Janice Lynn Musfeldt, age 11, of Buffalo Grove, Ill., for her question:

Do toads cause warts?

There's no truth to the old story that any person who touches a toad's wart like skin will develop warts on his hand. You're safe  so touch away.

Warts are caused by a virus. Children are more likely than adults to develop them, and they often appear on parts of the body that are normally uncovered, such as the fingers. They also appear often on the nostrils or ear passages.

About half the time warts disappear without any special treatment. Other times, especially if they are troublesome, a doctor will have to be contacted to remove the small blobs of skin.