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My son's nails have started peeling from the base of the nail towards the tip. Usually fingernails peel from the tips (or so I thought anyway). What could be causing this to happen? He's the pickiest eater I've ever met... could it be malnutrition?

By scoogoatmama Asked Jun 6 2008 5:05PM
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Top Answer out of 7

by PaetonWooden on Jun 18, 2008 at 7:26 pm Permalink

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was he sick recently? when the kids are sick, their nails stop growing. when they are over the sickness, the nails grow again and it is not unusual for the nails and toes (check the toe nail beds) to slough and look like they're peeling when they grow again. my son goes to daycare and they all just got over hand-foot-mouth disease. his nails and two big toes were peeling. ped said let's just watch it. but then i heard ALL the kids in his room has peeling nailbeds. so i called my daughter's ped dermatologist and that's what he told me. hope that helps. i thought he smashed his fingers too. but the toe nails ruled that out.
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Avatar Anonymous Jun, 19 2008 at 04:07 AM
Thank you very much PaetonWooden.... I almost got scared. Today, my son is showing me his fingernail that we starting to look like it's going to peel off. It seems that the lower part of the nail plate is separated to the nail bed. He had HFMD 5 weeks ago.
I am very thankful I saw your post. =)
Avatar PaetonWooden Jun, 19 2008 at 12:24 PM
yep, that's EXACTLY how my son's nail bed looked! did you check his big toes too? the pediatric dermatologist that told me that works at UNC and he is my authority on all things skin! (he sees my daughter for eczema when i need him!) anyway, great, i'm happy to have helped!!

Answer 2 out of 7

by Anonymous on Jun 24, 2009 at 5:59 am Permalink

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I believe it has something to do with the Hand Foot & Mouth Disease. My daughter had HFMD bout a month ago. Since she had it her skin had been peeling off her hands and around her feet. It looked awful. I was washing her hands today and said to myself isn't it great that her skin isn't peeling anymore, then I noticed the nails. They were lifting from the base by the cuticle. Looks painful but it doesn't seem to be. She isn't complaining, so it leaves me to believe there is new growth underneath. I think it will sort itself out.
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Answer 3 out of 7

by walter3ca on Aug 11, 2008 at 8:41 am Permalink

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Could be scurvy.
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Answer 4 out of 7

by sfoster on Aug 11, 2008 at 8:38 am Permalink

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My son's nails just started peeling too! Up from the base by the cuticles. I am bringing him to the dr today. He had strep throat 2 months ago. HFMD? If it was that, it got diagnosed as strep throat. No blisters anywhere. His toe nails look like they are going to peel too.
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Answer 5 out of 7

by technios on Jun 18, 2008 at 1:56 pm Permalink

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possibly but i imagine that it is due to smashing his fingers in a door or something.
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Answer 6 out of 7

by needtoknow on Jun 18, 2008 at 1:55 pm Permalink

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Yes, something could be missing from his diet. It could also be a fungus infection, take him to the DRs.
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Answer 7 out of 7

by PaetonWooden on Jun 18, 2008 at 1:53 pm Permalink

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has he recently been sick? when toddlers have been sick the nail beds stops growing. when they are over the sickness the nailbed starts growing back and it's not unusual to look like they're sloughing off and peeling. it happened to my son and that is what my pediatric dermatologist told me. our son's class at daycare just got over hand-foot-mouth disease and all the kids's fingers and toes in his class look like that. hope that helps, it sure helped me. paeton wooden, fayetteville, nc
specialneedsagent@specialneeds agent.com
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My son's nails have started peeling from the base of the nail towards the tip. Usually fingernails peel from the tips (or so I thought anyway). What could be causing this to happen? He's the pickiest eater I've ever met... could it be malnutrition?

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