Monsoons are here in full force and so are the diseases. As parents, we might not worry much about our health, but when it comes to the kids we want to know everything. We are very familiar with common diseases in kids like cold & cough, fever, etc. But there are so many diseases that we do not know about and should know about. One of them is Hand-Foot-Mouth disease or HFMD.
What Is Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease?
HFMD is an infectious disease and is caused by certain viruses. What’s interesting is that this disease has been around for years. It generally affects all age groups. However, young children, aged 5 year and under are more likely to be affected.
Now, Is Hand-Foot-Mouth Disease Serious?
Well, in most cases, HFMD is mild. However, a few children who are infected with the EV71 strain of the virus can become very ill. What is the EV71 virus? Enterovirus 71 or EV71, is a neurological disease which is rare but serious.
How Does The HFMD Spread?
HFMD spreads through direct contact with saliva, nasal discharge, faeces, or fluid from the blisters of an infected person. It can also be spread indirectly through articles contaminated by these secretions. It is important to know that a child is infectious throughout the illness. Now the most important question.
How Do I Know If My Child Has HFMD?
You will know if your child has the following symptoms:
- Fever for 2-3 days.
- Sore throat and a runny nose.
- Rash (Flat or raised red spots, some with blisters) on the hands (especially the palms), feet and occasionally on the buttocks.
- Mouth ulcers.
- Poor appetite.
- Vomiting and diarrhoea
If you observe these symptoms, visit your family doctor or paediatrician.
How Can You Prevent The Spread Of HFMD At Home?
To prevent the spread of the disease you can do the following:
- Take advice from your family doctor or paediatrician.
- Follow medications given by the doctor. Do not try self-medication or refer to Google.
- Keep your child away from public places.
- Get everyone at home to wash their hands and feet frequently with soap.
- Keep your child at home until he is fully recovered.
- Keep your child’s things (toys, books, towels, clothes, soap, etc) separate from the rest of the family.
- Inform the school/kindergarten/childcare as soon as possible. They could monitor other kids and be vigilant.
- Ensure your kid is fully recovered before sending them to school/kindergarten or childcare.
How HFMD Should Be Prevented At A Kindergarten/ Childcare Centre?
Childcare or kindergartens should be vigilant and observe kids with a fever or rash as it is contagious. If at all a child has HFMD, ensure that child stays home for the safety of the others. All activities or school work to be sent to the child’s house so they don’t miss out on anything. Clean all items in the place with a child-friendly liquid. Most importantly, it is essential to inform other parents if any child at the centre has HFMD.
This is everything you need to know about the Hand-Foot-Mouth disease. We need to be vigilant with our kid’s health. There are many times, we treat fever or rashes mindlessly with our own medications. However, sometimes it is crucial to pay attention to the symptoms and then make informed decisions.
Dr Nihar Parekh is a Mumbai paediatrician who has seen a number of these cases in the last few weeks and this is what he has to say! Watch the full video to know the causes, and symptoms of hand, foot & mouth disease in kids and how you can make it comfortable for your little one.
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Share this with fellow parents. You never know who’ll need this information. Did you know about this disease? Tell us in the comments below.
KSP Team
Dr Paula Goel
Parul Gupta
Aditi Malik
Janani S Koushik
Mansi Zaveri
