What are the common symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease in children. How is hand, foot and mouth disease treated in children. When should a parent seek medical attention for hand, foot and mouth disease. How long should children with hand, foot and mouth disease be kept home. What are effective ways to prevent hand, foot and mouth disease in children.

Understanding Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease in Children

Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common viral illness that primarily affects young children, particularly those under the age of 5. This condition is characterized by distinctive symptoms that can often be mistaken for other ailments. Understanding the nature of this disease, its symptoms, and proper management is crucial for parents and caregivers.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

The symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease can vary, but there are several telltale signs that parents should be aware of:

• A painless, red rash on the palms of hands, soles of feet, and sometimes the diaper area
• Small mouth sores on the tongue, inside of cheeks, gums, and throat
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Sore throat
• Drooling
• Difficulty swallowing

The rash may appear as flat red spots or small bumps and blisters. It’s important to note that the mouth sores can be particularly uncomfortable for children, often making eating and drinking challenging.

How is hand, foot and mouth disease different from other common childhood illnesses?

Hand, foot and mouth disease can sometimes be confused with other conditions such as chickenpox, insect bites, or herpes. The key distinguishing factor is the specific location of the rash and sores, primarily on the hands, feet, and mouth. Unlike chickenpox, the rash is usually not itchy and tends to be concentrated on these areas rather than spread across the entire body.

Transmission and Spread of Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Understanding how hand, foot and mouth disease spreads is crucial for prevention. The virus responsible for this condition is highly contagious and can be transmitted in several ways:

1. Direct contact with an infected person’s bodily fluids, including saliva, nasal secretions, and fecal matter
2. Touching contaminated surfaces or objects
3. Close personal contact, such as hugging or kissing
4. Breathing in respiratory droplets from an infected person’s coughs or sneezes

The virus can remain in a person’s body for weeks after symptoms have resolved, which means they can still be contagious even when they appear healthy.

During which period is hand, foot and mouth disease most contagious?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is typically most contagious during the first week of illness. However, infected individuals can continue to spread the virus for several weeks after symptoms have subsided. This prolonged period of contagiousness makes it challenging to completely prevent transmission, especially in settings where children are in close contact with one another, such as daycare centers or schools.

Treatment Options for Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Currently, there is no specific treatment or vaccine for hand, foot and mouth disease. Management of the condition focuses on alleviating symptoms and ensuring the child’s comfort. Here are some recommended approaches:

• Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen to manage fever and discomfort
• Plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration, especially if mouth sores are making it difficult to eat or drink
• Cold treats like popsicles or ice cream to soothe mouth sores
• Soft, bland foods that are easy to swallow
• Avoiding acidic or spicy foods that may irritate mouth sores
• Saltwater rinses for older children to help relieve mouth sore pain

It’s important to note that antibiotics are not effective against hand, foot and mouth disease as it is caused by a virus, not bacteria.

Are there any home remedies that can help alleviate symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease?

While there’s no cure for hand, foot and mouth disease, several home remedies can help ease symptoms. These include using a mixture of Maalox and Benadryl applied to mouth sores, offering cold foods like yogurt or smoothies, and using calamine lotion on skin rashes. However, it’s always best to consult with a healthcare provider before trying any home remedies, especially for young children.

When to Seek Medical Attention

While most cases of hand, foot and mouth disease resolve on their own within a week, there are situations where medical attention is necessary. Parents should contact a healthcare provider if:

• The child has a fever higher than 101.5°F (38.6°C) that persists for more than a few days
• The child shows signs of dehydration, such as dry mouth, sunken eyes, or decreased urine output
• The child experiences severe throat pain or difficulty swallowing
• Symptoms worsen or do not improve after a week
• The child develops neurological symptoms like headaches, neck stiffness, or changes in alertness

In rare cases, hand, foot and mouth disease can lead to more serious complications, so it’s important to monitor symptoms closely and seek medical advice if there are any concerns.

Can hand, foot and mouth disease cause any long-term complications?

While most cases of hand, foot and mouth disease resolve without complications, in rare instances, the virus can lead to more serious issues. These may include viral meningitis, encephalitis, or a polio-like paralysis. However, it’s important to emphasize that these complications are extremely rare, and the vast majority of children recover fully within a week to ten days without any lasting effects.

Prevention Strategies for Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease

Preventing the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease requires diligence and good hygiene practices. Here are some effective strategies:

1. Frequent handwashing, especially after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before eating
2. Teaching children to avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth
3. Regularly disinfecting commonly touched surfaces and shared toys
4. Avoiding close contact with infected individuals
5. Covering mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing
6. Not sharing utensils or drinking cups
7. Keeping children home from school or daycare when they’re sick

While these measures can help reduce the risk of infection, it’s important to remember that the virus is highly contagious, and it may not always be possible to prevent its spread entirely, especially in settings where young children are in close contact.

How effective are hand sanitizers in preventing hand, foot and mouth disease?

While hand sanitizers can be effective against many germs, they may not be as effective against the viruses that cause hand, foot and mouth disease. These viruses are particularly resilient and may survive on surfaces for extended periods. Therefore, while hand sanitizers can be a useful supplement to hand hygiene, thorough handwashing with soap and water remains the most effective method of preventing the spread of hand, foot and mouth disease.

Guidelines for Returning to School or Daycare

Determining when a child can return to school or daycare after having hand, foot and mouth disease can be challenging. While the virus can remain in the body for weeks after symptoms resolve, it’s not practical to keep children isolated for this entire period. Generally, children can return to their normal activities when:

• They have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medications
• They no longer have open sores in their mouth
• They are not excessively drooling
• They feel well enough to participate in regular activities

It’s important to note that some facilities may have their own specific policies regarding when children can return after an illness. Parents should always check with their child’s school or daycare center for their particular guidelines.

Should siblings of affected children also stay home from school or daycare?

In most cases, siblings of children with hand, foot and mouth disease do not need to stay home unless they are showing symptoms themselves. However, parents should monitor siblings closely for any signs of illness and practice good hygiene measures at home to prevent the spread of the virus. If a sibling develops symptoms, they should then be kept home according to the same guidelines as the initially affected child.

Recent Developments and New Strains

In recent years, there have been reports of new strains of the virus causing hand, foot and mouth disease. These new variants have caused concern among parents and healthcare providers due to their potentially more severe symptoms. For instance, some strains have been associated with more widespread rashes and higher fever.

Dermatologists at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center have reported an increase in cases with more severe presentations, including widespread blistering rashes. While these cases can be alarming, it’s important to note that even with these new strains, most cases of hand, foot and mouth disease remain mild and self-limiting.

Are the new strains of hand, foot and mouth disease more dangerous?

While the new strains of the virus causing hand, foot and mouth disease may cause more noticeable or widespread symptoms, they are not necessarily more dangerous. The majority of cases, even with newer strains, still resolve on their own within a week to ten days. However, the more severe presentation may lead to increased discomfort for affected children and greater anxiety for parents. As always, if there are concerns about severity or duration of symptoms, it’s best to consult with a healthcare provider.

In conclusion, hand, foot and mouth disease, while often alarming for parents, is generally a mild and self-limiting condition. Understanding its symptoms, transmission methods, and management strategies can help parents navigate this common childhood illness with greater confidence. By practicing good hygiene and following appropriate guidelines for care and isolation, the impact of hand, foot and mouth disease can be minimized, allowing children to return to their normal activities as quickly as possible.

Does my child have hand, foot and mouth disease?

Due to children’s weaker immune systems, they’re vulnerable to some illnesses that don’t generally impact adolescents and adults.

One of these ailments is hand, foot and mouth disease, a common illness caused by a virus. It generally affects children up to 10 years old, but children age 5 and younger are the most susceptible.

What are the symptoms?

Hand, foot and mouth disease is sometimes mistaken for other illnesses, such as chickenpox, insect bites or herpes. The telltale symptoms are:

• Painless, red rash on the palms of hands, soles of feet and, occasionally, the diaper area; appears flat or as small bumps or blisters
• Tiny mouth sores on the tongue and inside of the cheeks; can also appear on the gums and back of the throat

Other symptoms generally include:

• Drooling
• Fever
• Loss of appetite
• Pain when swallowing
• Rash over the rest of the body
• Sore throat

How does it spread?

The virus usually spreads a couple of ways:

• Contact with stool from an infected person, which happens when someone doesn’t wash their hands sufficiently after using the bathroom or changing a diaper
• Contact with oral and respiratory droplets when someone coughs, sneezes, drools or talks

How is it treated?

“There is no vaccine or other specific treatment other than managing symptoms, which typically last about seven days,” said Raghu Kasetty, MD, a pediatrician at OSF HealthCare. “While the skin rashes are rarely painful, the mouth sores do hurt and can make eating and drinking difficult. So, it’s recommended that parents relieve these symptoms with acetaminophen, which can also be used to treat fever and other pain. Ibuprofen can also be given to children over 6 months old.”

But at what point should a parent take their child to see a doctor?

“A doctor visit is necessary when a child has a fever higher than 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit, significant throat pain or is refusing to drink fluids,” Dr. Kasetty said. “Sometimes, fluid intake can be difficult for children due to mouth sores. However, it’s absolutely essential because they’ll become dehydrated if they don’t drink enough fluids. If that happens, they may have to go to a hospital emergency department or be admitted to a hospital to receive fluids through an IV.”

Symptoms of dehydration include excessive thirst, dry mouth, lack of tears, not urinating for eight to 10 hours, sunken eyes and fatigue.

Eating can also be difficult due to the mouth sores, so it’s important to avoid citrus fruits and juices as well as salty, spicy foods. Instead, a soft diet is recommended, which includes food like:

• Applesauce
• Cheese
• Chicken
• Cottage cheese
• Deli meats
• Fresh fruit
• Refried beans
• Scrambled eggs
• Soft, cooked vegetables
• Tuna
• Turkey
• Yogurt

How long to quarantine?

It’s not practical to wait until a child is 100% free of the virus before allowing them to resume their normal daily routine around other children.

“The virus is present in stool for six weeks to a few months and in oral and respiratory secretions for up to four weeks. So, it’s just not possible to avoid sending a child to school or daycare for that entire amount of time,” Dr. Kasetty said. “The best rule of thumb is a child can return to activities around other kids once they have no fever for 24 hours, have no open sores and don’t excessively drool. ”

An ounce of prevention

Parents can help children avoid this illness by encouraging frequent hand washing – especially after going to the bathroom and before eating – and by avoiding touching their eyes, mouth and nose. Parents can also help kill germs that may be lurking around the house by using disinfecting wipes on frequently touched surfaces, such as door knobs, faucet handles, light switches, etc.

Last Updated: February 11, 2022

View all posts by Luke Legner

Tags: pediatrics, rash, viruses

Categories: General, Kids & Family

New Strain of Hand, Foot and Mouth Virus Worries Parents, Pediatricians

But most cases are mild, short-lived, Johns Hopkins Children’s Center dermatologists say

Release Date: August 24, 2012

Your child goes to bed in perfect health. The next morning she wakes up with high fever, malaise and bright red blisters erupting all over her body. Johns Hopkins Children’s Center dermatologists say the disturbing scenario has become quite common in the last few months, sending scared parents to their pediatrician’s office or straight to the emergency room.

Bernard Cohen, M.D., director of pediatric dermatology at Johns Hopkins Children’s Center, and colleague Kate Puttgen, M.D., have seen or consulted on close to 50 such cases in the last few months and have received countless phone calls from scared parents and concerned physicians. Cohen believes this number may be just the tip of the iceberg with primary care pediatricians seeing the bulk of new cases.

Cohen and Puttgen want to reassure parents that most cases of the disease are benign and that nearly all patients recover in seven to 10 days without treatment and without serious complications.

“What we are seeing is relatively common viral illness called hand-foot-and-mouth disease but with a new twist,” Cohen says.

The culprit is an unusual strain of the common coxsackie virus that usually causes the disease. The new strain, coxsackie A6, previously found only in Africa and Asia, is now cropping up all over the United States.

The coxsackie virus strikes infants and children under age 5 in the summer and autumn months. Symptoms include fever and malaise and, a day or two later, a non-itchy skin rash with flat or raised red spots on the hands and feet and/or mouth sores.

The new strain, however, behaves somewhat differently from its homegrown cousin, Cohen says. It carries a slightly higher risk for more serious illness and more widespread rash that can involve the arms, legs, face and diaper area. The new strain also seems to affect older as well as younger children.

“We’ve talked with many of our pediatric dermatology colleagues around the country and the number of cases and the severity of the rash is clearly new and different from the typical hand, foot and mouth disease we are used to seeing,” adds Puttgen. “The good news is that it looks bad but hasn’t actually caused severe symptoms for our patients.”

The new virus can also cause a rash that mimics lesions of herpes simplex virus, which requires treatment with antivirals.

“It can look like disseminated herpes simplex, and parents may panic if they don’t know what it is,” Cohen says. “But unlike herpes simplex, this rash evolves very fast. It’s bad for a few days and then gets better very quickly without any treatment at all.”

To reduce the spread of the virus, Cohen and Puttgen advise frequent hand washing and good general hygiene. Pediatricians need not refer patients to a specialist if they recognize the rash for what it is and if the child is otherwise healthy, they say.

“If the child has low-grade fever, but is otherwise well, waiting and watching is appropriate,” Cohen says. “If the child is having problems with feeding or drinking or acting ill, it’s time to call the doctor.”

Specifically, Cohen says, children with immune deficiencies, cancer or other serious illness should be followed closely by their pediatrician to avoid or promptly treat any complications.

 

Foot and mouth disease – Symptoms, treatment – Medical reference book AMK

Adamant
medical clinic

St. Petersburg, embankment of the river Moika, 78.

+7 (812) 740-20-90

Content:

FMD is a viral disease transmitted to humans from an infected animal. Pathology is manifested by severe intoxication of the body and the appearance of painful ulcerations on the mucous membranes of all parts of the body. Also, vesicular-ulcerative rashes occur on the skin between the fingers and around the nails.

The causative agent of foot-and-mouth disease is a virus of the Piconavirus family. This is a highly pathogenic microorganism that staunchly withstands freezing, but dies when treated with disinfectants and when heated above 60 degrees.

Foot and mouth disease is a disease that most often affects animals (pigs, goats, sheep, deer and cows). Sometimes even domestic dogs and cats can become infected with this disease. Often this pathology causes a mass fall of livestock.

People become infected with foot-and-mouth disease most often by consuming unpasteurized milk, cottage cheese, kefir, or raw meat from infected animals. However, it is possible to transmit the infection through contact and through household items. Children are more sensitive to the pathogen. A sick person is not dangerous to others.

How does foot and mouth disease manifest itself?

From the period of infection to the appearance of clinical signs, as a rule, a week passes. The onset of the disease is marked by the following signs:

• high temperature;
• painful sensations in the muscles;
• characteristic itching and burning in the oral cavity;
• strong salivation;
• redness of the eyes;
• painful sensation when urinating;
• diarrhea.

When examining a patient, the doctor determines swelling and redness of the tongue, soft palate and palatine arches. There is an increase in lymph nodes. After a while, small bubbles appear on the mucous membranes. Then they open up and form erosions that merge with each other. These affected areas cause severe discomfort. Patients cannot speak or swallow.

Similar symptoms are characterized by damage to other mucous membranes of the body. From other diseases, foot and mouth disease is distinguished by rashes between the fingers and in the folds of the legs and arms.

The acute period of the disease lasts an average of a week. In children, the pathology is accompanied by nausea and diarrhea.

FMD treatment

If a diagnosis of foot and mouth disease has been established, patients are admitted to the hospital for at least 2 weeks. The doctor prescribes a diet that excludes mechanical and chemical irritation of the affected areas of the mucosa. Also, patients are shown to drink plenty of fluids. If a sick person is not able to swallow food, feeding is carried out through a tube.

Of the drugs, antiviral, sometimes antiallergic, painkillers and supporting the cardiovascular system are shown. Wounds on mucous membranes are treated with creams and gels that accelerate regeneration.

FMD prevention

To avoid infection in endemic areas, strict personal safety rules should be observed.

Mandatory requirements are:

• boiling milk;
• production of cottage cheese, butter and other products only from processed raw materials;
• heat treatment of meat.

WARNING – FMD!

Foot and mouth disease is an acute infectious disease caused by a filterable virus, transmitted to humans from sick animals, characterized by the appearance of blisters and erosions on the oral mucosa (aphthous stomatitis), as well as on the skin of the hands and feet.

FMD is a filterable ultramicroscopic virus belonging to the Picornoviridae family. FMDV is characterized by high variability in both laboratory and natural conditions.

FMD has long been found in all parts of the world, mainly in agricultural countries. The first scientific reports on foot-and-mouth disease in humans were published in Norway in 1764 by Sagar, who observed more than 1500 cases of foot-and-mouth disease (aphthous foot-and-mouth disease). FMD is caused by an RNA virus. It is characterized by high virulence, it also resembles the epithelial structures of the mucous membranes and skin. The virus is stable in the environment. In milk it lasts up to 25–30 hours (up to 10 days in a refrigerator), in oil up to 2 months, in sausages and corned beef up to 50 days, in bran from 2 to 5 months, in dried saliva (on animal hair, on clothes) – from 1 to 3 months. In frozen carcasses, the virus persists for up to 687 days. Ultraviolet (sun) rays and boiling (for 5 minutes) inactivate the virus.

Sick animals, especially cattle, but also pigs, sheep and goats are the reservoir and source of infection. Susceptibility to foot-and-mouth disease was also noted in wild animals: elk, roe deer, reindeer, saigas, etc.

Young animals are especially seriously ill, among which there is a high mortality. In addition to the animals listed above, camels are susceptible to FMD. Occasionally, horses, dogs, and cats get sick with foot and mouth disease. Carriers can be rodents susceptible to this disease (ground squirrels, rats, mice), as well as some birds (they are not sick, but they excrete the virus that got in with food through the intestines) and gadfly. Animals become infected through mutual contact on pastures, in cowsheds and stables. Standing out from the body of sick animals with saliva, milk, manure, urine, the contents of the vesicles, the foot-and-mouth disease virus enters the bedding, food, overalls of the attendants, where it can persist for a long time.

FMD can be classified as an occupational disease. It mainly spreads in rural areas, and among those people who work in agricultural livestock enterprises, meat processing plants that slaughter livestock and process animal raw materials.

FMD can also occur in children. Children get the virus after eating contaminated dairy products.

How to get infected with FMD

The main route of human infection is through raw milk of sick animals and products of its processing, less often through meat. In people who are in direct contact with sick animals, direct transmission of the infection is possible (during milking, care, treatment, slaughter), airborne infection (during breathing, coughing of animals), as well as infection through objects contaminated with animal secretions. The infection is not transmitted from person to person. Children are more susceptible to FMD than adults.

Symptoms of foot and mouth disease

The incubation period of the disease is on average 3 to 4 days, but the disease can increase from 10 to 14 days or vice versa be reduced to two days. The disease process begins with a strong chill, while the temperature rises to 40 degrees. To these symptoms are added a headache, a decrease in appetite, muscle pains are observed and especially severe in the lumbar region. On the first day of the course of the disease, the infected person feels a burning sensation and dryness in the mouth, as well as strong salivation. After some time, small bubbles begin to pour out on the mucous membrane of the mouth, from about 1 to 3 mm. Their largest accumulation is located at the tip and along the edges of the tongue, as well as on the gums, mucous membrane of the cheeks and lips. The liquid that fills the formed bubbles is transparent, it gradually becomes cloudy, the diameter of the bubbles increases, while forming erosion.

If foot-and-mouth disease affects children, they complain of difficulty swallowing, as well as pain when talking and chewing. Because of this, they become irritable and subsequently refuse to eat at all. Often salivation can be so strong that saliva can flow out in a stream. Eruptions of bubbles can also be on the mucous membranes of the nose, conjunctiva, stomach. In addition to the mucous membranes, rashes can also be on the skin of the face, forearms, hands, feet and legs, they are especially common between the fingers. Provided that the disease proceeds without complications, the fever lasts for 3 to 6 days. After this, the recovery period begins, which is accompanied by the rapid healing of all ulcers. The total duration of the course of the disease is about 2 weeks.

There are cases when the duration of the disease is from 1 to 1.5 years, with periodic rashes.

If the virus enters through the gastrointestinal tract, then stomatitis may not appear. In this case, the whole disease proceeds according to the type of acute gastroenteritis. Symptoms of intoxication appear, fever, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and loose stools. Usually this form of the course of the disease is observed in children who become infected through milk and dairy products.

In most cases, the disease ends with a complete recovery, while it does not leave any traces behind. But a completely different prognosis has a severely flowing foot and mouth disease, which affects young children. Some cases of the disease end in death.

FMD can cause complications. But this happens quite rarely. Complications can be expressed in the form of pneumonia, myocarditis, purulent skin diseases.

Prevention of foot-and-mouth disease

1. Sanitary and veterinary measures

The basis for the prevention of foot-and-mouth disease is constant control over the various movements of animals and food products obtained from animals. If a disease is detected in at least one animal, the strictest quarantine is introduced. A sick animal is isolated and a complete disinfection of the premises is carried out. Any export and import of milk and meat from a sick animal is prohibited.

The whole room where animals are kept, work equipment, overalls, care products and even manure is subject to disinfection. In order to prevent an epidemic, it is also advisable to carry out routine vaccination among animals, which will protect them from a sudden outbreak of the disease.

2. Compliance with personal precautions

To exclude the contact route of infection when caring for sick or suspicious animals, it is necessary to strictly observe the measures of individual prevention.