Why would it hurt my son to have his toenails cut?

Question

It has always been a fight to cut my son's nails. I would have to wrestle him down and he would kick me and cry and say that it hurt him. I thought he just didn't like it and was being dramatic. He is now almost 11yrs old and it is still a major ordeal. He can't bring himself to cut them himself and when I do it he grits his teeth and squeezes his hands into fists while fighting back tears. I am always gentle and only trim them...never cutting short. He says that having his fingernails cut hurts too, but it is bearable. Why would it hurt him so bad?

Answer 1

I'm a 40 year old female, and I hated having my toenails cut as a kid. It wasn't the toenail cutting as much as having my feet held. My feet were so sensitive that it was torture. The only way I can explain it~ imagine being held down and having someone tickle your feet for several hours. Now put several hours of aggressive tickling into each and every touch. That is what it felt like.



In my 20's I developed 'Morton's neuromas' in both of my feet. Sounds scary, but it's just a benign growth on the nerve. One was killed off with alcohol injections, the other was removed surgically. I have no idea if that was part of my foot sensitivity. I also had a b12 deficiency,which led to painful numbness and tingling in all of my limbs.



Lots of kids hate having their nails cut, and it doesn't mean something is necessarily wrong. But, what you describe seems as if it is worth seeing a doctor for (to me at least). My suggestion is to let him try just using a low grit nail file. It will take a long time, but he can start and stop as he needs. Removing the aspect of having his feet held/ touched might be all he needs. If the nail file is still painful (it was for me), make an appointment with his pediatrician or a foot doctor. When you file, you create vibration. Nerves are sensitive to vibration. The doctor can determine if he has allodynia (normal sensations are interpreted as pain- touch, clothing touching skin,etc). This can be from things such as a b12 deficiency.



I would also make a video of him getting his nails cut. Sometimes doctors don't truly understand the severity of symptoms that you are trying to explain. After nerve surgery on my elbow, the wind blowing on my surgery site would cause so much pain I would curl up in a ball and rocks back and forth until the sensation passed. I would teeter between wanting to vomit and faint. Sounds ridiculous and dramatic, but luckily my arm surgeon had a lot of experience with nerve pain post surgery and properly treated me. In the video, get a close up of his skin so the doc can see if the skin color changes.



Please understand I am not saying something is seriously wrong. I just know what it felt like for people to assume I was being dramatic instead of recognizing I had a problem. Kids are usually truthful, and if they are attention seeking, they won't put on a show every single time. He very well might just be traumatized by the act of nail cutting because it hurt once before and he is scared. Never hurts to make sure though. Best of luck.

Answer 2

1

Answer 3

Kids Toenails

Answer 4

It could be a sensory processing issue in the brain. It is common in autistics and fetal alcohol affected children. Sometimes people with this issue can cut themselves open and not feel it, but normal things like tags on clothing, certain textures on the skin, or cutting toenails can be actually painful. The pain has no basis in anything, there is not reason for it, but it is no less painful. If he says it hurts, chances are it actually hurts.



Forcing the issue, like Tropical Neuron is saying will probably only make it worse.

Answer 5

I'm 56 and getting a pedicure is Not enjoyable. I clinch my fists, squinch my eyes and bear through it. I cannot tolerate anyone clipping or filing my toenails so I'll do that myself beforehand. The pain is not easily described and I'm an RN so documenting pain is my job. The podiatrists, the neurosurgeon, and the orthopedist have no explanation. Your son is not a wimp as commented below in other post. Kudos to you for realizing he is serious.

Answer 6

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Answer 7

Tell your son to stop being a wimp, I mean, if he is 11 yrs old and still crying when he gets his toenails cut, then imagine what he will be like when he is older. It is best to stop him being a wimp now, so that he is not a scared little wimp when he's older. I'm sorry but you just have to tell him that everybody cuts their toenails and it should not be painful, tell him that it has to be done, and if he cries then he is not a big boy or whatever.

Answer 8

nails have dead cells. so as long as u dun cut too deep in, it should be just fine. he's prob more afraid of u cutting his toe nails cause it feels more ticklish. i dun suggest doing it while he's asleep cause he may just flip over and u might hurt him. how abt giving him rewards when he lets u cut a nail? haha. it might just work. rewards are always appealing to kids.=)

Answer 9

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