Hand-Foot And Mouth Disease HFMD

Hand-foot and mouth disease is a viral infection. It is extremely contagious and spreads through schools and daycares commonly. It is most common in children from infancy to age five. Older children and adults can get hand-foot and mouth disease as well. The infection is usually mild and clears up on its own. The infection can last anywhere from 7 to 10 days. Sometimes this can last longer in younger children. Hand-foot and mouth disease gets its name from the blister-like rash that forms most commonly on your child’s hands and feet, and then painful sores in the mouth. The rash can cover any part of your body common areas besides the hands and feet are the chest, back, arms, legs, genitals, and buttocks.

Symptoms

There are two stages of hand-foot and mouth disease. The first stage starts off with flu-like symptoms. Symptoms can include mild fever, sore throat, runny nose, stomachache, or loss of appetite. After a few days these symptoms will start to clear and stage two will start. Stage two is when the rash appears. Symptoms of stage two are itchy rash on the palms of hands, soles of feet, elbows, knees, genitals, and buttocks. This is also when painful sores in the mouth can start to appear in or around the mouth or even on the tongue. Swollen lymph nodes in the neck can also occur.

Risks

When you have hand-foot and mouth disease you are very contagious. You are most contagious for the first week you have the virus. The virus however can live in your body even after symptoms are gone making you still contagious just not as much. If you don’t have symptoms you can still be a carrier of the virus and pass it to other people. Outbreaks are common in summertime or in the early autumn. Hand-foot and mouth virus spreads from nose secretions, throat discharge, saliva, fluid from blisters, stool, or respiratory droplets after coughing or sneezing.

Diagnosis

A doctor will be able to diagnose hand-foot and mouth disease usually by looking at the rash or blisters. Before taking your child to the doctor make sure you tell them your reason for your visit so they can take precautions in keeping other patients from being exposed. Sometimes doctors will want to do a virtual visit with you if you suspect hand-foot and mouth disease. In some cases your doctor may swab the back of the throat, fluid from your blisters, or take a stool sample to confirm the virus.

Treatment

There is no specific treatment for hand-foot and mouth disease. It is viral so antibiotics will not work against it. There is no specific medicine. Usually this virus is mild. Since it is so mild it usually can run its course with just a few at home remedies. Over the counter pain medications can help if you are feeling achy or have a fever. Gargling salt water for children who are old enough and adults can help alleviate any pain from mouth sores. Avoid eating spicy or acidic foods. Cold foods like ice cream or popsicles may help your sores. Drinking cold liquids can also help numb your mouth sores. It is important to make sure you are drinking, when your mouth hurts or you have no appetite it is important to keep drinking to avoid dehydration. When tending to your blisters it is important to keep them clean. Wash them with lukewarm water. If they have popped you can apply an antibiotic ointment to stop infection and cover loosely with a bandage. You will want to keep them open to the air before they pop so they can dry out.

Hand-foot and mouth disease is usually mild. Resolving on its own within 7-10 days. Since it can cause painful sores in the mouth this can cause children or adults to not drink. Dehydration can be a complication of hand-foot and mouth disease. Signs of dehydration can be dry mouth, sunken eyes, and decrease in urination. If your child is feeling sluggish or doesn’t seem to be getting any better you will want to reach out to your child’s doctor. Other complications that can occur from hand-foot and mouth disease are losing finger or toenails, viral meningitis, or encephalitis. Viral meningitis and encephalitis are serious conditions that cause swelling in the brain, and spinal cord membrane. Only a small few people with hand-foot and mouth disease will develop these more serious conditions.

Takeaway

There is no way to truly prevent yourself from getting hand-foot and mouth. If you know someone who has the disease, make sure you limit your exposure to them. Avoiding close contact with someone with the disease is the best way to prevent it. Also make sure you are using good hand hygiene. Other hygiene skills like covering mouth and nose when you sneeze, washing hands after using the bathroom, and not eating from someone else’s utensils can also help lower risk. Disinfecting high traffic areas, and toys regularly can help kill viruses and bacteria. Hand-foot and mouth disease often spreads before a person knows they have it.