From the Guidelines
The best treatment for tinea pedis in a pediatric patient is terbinafine 1% cream applied daily for 1 week, as it has been shown to be effective with a mycological cure rate of approximately 94% 1. When treating tinea pedis in pediatric patients, it is essential to consider the safety and efficacy of the treatment option.
- Topical antifungal medications are usually the first line of treatment, and terbinafine 1% cream is a suitable option for children 12 years and older 1.
- The treatment should be applied to clean, dry feet, covering the affected areas and extending slightly beyond visible infection.
- It is crucial to continue treatment for at least one week after symptoms resolve to prevent recurrence.
- For younger pediatric patients or more severe cases, alternative treatment options may be necessary, and physician guidance is recommended.
- Preventive measures, such as keeping feet clean and dry, wearing breathable cotton socks, and avoiding sharing towels or footwear, are also important in managing tinea pedis.
- According to the available evidence, oral itraconazole and clotrimazole are also effective treatment options, but terbinafine 1% cream is a more convenient and potentially more effective option for pediatric patients 1.
From the FDA Drug Label
DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION ... tinea pedis, 4 to 8 weeks; ... Concomitant use of appropriate topical agents is usually required, particularly in treatment of tinea pedis. Pediatric patients (older than 2 years): A dosage of 10 mg/kg daily is usually adequate
The best treatment for tinea pedis in a pediatric patient is griseofulvin (PO) at a dosage of 10 mg/kg daily, along with concomitant use of appropriate topical agents. The treatment period should be 4 to 8 weeks. 2
From the Research
Treatment Options for Tinea Pedis in Pediatric Patients
- The most effective treatment for tinea pedis in pediatric patients is terbinafine, an allylamine antifungal agent with fungicidal activity against a wide variety of dermatophytes, moulds, and certain dimorphic fungi 3.
- Terbinafine can be administered orally or topically, with oral terbinafine 250 mg/day being effective in treating superficial dermatophyte infections, including tinea pedis, and achieving mycological cure in > 80% of patients 3.
- Topical terbinafine 1% formulations are also effective in treating tinea pedis, with mycological cure rates of > 80% when applied once or twice daily for up to 2 weeks 3, 4, 5.
- A single-dose terbinafine 1% formulation has been shown to be effective and safe in treating tinea pedis, with a mycological cure rate of 72% and an effective treatment rate of 63% at week 6 6.
Efficacy and Safety in Pediatric Patients
- Terbinafine 1% cream has been shown to be effective and well-tolerated in children with tinea corporis and tinea cruris, with a therapy success rate of 92.0% and adverse reactions occurring in only 5% of patients 7.
- The use of terbinafine in pediatric patients with tinea pedis has not been extensively studied, but its efficacy and safety in treating other dermatophyte infections in children suggest that it may be a suitable treatment option 3, 7.
Comparison with Other Treatments
- Terbinafine has been compared to other antifungal agents, including clotrimazole, itraconazole, and griseofulvin, and has been shown to be more effective in treating tinea pedis and other dermatophyte infections 3, 4, 5.
- Topical terbinafine has been shown to be more effective than clotrimazole in treating tinea pedis, with mycological cure rates of 93.5% vs 73.1% at 4 weeks 5.