Oral ulcers in a finger-sucking child after cutaneous wart therapy

Area of Science:

• Dermatology
• Pediatrics
• Oral Medicine

Background:

• Common skin warts are prevalent in children, often on fingers.
• Finger-sucking is a common habit among children, increasing wart exposure.
• Topical blistering agents are frequently used for wart treatment.

Observation:

• A pediatric patient with multiple finger warts underwent combination therapy including cryotherapy, trichloroacetic acid, and cantharidin.
• The patient habitually engaged in thumb-sucking post-treatment.
• Oral ulcers developed in the patient following the wart treatment.

Findings:

• The development of oral ulcers was secondary to thumb-sucking in a pediatric patient treated for finger warts.
• The combination therapy included cryotherapy, trichloroacetic acid, and cantharidin.
• This case suggests a potential link between topical blistering wart treatments and oral ulceration in pediatric patients with a thumb-sucking habit.

Implications:

• Clinicians should consider the risk of oral ulceration when prescribing topical blistering wart treatments to children who suck their thumbs.
• Further research is warranted to establish specific precautions for using these treatments in pediatric patients with concurrent finger-sucking habits.
• This case underscores the importance of patient history and habit assessment in pediatric dermatology and treatment planning.