How to Prevent Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

There is a warning for a possible outbreak of Hand Foot and Mouth Disease, so we discuss how parents can aid in preventing their child from contracting it.

 Dr. Melody Ennis, Director of Family Health Services stops by to educate us.

What is Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease?

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is a common and contagious childhood illness, caused by a virus. The disease is easy to spot because of its classic symptoms—sores or blisters inside and outside the mouth as well as a rash (red spots) or sores on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. Infants and children younger than age 5 are most likely to get the virus. But older children, teens, and adults can get it, too. A mild outbreak of the disease commonly occurs during summer and early fall. This disease shouldn’t be confused with foot-and-mouth disease, which affects sheep, cattle, and pigs.

Symptoms of Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease

If your child has hand, foot, and mouth disease, they may experience the following symptoms:

• Fever (which can be high).
• Headache.
• Feeling unwell or overly tired.
• Poor appetite.
• Sore throat.
• Painful sores or blisters around or in the mouth (cheeks, gums, and throat). They usually begin as flat red spots
• Rash of flat red spots on the palms of the hands and the soles of the feet. These mildly painful spots may turn into blisters and can sometimes spread to the knees, elbows, bottom, or genital areas.

These symptoms don’t usually appear all at once, but in stages. Not every person will have all of these symptoms. Some people, especially adults, get the disease and don’t show any symptoms. But they can still pass it on to others.

Symptoms usually appear 3 to 7 days after coming into contact with someone with the disease.

Further symptoms can develop from complications. Because the sores make it painful to swallow, children and adults can become dehydrated. High fevers can cause seizures.

What causes hand, foot, and mouth disease?

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by either coxsackieviruses or human enteroviruses. It’s found in the digestive tract, including the mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, rectum, and anus.

The virus is spread from person to person when a sick person sneezes, coughs, or blows their nose. You can get it if you touch your nose, eyes, or mouth after touching something contaminated with the virus, such as a toy. You can also get it if you touch the stool (poop) or blisters of a person who is infected.

How is hand, foot, and mouth disease diagnosed?

Your child’s doctor will review your child’s recent signs of illness and examine your child’s sores or blisters to diagnose hand, foot, and mouth disease. In some cases, you child’s doctor may swab the back of your child’s throat to send to a lab. They may ask you to collect a stool sample from your child to send to a lab. The lab can test for the virus and rule out other possible causes of the symptoms.

Can hand, foot, and mouth disease be prevented or avoided?

Hand, foot, and mouth disease is contagious. So, it’s important to avoid contact with anyone who has it. But you or your child won’t always know when another person has the virus, especially in the early stages. Make sure you and your child practice good hygiene:

• Wash your hands often and thoroughly with soap and water.
• Encourage your child to cover their mouth and nose when they sneeze.
• Try not to touch your eyes, nose, or mouth, especially with unwashed hands.
• Disinfect surfaces that are frequently touched, such as doorknobs or toys, especially if someone is sick.

Hand, foot, and mouth disease treatment

There is no cure for hand, foot, and mouth disease. Since it’s caused by a virus, antibiotics won’t work. Treatment focuses on relieving symptoms.

Your doctor may recommend tips to relieve your child’s discomfort:

• Give your child over-the-counter pain relievers to treat fever and sore throat. These could include acetaminophen (one brand name: Tylenol) or ibuprofen (one brand name: Advil). Check the back of the box or ask your doctor about dosage directions. Don’t give a child under 18 years old aspirin for pain. Aspirin has been linked to Reye’s syndrome, a rare but serious condition that can be deadly without early treatment.
• Suggest gargling with salt water to relieve sore throat pain. Combine ½ teaspoon salt with 1 glass of warm water and stir.
• Make sure your child is getting plenty of fluids. Cold milk products or Pedialyte are better than juice or soda. The acidity in juice and soda can irritate mouth sores and cause a burning sensation. If your child is having difficulty swallowing, try giving them non-juice popsicles.

Your child should recover completely in 5 to 7 days.

Living with hand, foot, and mouth disease is a short-term challenge since the symptoms go away in about a week. As a parent caring for a child who has the virus, your primary goals are to keep your child comfortable and hydrated. It is best to keep them at home to rest and to avoid situations that will infect others.