to have their nail plate painted, but it is not good, because nail polishes are full of chemicals, and their ingredients can be allergic, especially to still sensitive nails of a few years old girls. However, there are special, non-invasive polishes for children, which are not allergenic, and to wash them off just soap and water. Thanks to them little fashionable girls can imitate their mothers and become like them.
Ingrown nail is a very unpleasant and troublesome ailment. Fortunately, with skillful trimming of the nails, it can be avoided. When does ingrown nail occur? When the nail is cut too short or too round. The edge of the nail growing into the skin on the finger then causes significant redness and swelling, as well as pain that may even prevent the child from walking. When ingrown nail occurs, there is also a risk of infection, because under the ingrown nail usually accumulates dirt. To avoid such an unpleasant situation, simply try not to cut the nails too short and leave their natural shape. Let’s also make sure that the toddler wears well-fitting shoes, which will not press too much on the feet
It is also best that the ingrown nail is seen by a doctor. A specialist will decide how to proceed in such a situation. For example, he may recommend home treatment, which involves applying special inserts under the edges of the nail. Also, soak the finger in a solution of calendula and make compresses of soda. In case of infection, the doctor will order a topical antibiotic, he may also refer the small patient to surgery, which is performed under local anesthesia. What does such a procedure consist in? On the excision of the nail or part of it along with the proliferated skin
Read also “It’s a good idea to have your baby washed by dad at first”. We talk about skin care for babies with a midwife
Main photo: Nataliya Vaitkevich/ pexels.com
