When nerves are impaired, an injury can occur without pain and, as a result, may go unnoticed. The key for the diabetic is to view all foot problems as potentially dangerous and to prevent them or seek podiatric medical care as soon as they occur. Problems of Juvenile Diabetics Cuts, scrapes, blisters, and puncture wounds are a part of childhood. To prevent such injuries, diabetic children should always wear some kind of footwear. If foreign bodies such as splinters become lodged in the foot, or if an infection or puncture wound occurs, the child should be treated promptly by a professional.
Ingrown toenails can cause infections which tend to be especially severe in diabetic children.
To treat the problem, the podiatric physician may drain the infected area, relieve the pressure, prescribe an antibiotic, and recommend special home care to help the infection heal. If the child suffers repeated infections, surgery may be necessary to prevent the nail from becoming ingrown again. Athlete's foot is a fungal infection common in young people. If it or other skin rashes are not promptly treated, secondary bacterial infections that require vigorous treatment with antibiotics may develop. Structural changes in the feet of normal children also occur in the feet of children with diabetes and these problems can be far more serious because the disease causes changes in the nervous system.