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| Hand foot and mouth disease causes and symptoms |
Hand foot and mouth disease causes and symptoms
Foot and mouth disease, a mild and contagious viral infection that often occurs in young children, is characterized by mouth sores and a rash on the hands and feet.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is most often caused by a coxsackievirus.
There is no specific treatment for diseases of the hands, feet, and mouth. Washing your hands frequently and avoiding close contact with people with hand, foot, and mouth disease can reduce your child's risk of infection.
Symptoms
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Hand, foot and mouth disease can cause some or all of the following signs and symptoms. They understand:
- fever
- Sore throat
- Malaise (malaise)
- Painful, red lesions, such as blisters on the tongue, gums, and inside the cheek.
- An itchy red rash, but sometimes blisters on the palms, soles and sometimes on the buttocks.
- Irritability in infants and young children.
- Loss of appetite
- the usual period from initial infection to the onset of signs and symptoms (incubation period) is three to six days. 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.
A day or two after the fever starts, painful sores can develop in the mouth or throat. A rash on the hands and feet and possibly on the buttocks can occur in a day or two.
Sores that develop in the back of the mouth and throat may indicate that your child is infected with a related viral disease called herpangina. Other distinguishing features of Herpangina are sudden high fever and, in some cases, an attack. Injuries that develop on the hands, feet or other parts of the body are very rare.
When to consult a doctor
Hand, foot and mouth disease is usually a minor illness that causes fever and relatively mild signs and symptoms for only a few days. Contact your doctor if a sore throat or sore throat prevents your child from drinking fluids. Contact your doctor if your child's signs and symptoms worsen after a few days.
the causes
The most common cause of hand, foot and mouth disease is infection with the Coxsackie A16 virus. The Coxsackie virus belongs to a group of viruses called non-polio enteroviruses. Other types of enteroviruses sometimes cause diseases of the hands, feet, and mouth.
Oral use is the main cause of coxsackievirus infections and hand diseases, foot, and mouth disease. The disease is spread through personal contact with an infected person:
Runny nose or discharge from the throat.
to spit
Bubble liquid
stool
Breath droplets sprayed into the air after coughing or sneezing
Often in daycare
Diseases of the hands, feet, and mouth are more common in children in child care because they change diapers and toilets frequently, and because young children often put their hands in their mouths.
Although your child has the most contagious hand, foot and mouth disease in the first week of illness, the virus can remain in the body for weeks after the signs and symptoms have gone. This means that your child can still infect others.
Some people, especially adults, can transmit the virus without showing any signs or symptoms of the disease.
Outbreaks of the disease are more common in the United States and other temperate climates in summer and fall. Epidemics occur in tropical climates throughout the year.
Unlike foot and mouth disease
Foot and mouth disease is not associated with foot and mouth disease (sometimes called foot and mouth disease), an infectious viral disease that occurs in farm animals. You cannot and cannot transmit the disease from the hands, feet, and mouth of pets or other animals.
Risk factors
Hand, foot and mouth disease mainly affects children under the age of 10, often children under the age of 5. Children in daycare are particularly susceptible to outbreaks of hand, foot and mouth disease because the infection is spread through personal contact, and young children are more susceptible.
Children usually develop immunity to diseases of the hands, feet, and mouth as they age by producing antibodies after exposure to the virus that causes the disease. However, adolescents and adults can develop the disease.
Complications
The most common complication of hand, foot and mouth disease is dehydration. The disease can cause sores in the mouth and throat, which makes swallowing painful and difficult.
Make sure your child drinks fluids frequently during the illness. In case of severe dehydration, intravenous (IV) fluids may be necessary.
Hand, foot and mouth disease is usually a minor illness that causes fever and relatively mild signs and symptoms for only a few days. A rare and sometimes serious form of the Coxsackie virus can affect the brain and lead to other complications:
Viral meningitis. It is a rare infection and inflammation of the membranes (meninges) and cerebrospinal fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord.
Encephalitis. This serious and potentially fatal disease includes inflammation of the brain caused by a virus. Encephalitis is rare.
prevention
Certain precautions can help reduce the risk of infection from hand, foot and mouth diseases:
Wash your hands thoroughly. Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly, especially after using the toilet or changing diapers, and before preparing and eating. If soap and water are not available, use paper towels or gels that have been treated with germicidal alcohol.
Disinfect public spaces.
Get into the habit of cleaning high traffic areas and surfaces first with soap and water, then with a dilute solution of bleach and water. Daycares must adhere to a strict cleaning and disinfection schedule for all common areas, including shared items such as toys, as the virus can live on these items for days.
Clean your baby's pacifier frequently.
Teach good hygiene. Teach your children how to practice good hygiene and how to stay clean. Explain why it is best not to put your fingers, hands, or other objects in your mouth.
Isolate infectious people.
Since hand, foot and mouth disease is highly contagious, people with this condition should limit their exposure to others while showing active signs and symptoms.
Keep children with hand, foot and mouth diseases away from daycare or school until the fever is gone and the mouth sores are healed.
If you are sick, stay at home and do not go to work.