Hand, foot and mouth disease is a common childhood illness that can also affect adults. Most adults are immune. It is highly contagious. It usually clears up by itself in 7 to 10 days. Show
Hand, foot and mouth disease is not the same as foot and mouth disease. Foot and mouth disease affects farm animals such as cattle, sheep and pigs. You cannot catch hand, foot and mouth disease from animals. Check if it’s hand, foot and mouth diseaseIt can take 3 to 5 days for symptoms to develop after your child becomes infected. Most of the time you can treat your child at home. The first symptoms are:
After a few days, mouth ulcers and a rash will appear. Symptoms can be the same in adults and children. They're usually worse in babies and children under 5 years. You can get hand, foot and mouth disease more than once. But it's normally not as severe the next time. Sometimes a rash combined with a high temperature can be a symptom of another serious infection such as meningitis. You can do a glass test to make sure it isn't. How to treat hand, foot and mouth disease in childrenTo help with the symptoms:
If your child is unwell or uncomfortable with a fever, giving them paracetamol or ibuprofen can help. Only give your child ibuprofen if they are older than 3 months. Adults who are unwell can also take paracetamol or ibuprofen. You cannot take antibiotics or medicines to cure hand, foot and mouth disease. Talk to a pharmacistSpeak to a pharmacist for advice about treatments. Mouth ulcer gels, sprays and mouthwashes can help relieve pain. They can tell you which ones are suitable for children. Ask a pharmacist about suitable medications for you or your child. When to see your GPYou will probably know if you or your child has hand, foot and mouth disease without needing to go to a GP. If there's an outbreak of the virus at your child's school or crèche, it's likely they've caught the virus. Hand, foot and mouth disease is contagious. Check with your GP's surgery before going in-person. They may suggest a phone consultation. This is to prevent the infection from spreading to other patients. Test for hand, foot and mouth diseaseYour GP or paediatrician may need to do other tests if they are not sure your child has hand, foot and mouth disease. These could include:
These samples will be sent to the lab for testing. Hand, foot and mouth disease in pregnancyThere's normally no risk to the pregnancy or baby. But, it's best to avoid close contact with anyone who has hand, foot and mouth disease. This is because:
Speak to your GP or midwife if you have been in contact with someone with hand, foot and mouth disease. Try not to worry. Adults are less likely to become infected than children. Complications from hand, foot and mouth diseaseMouth ulcers caused by hand foot and mouth disease can make it hard to eat and drink. DehydrationA sore mouth or throat can make it difficult to drink and swallow. Drink plenty of fluids. Children can become dehydrated if they do not drink enough. If their mouth is sore, your child may not want to drink. Giving them paracetamol or ibuprofen regularly can help with this. It might help to give them sips of fluid, using a straw. If your child is breastfeeding, offer them regular breastfeeds. This will help them stay hydrated. It will also comfort them too. If you or your child become severely dehydrated, you may have to be treated in hospital and be given fluids through a drip. A drip is a small tube placed into a vein in your child's hand or arm. InfectionTalk to your GP if any of your child’s blisters start oozing pus or the skin around them becomes very red. Serious complications from hand, foot and mouth diseaseSerious complications due to hand, foot and mouth disease are rare. In rare cases, the virus can cause inflammation of the heart, the brain or the lung. In very rare cases these complications can cause death. Take your child to your nearest hospital emergency department (ED) that treats children if they have hand, foot and mouth disease and any of the following symptoms:
Causes of hand, foot and mouth diseaseHand, foot and mouth disease is caused by coxsackievirus. It's easily passed on to other people. It's spread in coughs, sneezes and poo. You can become infected if you touch the blisters, poo or saliva of someone with hand, foot and mouth. How to stop hand, foot and mouth disease spreadingYou're most likely to give hand, foot and mouth disease to others in the first 5 days after symptoms start. To reduce the risk of spreading hand, foot and mouth disease:
Staying off school, pre-school or childcareKeep your child off school, pre-school or childcare while they are feeling unwell. As soon as they're feeling better, they can go back. There's no need to wait until all the blisters have healed. Keeping your child home for longer is unlikely to stop the illness from spreading. Your child was probably contagious even before they had symptoms. How long after being exposed to hand foot and mouth can you get it?The symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease usually develop between three and five days after being exposed to the infection. The first symptoms may include: a high temperature (fever), usually around 38-39C (100.4-102.2F) a general sense of feeling unwell.
Can You Get hand Foot mouth a week after exposure?Symptoms of hand, foot and mouth disease typically appear within three to seven days after exposure. When the illness starts, you or your child might have a mild fever, sore throat, runny nose and little appetite.
What does the beginning of hand foot and mouth look like?Your child can get a skin rash on the palms of the hands and soles of the feet. It can also show up on the buttocks, legs, and arms. The rash usually is not itchy and looks like flat or slightly raised red spots, sometimes with blisters that have an area of redness at their base.
Is hand Foot and mouth contagious before symptoms?Hand, foot, and mouth disease is caused by viruses.
People with hand, foot, and mouth disease are usually most contagious during the first week that they are sick. People can sometimes spread the virus to others for days or weeks after symptoms go away or if they have no symptoms at all.
|