Children can get a variety of infections from a variety of places. Yesterday I noticed that the skin by my baby's fingernail was red and puffy. It looked sore. My little one does not seem to be one to complain all that much and she didn't treat it like it hurt. It didn't seem to change her behavior at all. Well, after some internet searching I did see that there is an infection called Paronychia.
If you notice that the finger is red and puffy, has a possible pimple and probably pus draining from the area then there is a probably bacterial infection. The infection is caused when there is a small cut or opening, usually from the skin cracking or a hangnail being torn off rather than cut off with fingernail clippers. The infection is normally caused by Staphylococcus bacteria that is normally found in your mouth or other water sources (such as a swimming pool). This is something to watch for if your baby enjoys sucking on their fingers!!
If there is pus causing a pimple on the skin, it will need to be drained and cleansed. An antibacterial soap is the best for cleaning. You may also want to soak the area a few times a day in water and antibacterial soap. The place a bandage over the area so that it can have time to heal without possible further infection. The infection should clear up within a week, if it doesn't you should seek further medical help. Also if the infection is accompanied with a fever - seek help right away!!
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