Can Babies get HPV? Warts in Infants

If your baby has warts, you’re probably worried… But relax, HPV in babies is more common than you think and the prognosis is usually good.

Today I’ll explain how HPV warts in babies are treated and give you other important information about your little one’s current situation.

What happens if a baby has HPV?

To raise awareness about HPV, campaigns have been created emphasizing how common this infection is and the more serious consequences it can have for those who suffer from it.

However, what is often overlooked about HPV is that, in most cases, it doesn’t cause significant health complications for those affected.

This is thanks to their immune systems, which manage to limit the infection to a point where they can completely eliminate it.

In the case of infants, the issue is a bit more complex because their immune system isn’t fully developed. It strengthens as the child grows, gets nourished, and even gets exposed to pathogens.

That’s why HPV in babies tends to be a bit more delicate; it requires more rigorous monitoring and there are more reservations about it.

Still, in babies, just like in adults, an HPV infection usually doesn’t cause more problems than just some occasional warts.

After a few years, your baby’s immune system will take care of completely getting rid of the virus, and the warts will be gone forever.

The most common complication of infantile HPV is laryngeal papillomatosis, which occurs when warts begin to proliferate in the baby’s throat, obstructing proper airflow or food passage.

But this pathology only occurs in a small percentage of infantile HPV cases and is usually influenced by factors such as malnutrition in the baby or congenital immune problems.

How long does HPV last in children?

The duration of the infection depends on various factors, such as the maturity of the immune system (which in turn relates to the age of the child), lifestyle, diet, and the specific HPV strain in question.

The younger the child was when infected, the less developed their immune system, so the virus might stay in their system longer.

If they were infected a few years after birth, their immune system is likely more competent and might combat the infection sooner.

It’s essential to ensure your baby’s proper nutrition during growth to minimize the time HPV remains in their system. Make sure to provide a diet rich in the necessary minerals and vitamins for immune function.

Similarly, protect them from other infections, keep them physically active, and ensure they get proper rest.

That’s the basics of how to address HPV in your baby. But isn’t there more you can do? Isn’t there a medicine or something to help them recover faster? Let me explain…

How is HPV treated in babies?

Unfortunately, there’s no treatment for HPV. It’s only cured by the action of the immune system.

Therefore, the only way to speed up the process is by strengthening the immune system. You can do this with the recommendations I gave earlier. By taking care of their health and lifestyle, HPV and warts will go away naturally.

In the meantime, you might want to treat the warts caused by HPV. They can be removed using various methods, ranging from pharmacological to surgical and even natural approaches.

However, removing warts doesn’t mean curing HPV; the infection might still be active even if you manage to make the warts disappear using any of the methods I’ll explain below. So, new warts might appear if your child’s immune system weakens.

Medications

Depending on the location and number of warts, you could use antiviral creams to remove them.

These creams accelerate the skin’s shedding process, thus eliminating the excess dead cells causing the warts.

Most are over-the-counter, meaning you can purchase them without a prescription. However, they can be potent, so it’s not advisable to use them without medical supervision, as misuse might irritate healthy skin areas.

Some options include:

Salicylic acid.
Imiquimod.
Podofilox.
Trichloroacetic acid.

Surgery

Surgery is an option when:

Warts are in places where antiviral creams can’t be applied.
The affected area with warts is too large for creams.

Additionally, surgery simplifies the removal process, as it’s immediate, safe, and highly effective at preventing recurrences.

There’s not just one type of surgery for removing warts. Among them are:

Cryosurgery: involves freezing the wart or warts.
Laser surgery: Uses a laser, typically CO2, to burn off the warts.
Electrocauterization: Uses a device called a cautery tool to heat and “burn” the warts until they’re completely destroyed.

Natural Remedies

Lastly, natural remedies are also a good option if the previous two didn’t fully convince you. They’re more affordable, and you can be certain about what you’re giving your baby.

The list of natural remedies for HPV warts is extensive, so we address it in separate articles.

Remember, treatments, whether pharmacological, surgical, or natural, are just complementary to help remove the warts sooner. The key to curing HPV as soon as possible lies in boosting your baby’s immune system.

Lastly… what should you do if you have HPV?

These were some tips on how to deal with warts and HPV. However, if you are the one suffering from HPV, you should do everything you can to eliminate the virus from your body.

What you need to do is GET RID OF THE ROOT of the problem.

For that reason, I recommend you to look into Dr. Kirkland's story and how he was able to cure HPV and get rid of warts for good.

Click here to see what he did

I wish you great success in your recovery!

Sources:

Medically reviewed by Dr. Amy Wilson. Dr. Amy Wilson, born in the United States, obtained her medical degree from Lincoln University School of Medicine. Specializing in obstetrics and gynecology, she’s dedicated 15 years to women’s health, becoming a distinguished gynecologist and serving in various U.S. medical institutions.