Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease
Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a highly contagious
infection. It’s caused by viruses from the Enterovirus genus,
most commonly the coxsackievirus. These viruses can spread from
person-to-person through direct contact with unwashed hands or surfaces
contaminated with feces. It can also be transmitted through contact with an
infected person’s saliva, stool, or respiratory secretions.
Hand, foot, and mouth disease is characterized by
blisters or sores in the mouth and a rash on the hands and feet. The infection
can affect people of all ages, but it usually occurs in children under age 5.
It is generally a mild condition that goes away on its own within several days.
Severe cases of hand, foot, and mouth
disease (HFMD) may require medical attention, but the condition usually clears
up without intervention.It is often confused with
foot-and-mouth disease, which affects livestock but cannot infect humans. HFMD is most common in children under 10 years of
age, but it can also affect older children and adults.
The symptoms begin to develop three to seven days after
the initial infection. This period is known as the incubation period. When
symptoms do appear, you or your child may experience:
- A fever
- A poor appetite
- A sore throat
- A headache
- Irritability
- Painful,
red blisters in the mouth
- A red rash on the hands and the soles of the feet
A fever and sore throat are usually the first symptoms of
hand, foot, and mouth disease. The characteristic blisters and rashes show up
later, usually one or two days after the fever begins
HAND-FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE ON THE FOOT
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease may
cause all of the following signs and symptoms or just some of them. They
include:
·
Fever
·
Sore throat
·
Feeling of
being unwell (malaise)
·
Painful, red,
blister-like lesions on the tongue, gums and inside of the cheeks
·
A red rash,
without itching but sometimes with blistering, on the palms, soles and
sometimes the buttocks
·
Irritability
in infants and toddlers
·
Loss of
appetite
The usual period from initial
infection to the onset of signs and symptoms (incubation period) is three to
six days. A fever is often the first sign of hand-foot-and-mouth disease,
followed by a sore throat and sometimes a poor appetite and malaise.
One or two days after the fever
begins, painful sores may develop in the front of the mouth or throat. A rash
on the hands and feet and possibly on the buttocks can follow within one or two
days.
Sores that develop in the back of
the mouth and throat may suggest that your child is infected with a related
viral illness called herpangina. Other distinguishing features of herpangina
include a sudden high fever and in some instances, seizure. Sores that develop
on the hands, feet or other parts of the body are very rare.
WHEN TO SEE A DOCTOR
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is
usually a minor illness causing only a few days of fever and relatively mild
signs and symptoms. Contact Best Child Doctor near you if mouth sores or a sore throat keep
your child from drinking fluids and contact Best Child Specialist Doctor if after a few days,
your child's signs and symptoms worsen.
CAUSES
The most common cause of
hand-foot-and-mouth disease is infection with the coxsackievirus A16. The
coxsackievirus belongs to a group of viruses called nonpolio enteroviruses.
Other types of enteroviruses sometimes cause hand-foot-and-mouth disease.
Oral ingestion is the main source
of coxsackievirus infection and hand-foot-and-mouth disease. The illness
spreads by person-to-person contact with an infected person's:
·
Nasal
secretions or throat discharge
·
Saliva
·
Fluid from
blisters
·
Stool
·
Respiratory
droplets sprayed into the air after a cough or sneeze
COMMON IN CHILD CARE SETTING
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is most
common in children in child care settings because of frequent diaper changes
and potty training, and because little children often put their hands in their
mouths.
Although your child is most
contagious with hand-foot-and-mouth disease during the first week of the
illness, the virus can remain in his or her body for weeks after the signs and
symptoms are gone. That means your child still can infect others. Some people, particularly adults,
can pass the virus without showing any signs or symptoms of the disease. Outbreaks of the disease are more
common in summer and autumn in the United States and other temperate climates.
In tropical climates, outbreaks occur year-round.
DIFFERENT FROM FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease isn't
related to foot-and-mouth disease (sometimes called hoof-and-mouth disease),
which is an infectious viral disease found in farm animals. You can't contract
hand-foot-and-mouth disease from pets or other animals, and you can't transmit
it to them.
RISK FACTORS
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease
primarily affects children younger than age 10, often those under 5 years.
Children in child care centers are especially susceptible to outbreaks of
hand-foot-and-mouth disease because the infection spreads by person-to-person
contact, and young children are the most susceptible.
Children usually develop immunity to
hand-foot-and-mouth disease as they get older by building antibodies after
exposure to the virus that causes the disease. However, it's possible for
adolescents and adults to get the disease.
COMPLICATIONS
The most common complication of
hand-foot-and-mouth disease is dehydration. The illness can cause sores in the
mouth and throat, making swallowing painful and difficult.
Watch closely to make sure your
child frequently sips fluid during the course of the illness. If dehydration is
severe, intravenous (IV) fluids may be necessary.
Hand-foot-and-mouth disease is
usually a minor illness causing only a few days of fever and relatively mild
signs and symptoms. A rare and sometimes serious form of the coxsackievirus can
involve the brain and cause other complications:
· Viral meningitis. This is a rare infection and
inflammation of the membranes (meninges) and cerebrospinal fluid surrounding
the brain and spinal cord.
· Encephalitis. This severe and potentially
life-threatening disease involves brain inflammation caused by a virus.
Encephalitis is rare.
PREVENTION
Certain precautions can help to
reduce the risk of infection with hand-foot-and-mouth disease:
· Wash hands carefully. Be sure to wash your hands
frequently and thoroughly, especially after using the toilet or changing a
diaper and before preparing food and eating. When soap and water aren't
available, use hand wipes or gels treated with germ-killing alcohol.
· Disinfect common areas. Get in the habit of cleaning
high-traffic areas and surfaces first with soap and water, then with a diluted
solution of chlorine bleach and water. Child care centers should follow a
strict schedule of cleaning and disinfecting all common areas, including shared
items such as toys, as the virus can live on these objects for days. Clean your
baby's pacifiers often.
·
Teach good hygiene. Show your children how to
practice good hygiene and how to keep themselves clean. Explain to them why
it's best not to put their fingers, hands or any other objects in their mouths.
· Isolate contagious people. Because hand-foot-and-mouth
disease is highly contagious, people with the illness should limit their
exposure to others while they have active signs and symptoms. Keep children
with hand-foot-and-mouth disease out of child care or school until fever is
gone and mouth sores have healed. If you have the illness, stay home from work and consult with
Dr Mohit Ghai
(Ghai Mother & Child Clinic)
Address: Shop No 140,Mahagun Mywoods Mart FF, Sector 16C Opp Gaur City 2,Noida Extension, Landmark: Mahagun Mywoods Mart FF, Noida
Email: drmohit@ghaihealthcare.com
75032 61399
Monday To Saturday
Morning -9:00 am to 11:00 am
7:30 pm to 9:30 pm
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Evening -Off
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