Odd feeling between toes and fingers in 7 year old

[suzmed]

My son will be 8 years old in May.  I discovered a month ago that he has been having strange feelings in between his toes for over a year.  He says it is difficult to describe, but it feels like "something is there when there is not anything there".  He says it is in between each toe on each foot.  He has also used the word numb, but I am not sure if he knows what that word means exactly.  I took him to our pediatrician who tested the feeling on his toes, ball of foot and between his toes by pricking with a pointed object and he was able to feel the pricks.  He shared with me today that he has that same sensation in between each of his fingers on each hand.  He is not a child who ever complains, hardly is ever sick, etc.  I discovered this because I noticed this because there were tissues all over his bed  for a few days. I asked him why and he said he puts pieces of tissue between his toes at night so he knows something is really there, instead of feeling like something is there.  The pediatrian suggested we wait and see if he still has this sensation at his 8 year check up which will be in a month, but I suspect he will.  He remembers feeling this way from his school class last year.  Help - is there some kind of neurological exam that would help understand what this is?  Any other recommendations?  Thanky you so much

[scullyliam]

I realize this answer is 6 years late. When I was young I had this feeling seemingly on the top of my toe and fingernails.  It is a sensation, an annoying, not quite pleasurable, [best appositive I can think of at that moment] sensation.  I am 55 years old now.  But I recall the sensations were unnerving and annoying.  I think it is anxiety.  If you press on the toenail or click your toes you can get a second of relief, but repeated clicking can wear your skin down creating blisters.  Also pressing on the finger nail gives me some relief.  It is hard to stop thinking about it when it occurs, it's similar to tinnitus.  You it is hard to get used to.  Even recently, I notice this has returned.  I'm not too concerned, exercise and physical activity is a good cure.

But I do not know what it is, except that it is a strange annoyance.

[scullyliam]

I realize this answer is 6 years late. When I was young I had this feeling seemingly on the top of my toe and fingernails.  It is a sensation, an annoying, not quite pleasurable, [best appositive I can think of at that moment] sensation.  I am 55 years old now.  But I recall the sensations were unnerving and annoying.  I think it is anxiety.  If you press on the toenail or click your toes you can get a second of relief, but repeated clicking can wear your skin down creating blisters.  Also pressing on the finger nail gives me some relief.  It is hard to stop thinking about it when it occurs, it's similar to tinnitus.  You it is hard to get used to.  Even recently, I notice this has returned.  I'm not too concerned, exercise and physical activity is a good cure.

But I do not know what it is, except that it is a strange annoyance.

[Lala832]

Oh my. Thank goodness in not the only one with this problem. I know exackly what your son means. I am 14 and have had this problem ever since golf camp when I frequently found myself taking my shoes off to get that imaginary thing out from between my toes. I can't explain the feeling and it only happens between my big toe and my toe beside it. I can't stand the feeling anymore. It's awful.
I take my shoes off a lot. I wear toe socks for the exact same reason your son puts tissues inbetween his toes. I tell my mom but I don't think she understands just how wear and uncomfortable and unexplainable it is.
It's getting to be a huge inconvenience when you have to take your shoe off at least 4 times a day.
Keep my posted on what this could be

Thanks

[adenes]

My children, 16, 9 and myself have pain in the webbing...They are saying it's Auto immune/Fibro. We live in Ohio and pressure changes seem to make the pain worse. About 12 or more before a storm front of any type we are in pain.

[iKnowsMyToes]

Hello.  I found this page by googleing "feeling of socks between toes" because for my whole life i have had issues with this. Ever since i could remember, putting socks between my toes has felt good and comforting to me, and even though it sounds on the opposite end of the spectrum from the pain or numbness the people above talked about, i think it is probably related. I am 30 years old now, and i have done this every day of my life for as long as i can remember. I have never heard of anyone else doing this.

[ladelbutter]

i have the same feeling and have forever, its severely annoying sometimes, try to take your mind off of it. i used to stick pencils in between my toes i know it may sound silly, but its a real thing. i also have a feeling it has to do with the brain, or ocd. because i have weird problems like this and developed other strange problems tht could be considered similar.

[tiredbuthappy]

i have issues with between my toes and have since childhood. i can't explain it though, so i can see why your son would have difficulty describing it. it does annoy the cr@p out of me. i could never be barefoot because of the sensation between my toes. even to this day, i have to sleep with socks on, even in the dead of summer. that's how i cope with it. usually, i don't notice. now that i am writing about it, i am very aware of it. it could just be a simple sensory issue.

[kyleauz1]

Hi
I am certainly not 7yrs but I have the same feeling  as your son does since I was very young. But only with my toes. In between each toe there is numbness feeling, but if you were to stand on my toes yes I would feel that. :)
I was told it is a circulation issue and not to worry about it.
But I would still look into it.

Take care

[Atlanta_mom]

I am sorry that I did not reply earlier. I am now in Japan on vacation and seeing a neurologist. As you suggested, I think it is related to his neurological development, however, we are still not sure what is exactly causing it. Do you know of anyone who is experiencing the same issue and have some developmental disorder? I am hoping to find an answer once we do more testing back in Atlanta.

[suzmed]

My son does not complain of pain, just the numbness.  His 8 year check up is this week and I am going to bring it up.  I think I am going to ask for a blood test to just make sure this is not diabetes, pre-diabetes, or something else strange. He is not an overweight child., but this is very strange and very persistent.   Your son's pain sounds difficult.  Have you tried a neurologist?

[Atlanta_mom]

Hi,
My 4 years old son complains that something is always in his fingers and toes, however, he also experiences extreme pain once or twice a day. It is painful to watch him to corp with the pain. It seems like he has to press them so hard to relief that pain or hit them on the wall or floor. I've taken him to rheumatologist at major children hospital, but he's not been diagnosed to have any serious disease, such as reynolds disease, as they do not turn pale or purple at all.
I've trying to find an article or any community forum to find is there is any child or anyone who's had the same pain, but I've not found any.
Does your son also experience any pain?