👩‍⚕️ Ask The Expert: Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease 101

HFMD is caused by certain viruses. It can affect people of all ages, but young children are more susceptible, especially those under 5 years of age. Children may get it more than once. Schools should take precautions when they are informed of confirmed cases of HFMD. They can monitor other children closely and take additional measures to prevent the spread of HFMD.

Provide cool food and drinks. Cool foods and liquids, such as juices, ice cream, or yogurt, may be easier to eat. Use oral numbing drops, gels, or sprays to coat painful oral ulcers in younger children and infants. They provide relief for painful, swollen throat and mouth ulcers.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is generally a mild illness, with symptoms typically resolving within 7 to 10 days. The risk of spreading the infection is highest during the first week of illness. The skin lesions associated with HFMD usually dry up within about 10 days. The general advice is to keep your child at home until all the blisters have dried up and they have fully recovered.

Switching to a soft diet (e.g. porridge, pureed fruit, pudding) can help if mouth ulcer is an issue. Cold foods, such as ice cream, may help numb the pain. Administer medications as prescribed by the doctor, such as paracetamol syrup, to relieve fever and pain.

HFMD is spread from person to person through direct contact with nasal discharge, saliva, faces, and fluid from the rash of an infected person. Proper hygiene, such as handwashing, should be practiced. Surfaces and items, such as toys and towels, contaminated by droplets, saliva, or stool from children with HFMD should be thoroughly disinfected with a diluted solution of chlorine-containing bleach.

Yes, oral numbing drops, gels, or throat sprays are generally safe to relieve pain from oral ulcers, according to the advice of the product manufacturer.

Observing and practicing good personal hygiene at all times is essential for preventing the spread of illness. Wash your hands regularly with soap to remove germs. When coughing or sneezing, cover your mouth with a tissue and dispose of it in the bin immediately. Avoid touching your face, including your eyes, nose, and mouth, with unwashed hands after coughing or sneezing. Additionally, avoid sharing food, drinks, or eating utensils to reduce the risk of transmission. Finally, wearing a mask can help protect both yourself and others from germs.

HFMD is usually not serious. Most people recover on their own in 7 to 10 days with minimal or no medical treatment. Serious complications of HFMD, such as neurologic or cardiovascular issues, rarely occur. These complications can include encephalitis, meningitis, flaccid paralysis, and myocarditis.

Yes, it can affect people of all ages, but young children are more susceptible, especially those under 5 years of age. Symptoms are generally like those in children and may include fever, sore throat, rash or small blisters on the palms of the hands, soles of the feet, or buttocks, mouth ulcers, poor appetite, and lethargy. However, symptoms may vary between individuals and at different stages of the disease.

Children with HFMD usually present with symptoms such as fever, sore throat, painful mouth ulcers on the tongue, gums, inside of the cheeks, or back of the throat, and a rash on the hands and feet — most found on the palms and soles. However, symptoms may vary between individuals and at different stages of the disease. The diagnosis of HFMD is usually made clinically, based on the typical appearance and location of the skin manifestations.